Knock Through - Building Regs?

[lovinit]

We have had a 6ft knock through between the dining room and lounge and french doors have been fitted. It is in the centre of a 15ft internal load bearing wall. A concrete lintel has been fitted and is anchored 100mm at each end on the existing block work. The lintel is 4 inches wide and 2 inches high (is this sufficient?).

Should this have had a Building Officer round?

The guy doing the work is well known to us and I have no reason to believe that he would do anything dodgy. He told us he had spoken to the Building Regs office and they had said they did not need to be involved - could this be true?

 

[Nige F]

The guy doing the work is well known to us and I have no reason to believe that he would do anything dodgy.................and yet ....Don`t ask me, I`ve been on Rogue Traders

 

[fitz1]

any structural work technically should have planning permission and be inspected. i would have expected the lintel to be a 6in by 4 in , with 6 in either end into the brickwork sitting on pads.

 

[Richard C]

Doesn’t sound right to me. You don't normally need PP for internal work but you do need to observe Building Control regulations & they will always usually want to inspect any new lintel in a load bearing wall & sometimes will want to see calculations. What load is the wall taking? The load bearing at each end should be a minimum of 150mm & the section of the lintel also sounds rather small to me.

 

[lovinit]

The builder said he'd spoken to the Building Regs office and said they didn't need to be involved - mistake number 1!!

Then we were told the wrong width of the french doors by the bloody factory - there would have 150mm support at each end but when the doors turned up we realised they were wider. The builder said it would be ok with the 100mm we've ended up with - mistake number 2!!

Now the lintel sounds too small - mistake number 3!!!

The wall is supporting floor joists for upstairs but that's it. Theres only stud walls on top of that. I think in total there are 5 or 6 joists running across the section that is now supported by the lintel.

Is it really going to fall down? I know there are modern regulations for a reason but surely things were not as strict in the past and there must be older houses that are still standing with less support than this?

I know thats not the right attittude and I should do the right thing but its all plastered now and I just want to get it finished.

Thanks for your help and advice.

 

[lovinit]

The guy doing the work is well known to us and I have no reason to believe that he would do anything dodgy

.................and yet

This is one problem when you use someone you know well - its make it harder to point out mistakes and problems - well it does for me anyway. If it was a guy out of the yellow pages I'd be demanding he fixes it and I wouldn't care if I got into a fight with him.

That'll learn me!!!!!

....Don`t ask me, I`ve been on Rogue Traders

Really? Why?

 

[jbonding]

The builder said he'd spoken to the Building Regs office and said they didn't need to be involved - mistake number 1!!

Then we were told the wrong width of the french doors by the b****y factory - there would have 150mm support at each end but when the doors turned up we realised they were wider. The builder said it would be ok with the 100mm we've ended up with - mistake number 2!!

Now the lintel sounds too small - mistake number 3!!!

The wall is supporting floor joists for upstairs but that's it. Theres only stud walls on top of that. I think in total there are 5 or 6 joists running across the section that is now supported by the lintel.

Is it really going to fall down? I know there are modern regulations for a reason but surely things were not as strict in the past and there must be older houses that are still standing with less support than this?

I know thats not the right attittude and I should do the right thing but its all plastered now and I just want to get it finished.
Thanks for your help and advice.

this is why we have bco, i doubt it will go any were just yet but when you come to sell you will have problems especially when HIP's come out next july.Like you say dealing with friends with the best intentions its a little harder to point out but its your house and probably worth a good deal of money so sometimes trying to save your self a couple of quid may cost you in the long run.

 

[lovinit]

i doubt it will go any were just yet but when you come to sell you will have problems especially when HIP's come out next july.

I appreciate that and thats the bit that worries me!! I reckon we will be in this house for another 5 years or there abouts so I need to make the decision - sort it now or sort it later!!

Thanks for your comments

 

[Richard C]

[/quote] so I need to make the decision - sort it now or sort it later!![/quote]

My advice is sort it out now; it may be OK but then again it may not! It probably won’t fall down but you could get some serious stress cracks developing outwards from each end of the lintel which you could be forever trying to cover up. & when the sellers pack comes in, the first thing your surveyor is going to ask to see is the BC completion certificate for the work you’ve had done. New work will be obvious to even the most novice surveyor & if you can’t produce the paperwork, you’re going to have a problem.

 

[lovinit]

My advice is sort it out now; it may be OK but then again it may not! It probably won’t fall down but you could get some serious stress cracks developing outwards from each end of the lintel which you could be forever trying to cover up. & when the sellers pack comes in, the first thing your surveyor is going to ask to see is the BC completion certificate for the work you’ve had done. New work will be obvious to even the most novice surveyor & if you can’t produce the paperwork, you’re going to have a problem.

I know you're right - I'm just trying to put off the inevitble - I think I need a serious chat with my builder!!!

 

[noseall]

100mm bearing used to be the norm a number of years back, so don't panick just yet.

maybe a chat with a structural engineer, to see if what's there already, is adequate for the loads it's sustaining.

he could even certificate it for you. after all, even b.c. listen to structural engineers.

 

[lovinit]

100mm bearing used to be the norm a number of years back, so don't panick just yet.

maybe a chat with a structural engineer, to see if what's there already, is adequate for the loads it's sustaining.

he could even certificate it for you. after all, even b.c. listen to structural engineers.

Thanks noseall, thats a great idea. I guess we would have to strip the plaster back so he can see it for himself?

Cheers

 

[JohnCo]

A structual engineer will cost a small fortune! IF, and only IF, the lintel has three coursies of bricks on it under the joists, you MAY get away with it, but if the bearings are on soft blockwork also, then the only way is replace with either a 4"by 6" concrete or heavy duty box steel.
Mind, if you have a length of 6" RSJ lying around, use that, but it is more complicated finnishing it! Regards JohnCo

 

[Static]

The lintel you describe is for non load bearing walls and light support. Unless the loading is light above it or you have very high ceilings, it would be a concern.