Changes to commercial property.

[adamb4321]

Hi,

I'm considering purchasing a commercial property to run my business out of.

It's a steel framed building with brick and block walls.

It's basically a square shell to the moment of about 120 msq which is open up to the pitched roof.

I'd like to partion of one end into a seperate room about 6m x4m and fit a ceiling into the partitioned part.

It's also occured to me that creating some extra storage at a later date would be useful.

Would i need building regs to put a steel beam across the room, about a 10m span, to enable me to install a ceiling and perhaps at a later date use the space above for storage?

I'm assuming an I'd need a structural engineer to do calcs as well?

 

[adamb4321]

I think I've just answered my own post, looks like I'll need building regs just to install the partitioning.

 

[jeds]

Yes, you will need building regulations. Structural safety is an obvious consideration but at the least you will need to comply with fire regs for insurance purposes.

 

[^woody^]

Inserting a beam for this purpose is not structural work, so would not require b/regs approval.

The construction of the partition for the room would most likely not require approval either - it will depend on the use and the actual risk but typically, these little office/stores do not need b/regs approval

 

[tony1851]

Inserting a beam for this purpose is not structural work, so would not require b/regs approval.

Installing a steel beam across the span would be structural, so would require building regs appro.

 

[^woody^]

Why is it structural? What function does it perform to the structure to make it an essential and integral part of it?

 

[tony1851]

A 10m steel beam plus any ceiling/storage use will not weigh nothing and will have some impact on the existing structure however it is supported.

Therefore it will be a structural alteration.

Therefore it comes under Building Control.

 

[^woody^]

No it wont.

The beam has to be part of the structure, (a structural function to the building) or the work controlled work, for b/regs to apply

This is not controlled work, and nor is the ceiling

Its a storage rack

 

[tony1851]

It's more than a storage rack if he wants to support the ceiling/deck with a 33-foot long steel beam.

 

[^woody^]

The beam size is irrelevant.

It performs no structural function affecting the building, and no other function other than holding up something which itself is not controlled work

 

[tony1851]

.

It performs no structural function affecting the building

Unless he supports the beam on sky hooks, it will have to be supported on some part of the building. Therefore it will impart additional load on some part of the building structure.

Free-standing storage racks in warehouses are a different thing, because the floors are designed to take the concentrated loading.

 

[^woody^]

So its like hanging anything on the wall or ceiling then, it all needs to go through building control in case the extra load affects the building in some way?

If that is not the case, then where is the line drawn?

 

[tony1851]

It's a case of degree.

Look at the figures; if he built a ceiling/storage area, say 10m x 3m deep.
dead load of the deck would be about 15kN. The live load for domestic ceilings is 0.25kN/m^2; that ia very low and it is likely that stuff he stores up there could amount to a lot more than that.
Add to that the weight of the beam - say about 4kN - and that adds up to a fair amount.

It's a bit more than putting some shelves up on a wall.

 

[^woody^]

I'm bored now.

Loads, length or whatever do not determine when the b/regs apply

You still have not demonstrated how this beam becomes a structural element and thus becomes controlled work. Quote me something if you like - there is nothing within the definition of building work in the 2010 Act that makes this controlled work

 

[tony1851]

Untitled

• tony1851
• 24 Mar 2013
• 2