Building Regs for a Stud Wall Install? If you want to know how your DIY projects could be affected by building and planning regulations, click here to post questions and view answers

[Ciderman]

Hi.
Do I need to engage local building regs dept if I want to install a stud wall to a stone lime rendered internal wall?
The wall is not damp and is part of a barn conversion with no listing.
Need to install a kitchen and the stone wall is uneven, plus I find it ugly.

[richardanthonyj]

That's actually a tricky one to answer. Is the building Article 4 (a building of interest to the local authority?).

In terms of building regs, you're clear when it comes to "structure" as the stud wall won't be carrying loads from building elements (if it falls down, the building wont collapse). However, you may fall foul of Insulation requirements, which from recollection, is based on the percentage of the overall structure being worked on.

Even if building regs dont apply, putting a stud wall up against an external stone wall without some thought isn't advisable. The new stud will potentially form a cold bridge and lead to condensation in the newly formed cavity. You'll need to at the very least install a vapour barrier and 25 mm breather gap to the rear of the studs. If you're going the whole hog, insulate with PIR between the studs to improve the thermal efficiency in the room.

[Ciderman]

Thanks for the reply.
The building isn't listed or on any preservation order etc... the stone is bare at the moment and not the tidiest of looks with it being an old barn and badly converted in the 90's.
What do you mean by an air gap behind the studs? I thought the studs would be fixed directly to the stone and packed here and there to brace them to perfect vertical.
I have no idea what insulation is required but I am looking to have a stud cavity of 50mm or so

[richardanthonyj]

fix the sole plate down to the floor and wall plate up under the floor joists, then run the studs between sole plate and wall plate, fixing top and bottom. The only times I have specified fixing studs to the external wall is when I've used them structurally to restrain the masonry/ stone against wind loading & bellying.

Here's a detail from TRADA. It's a slightly different layout to the studs you'd be forming, given that yours is to form a "true" wall but the principles the same. Without the vapour barrier and 20-25mm gap, you'll trap water vapour.