Ongoing Door installation questions (advice needed)...

[LJG7777]

Hi guys,

I want to put in a door from my kitchen to my integral garage. The location of the door however is quite close to a corner (see pics). I can just about give my doorway a 150mm bearing on the side of the inside corner (albeit with the lintel pushed right up to the blockwork on that side) however I'm just not sure I trust this due to how close it is to the corner. I've shown this to my BCO and asked re the corner and if there are any issues with this sort of installation, all he said was "all complies regards forming the new door opening" but this to me isn't necessarily saying it's safe to do . Should I get someone else involved to assess this all properly, if so who do I need? (There's a possibility that the lintel could become part of the corner but I'm unsure how the corner is joined until I knock the row of bricks out for the lintel).

The wall is made up of blockwork/cavity/blockwork (100mm blocks) so the outer side of this wall (the kitchen side) will have a bigger distance between the opening and the corner, it's just the inside I'm worried about mainly.

In addition, as per the pic, is it safe to just fit a concrete 65x100x1000mm lintel as shown? Does it need anything supporting it underneath or will the existing blockwork be ok? I know that RSJ's have padstones but would they be needed here?

All/any advice is welcome as I'm slowly losing the will with this project! Note that I'm doing the work myself as I spent months trying to find a builder (to no avail).

 

[^woody^]

but this to me isn't necessarily saying it's safe to do

Building regualtions are primarily concerned with safety. If the BCO says it complies then that means in his opinion it is safe and satisfies The Building Regulations.

Lintels dont need padstones. Lintels can have 100mm bearings.

 

[LJG7777]

Thanks Woody. What is your personal opinion of the closeness to the corner (regardless of the BCO's comments)? What would you do? I thought my bearing could be less but couldn't seem to find the info anywhere. Do you know where I can find this info (based on opening sizes)?

 

[^woody^]

My opinion on openings near or at corners is that it does not matter one jot. Thousands of buildings have openings near corners, have done so for years, buildings are still standing and no piles of rubble.

Lintel bearing details are from the manufacturers. 150mm is a generic random dimension.

 

[LJG7777]

Thanks Woody!

 

[tomfe]

It's nice to have a little return so you can add architrave and a little bit of plastered wall.

 

[catlad]

I have seen plenty where there are structural problems on older properties where openings are to close to corners.

 

[LJG7777]

Hi Tomfe, the garage side is the side with the shortest distance between the door frame and the wall. Although I wasn't really planning on putting in architrave on that side there would still be room for it.

Hi Catlad, my house is a new build, unsure if that makes a difference.

I've re-contacted the BCO (who's communication skills are abysmal by the way) to confirm 'exactly' how he would like this to proceed. Just waiting for his response. If it wasn't this close to the corner it would be done by now as it's not a hard job, just better to be safe than sorry.

This has been going on for months, can't seem to get a straight answer/decent advice so any advice is and will always be welcome. Should I just contact a Structural Engineer anyway?!

 

[^woody^]

You worry too much. Just do it.

 

[LJG7777]

You're probably right!

 

[Ian H]

A mate of mine broke through into his new build garage to make a utility room. The wall was a single lightweight block so he fitted a lintel, sawed the sides then fitted the worlds smallest door.

The house fell down the week after cause he had the door too close to a corner

 

[LJG7777]

Eh? This isn't even that close to the corner and the fact that his house fell down from making an alteration to a single lightweight block wall? he surely must have done something else wrong. Is this in his front hallway (near the front door and therefore near the external wall)?

 

[LJG7777]

Whilst doing my research I've seem multiple doorways going in at this location without an issue.