Building into my bay window

I

imamartian

Hi,
I have a bay window that looks a 'bit' like this:

[GALLERY=media, 41809][/GALLERY][/img

It's approx 2m x 1m, and i want to build a wall around its perimeter and knock through.

So would any be kind enough to critique my plan of the things i into to do (and not to do) please:


1. not to get planning permission
2. lift block pavers, dig trench, shutter and pour concrete footings approx 18" deep by 12" wide.
3. use angle grinder or stihl saw to cut through brickwork from bay to floor at each side (taking account of where new wall will run)
4. attach metal wallplate for tying bricks into (run DPC up behind)
5. build wall (8/10 courses high) upto bay
6. pack with slates, point, make good.
inside...
7 move radiator
8.cut out plasterboard, and knock out brickwork
9. remove wooden supports
10 cut out (huge) wooden windowsill
11 dig out floor, tamp down, add hardcore (or 20mm to dust),
12 lay 4" of concrete floor
13. add battens to wall, new plasterboard
14 plaster walls
15 new floor covering
16 decorate
17 replace radiator..

pretty simply put, but have i got the gist? or am i missing anything important? I have a cement mixer, so will mix cement and concrete myself... have built a dwarf wall for conservatory, so happy with that...

any thoughts appreciated... should i wait for spring? etc..

thanks
 
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More or less

IMO, your foundations need to be deeper and wider

Also, Id do as much cutting and messing about to the existing wall as possible before starting any digging

Its not clear if the existing window is square off the wall or splayed. Wall starters will be OK if building off the wall square, but if angled the new work really should be properly bonded in as starters wont work
 
Thanks Woody...

IMO, your foundations need to be deeper and wider
Any recommendations?

Also, Id do as much cutting and messing about to the existing wall as possible before starting any digging
Why? sorry, don't understand this bit..

Its not clear if the existing window is square off the wall
Yes totally square..

One big question is what determines the "bottom" of the window and what do i build up to?

Thanks
 
I'd say 600mm depth and 600mm wide for a strip foundation or minimum 450 wide for mass fill

Its easier to do what you can to the wall working off the existing path rather than up and down over new foundations and mud

Normally you would follow the courses of the existing house and then make up the joint under the cill, or if too deep use a half brick on-end for the last course
 
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unsure where you are in the country but in scotland you would need planning and a building warrent as you are altering a structure and puting in new foundations which local authority will want to inspect.
 
The regulations governing a bay window are the same as an extension here in England too.
 
in that case planning permission is needed or some jelous neighbour will complain and you MAY have to demolish te structure.

sorry
 
Thanks for the pointer !!! but i thought i could extend upto 30% of the area of my house, as long as i didn't go upto the boundary line?

Hmmmm.... i'll get googling....

Thanks again.
 
I'm ok i thnik apart from this one...

"No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway. "

does the 'elavation' mean the brick wall, or the front of the bay window?
 
I thought from your OP, that you were not going to bother with planning permission?

Strictly, this work would normally require PP. But in reality is is so minor that if it came to the crunch, the local planners would be able to 'request' an application, but would unlikely to be able to take any enforcement action due to it being such a minor issue - unless the property or location are special
 
Strictly speaking though, b'regs still apply as i stated earlier. Sidestepping reg's is down to the homeowner.

Would i bother with reg's for a bay on me own home......?
 
Yes just think of the nonsense that you may have to go through for a poxy bay .... planning permission, building regs, then possibly approval from the water company for nearby drains, then possible party wall issues

You could be looking at £2k of fees and 4 months of stress before lifting a shovel

And for b/regs, your new 2m2 of floor needs to be fully insulated and the new walls 300mm thick and packed with insulation .... even though the rest of the room may have non at all

Worth it? :unsure:
 
Yes just think of the nonsense that you may have to go through for a poxy bay .... planning permission, building regs, then possibly approval from the water company for nearby drains, then possible party wall issues

You could be looking at £2k of fees and 4 months of stress before lifting a shovel

And for b/regs, your new 2m2 of floor needs to be fully insulated and the new walls 300mm thick and packed with insulation .... even though the rest of the room may have non at all

Worth it? :unsure:
...not forgetting the roof either.... :p
 
thanks for the input you two, but what are you saing?

i wasn't planning to get PP woody because i thought i understood the law around it, and i still think i'm not infringing (although very happy to be shown where i'm wrong !!)

My biggest problem really is understanding the structure of the current window and how it's supported... need to understand how my bricks will support it.
 

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