beam, wall and footing calculations

[chips]

I am in the process of buying a home and need to do a knock through between my kitchen and the dining room. Does anyone know how to ascertain the structural calculations of the beam, the size and type of brick needed for the piers to support the beam and the size of footing for the piers. The knock-through is on the ground floor of a terraced property with a concrete floor.

Cheers Chips

 

[Julio]

This work is covered by building reg's, so you will need to apply for that. The calc's that you need should be done by a structural engineer and submitted to the local authority for approval, these will include type of beam & size, support required (piers) and foundation requirements.

Hope this has answered your question & good luck

 

[toasty]

Me too actually chips.

Has anyone got a rough idea how much money we'll be looking at to do the job, plus making good afterwards. Including engineers costs etc....?


Thanks
-Dan

 

[chips]

cheers julio.

I thought it would involve a structural engineer. I have been in touch with a building control officer and downloaded the necessary paperwork just need to find an engineer. Maybe I should ask the building officer. Anybody else know of reasonably priced structural engineer in the East Kent area. I am doing the building work myself so just need to pay the engineer (i hope)!!

cheers chips

 

[chips]

Hi Folks

I had a friend recommend a structural engineer who lives locally. Before he came round I decided to pull up the floor boards upstairs so he could get a better look at the junction of the wall/ceiling. As I did I realised that the clinker block wall dividing the kitchen/diner goes up through the ceiling and is positioned between two floor joists but is not supporting the floor above. The above bathroom dividing wall is positioned offset to the wall below and is built off the floor boards. When the engineer came round I showed him this and he said the walls good to come down as it's not supporting! He advised that I should tie in at least three of the nearest floor joists to the outside wall with galv straps, which is what I have done and all is good now.

It amazes me that the upstairs dividing walls (excluding the main wall which runs across the middle of the house and carries the weight of all the joists) were built off of the floorboards and from clinker block which is extremely heavy. I have actually thought of pulling them down and replacing them with timber studs but this would probably involve doing things structurally to the outside walls!

Since the engineer was so helpful (all the other people i contacted about helping me stated either I needed a 'full set of plans' or some plans drawing up before even coming to look) I have since used him to draw up calculations for two other jobs for friends both of which have been passed by building control and completed really well and with no problems.

Thanks for all your help in this matter folks.

Regards
Chips