Building regs for raising lintel.

[gh69]

I have a door from the kitchen to a utility room, both original to the house (c1900), through a single skin brick wall. Both rooms are in a single storey extension, with a sloping tiled roof. The rafters rest on this intermediate wall.
At sometime in the 60s the floor of the kitchen was raised, but the doorway was never altered so I have to duck a little to get through. Do I need to apply for building regs to raise the lintel by a couple of courses and thus door height? Existing door lintel is a wooden 2x4 approx.

Also at some point in the future we might actually widen the doorway too (double its width), to create a larger kitchen. Could I install a wider lintel over the door and to the side (with a view to doing this in the future), without initially widening the door opening? Would approval/inspection be required when inserting the lintel or when the doorway was widened/wall section removed.

 

[ajrobb]

Interesting, I'd like to know too.

My understanding so far is that if you raise or widen the doorway, as it is an external door to an outbuilding, you might need planning permission and BR, then fit a new external door (maximum 1.8 U-value). If the new doorway is the same size, you might be permitted to keep the existing door. However, I suspect you want to convert outbuildings to living space. The outbuildings will need to be brought up to modern BR (including insulation) but then the old door becomes becomes an internal door and wouldn't need planning permission (unless listed), just BR.

Mind you, it seems daft that you can build a new single-storey extension with doors and windows without planning permission, under permitted development. If you want to change an existing door or window you might be required to wait 3 months for planning permission! ;?

 

[gh69]

No outbuildings involved in my case.
The kitchen is in part of the single story extension (as I say it is original to the house. Terraced, they all have them) and a door from that leads into a utility room (was a loo, I believe, 50 years ago) housing boiler washing machine, cupboards etc. It's an internal door in an internal wall.
The 'lean to' roof rafters cross over and 'rest' on this wall. 5 courses of bricks between existing lintel and rafters.

 

[ajrobb]

My guess is that the rafters make this a supporting wall and you might need to submit plans and calculations at least 48 hours before starting work.

 

[noseall]

at some point in the future we might actually widen the doorway too (double its width), to create a larger kitchen. Could I install a wider lintel over the door and to the side (with a view to doing this in the future), without initially widening the door opening? Would approval/inspection be required when inserting the lintel or when the doorway was widened/wall section removed.

Install the wider lintel complete with 150mm end-bearings and let B.C. have a squint.
The bco should be allowed to look at the lintel label ascertaining whether it is standard or heavy duty (whichever applies to your loading) and will also log the lintel length, thus deeming it fit for future knock-out.

Take photos too.