Matt Higgs reveals what you need to know to specify fenestration that complies with the latest regulations and meets your expectations

Matt Higgs

The safety of your family and possessions should be a top priority when designing or upgrading your home. Sadly, when it comes to doors and windows this is something that’s often overlooked in favour of price. Compliance with Building Regs is also an issue glazing suppliers don’t always take seriously enough – so customers can be left in the dark as to whether the products they’ve chosen are up to the task. In most burglaries, criminals break in through a door or window – either by forcing the lock, kicking it in or breaking the glass. To combat this, in October 2015 the government introduced

Part Q of the Building Regulations in England. This currently applies to new dwellings and conversions (structures undergoing a material change of use). However, it is expected that the regs will be updated in future to include extensions and refurbishments. Approved Document Q sets out reasonable standards for how easilyaccessible fenestration should resist physical attack by an opportunist burglar. To do this it must be sufficiently robust and fitted with suitable hardware. Easily accessible means either: