Universal Beam Question

[Footsoldier888]

I live in a 1920's solid brick semi.

Next door at the back they have a 1.8m lean to extension with pitched roof. Their son is a builder and is fitting two velux windows to the roof. Upon taking down the ceiling to expose the roof they have found that there was one UB of about 3.5m and possibly an original timber beam in place over what would originally have been a pair of door flanked by two windows.

Perhaps to raise the height they seem to have removed this timber beam and inserted a UB so that they have two in parallel at a higher level.

I just wanted to check because the chap is quite young and works for another guy. I doubt any structural calcs were done or notification given. That said, perhaps the task is so routine that paying for calcs and building control is seen as a waste of money, which I can understand up to a point.

I was able to look at the beams aren't on padstones but semi engineering bricks. On the new beam they had bonded some timber for battens for plasterboard, is that OK to do?

I just wanted to check that this is a very common event and nothing to worry about.

TIA.

 

[^woody^]

It's all a bit vague and it may or may not be OK. Engineers can be used in place of padstones in certain circumstances.

This type of work would require b/regs approval. It would be up to the inspector if calcs were required or not.

 

[Footsoldier888]

Understood. The trouble is if I ask them they will say they have approval which will leave me no better off as they have been less than honest on other matters. So my only option is to contact BC myself but I am not looking to do it unless I have a reason to, hence the post.

I wrote a note two weeks ago asking them if the steel bears on the party wall. The wall it sits on is about 600mm so I guess that is unlikely. Also I asked them if they had injected a dpc to the party wall, which they had been talking about at one point. They have not replied. It is the lack of information as much as anything that is causing concern. In that corner where the steel now sits on the other side there is minor settlement with the floor sloping a bit.

Should I check with BC? The trouble is they have just plastered.

 

[noseall]

Engineers can be used in place of padstones in certain circumstances.

That is just a wee bit cruel don't you think Woods?

 

[geraldthehamster]

I'm not clear how this impacts on your house. Does it?

 

[Footsoldier888]

Well it is possible the steels are sitting right on the party wall. When they were fitting it, it did sound like it could be very close, it was ringing like a church bell when they were knocking it in! You are right though that there has been no damage, but you never know about the future. I was just hoping to get a bit of reassurance that future damage is very unlikely.

It just would have been good to know it had been inspected.

 

[^woody^]

If you don't want to ask directly, then ring up building control, ask for the inspector for your area and tell him that you are thinking of putting in some steel beams and knocking out a wall just like next door are doing, and next time he visits them can you have a quick chat.

 

[geraldthehamster]

I'd say that calling Building Control, when your neighbours might not have done, is an excellent way to fall out with them for the next 20 years. Do you want that?

 

[Footsoldier888]

OK I bumped into them yesterday and they did confirm they removed a timber beam which was too low and put this second steel in parallel with the first. They said they bear upon thier extension wall.

Woody you must be a mindreader because I am thinking of doing just that! I believe the steel would have to bear to the end of the alcove ie where the party wall brick is.

Next door, originally they had a 1.8m rear extension right accross the back of the house, which was built without plans. On the other side to me they demolished half and built a two storey side return and rear extension, with plans.

As luck would have it a friend has the same house design in the next road and they have used a deeper steel in the section my neighbours have worked on. Boxed in it is 33cm from the ceiling, I think they may have used 30kg in that section and 23kg elsewhere. I saw two guys carry it next door so it can't have been massively heavy.

gerald I take your point entirely but then Building Control becomes an optional service, which partly defeats the object of having it in the first place.

 

[noseall]

Woody you must be a mindreader because I am thinking of doing just that! .

He also sells clothes pegs, collects scrap metal and reads palms.

 

[Footsoldier888]

Lol . Can you tell Woody I have some nice Royal Crown Derby teaware if he is interested .

 

[geraldthehamster]

I take your point entirely but then Building Control becomes an optional service, which partly defeats the object of having it in the first place.

It's not your job to enforce Building Control. You run the risk of your neighbour objecting and creating difficulties for anything you want to do with your own property in the future. Quite apart from the continual tension of bad relations.

 

[Footsoldier888]

I'm not clear how this impacts on your house. Does it?

I am not clear myself, which is the reason for this thread. I am not very good on steels and loadings beyond the very basic principles.

There must be some degree of risk involved or it would not be worthy of inspection. Perhaps the risk is all to them? But if it wasn't done properly could it potentially undermine the wall I would be dependent on for my steel? Woody is suggesting an informal call might be the thing to do.

Turning it around, why have they not notified Building Control? Is it just to avoid the fee, I don't know how much it is.

 

[geraldthehamster]

If there was damage to your house resulting from their building work, you'd have a claim against them in any case. You said you thought it was unlikely that the steel bore on the party wall, and they've told you it doesn't. Even if it did, there's no reason it would cause any damage. Steels are routinely put into Edwardian and Victorian house walls, older than yours, for loft conversions and so on, with no ill effect. I'd be inclined not to worry at this stage.

 

[Footsoldier888]

Thanks very much, this was what I was looking for.