Considering a Mezzanine Floor?

Here are the pointers & handy tips you should consider: –

Is Planning Permission required?
Typically planning permission is not formally required, however Building Regulation Approval is required which would make sure that your chosen contractor has taken into consider all the regulations when designing your mezzanine floor.

• On certain occasion planning permission, these are such instances if:
• If the site has restrictions on development
• Any external alternations required.
• The mezzanine is used to increase work or office space
• Retail usage over 200m²

Purpose of Use?
Before the design of your mezzanine floor can be carried out you need to decide what is your mezzanine floor going to be used for? Retail, Storage or Office space? This will affect all the other elements of the construction.

Retail mezzanine floors are installed to allow retailers to have larger sales floors for shoppers to utilise the most of empty vertical space but still giving a sense of airiness with usable space below the mezzanine floor. As they are used to exhibit products for sale than storage these kind of mezzanine floors would be small loading and more emphasis on appearance & accessibility with finishing trims, customers lifts, glass balustrades, escalators etc.

Storage Mezzanine floors are very cost effective practical for businesses who have limited space to store stock or equipment. Making most of your empty vertical void than moving to larger premises has a huge cost saving over time. These floors are designed for functionality and not for appearances.

Office Mezzanines are used in variety of environments to Industrial warehouses to prestige office environments. Depending on the office environment these can have a more industrial feel or stylish and spacious.  Office mezzanines are a great way to increase the functionality of a building and creating inspired working office environments.

Safety?
Is the design safe for people working or visiting the mezzanine floor space? Today there is a lot of pressure on companies to provide safe environments for staff and for the public.

Choosing the right contractor who knows building control regulations and can advise on this is key.

Things to take into consideration for safety: – Is there enough escape routes? Is there fire protection to ½ hour or in certain areas 1 hour? This not only gives people protection to exit the premises without harm but can also protect against the spread of fire to safeguard stock & equipment. You can even have mezzanine floors with feature automatic fire detection and emergency lighting on the undersides, while other measures might include fire walls, column casings and a sprinkler system.