Hi Guys,
My first post on these forums, so hi.
I've recently bought a 1930s semi-detached house which has various modifications that I'm suspicious of and have no supporting paperwork.
The one that concerns me the most is a lintel used to support an external solid brick wall that has been knocked through on the ground floor.
Below is my poor attempt at a diagram (not to scale) of the ground floor layout. The lines in black represent the original building, and those in brown represent the ground floor extension, of which I think the bathroom and toilet room were individual extensions that have been integrated into the overall extension at some point.
The original external wall has been knocked through leaving a 2.1 meter span. From what I can see so far after pulling back a chunk of plasterboard, there is a 6.5mm thick (measured vertically, and I assume reinforced) concrete lintel with the brickwork neatly packed up to it. This is all I can see, and I'm not sure if there is any other support in there.
After looking under the floorboards upstairs, I can see the floor joists run parallel to the wall that has been knocked through so I assume it doesn't take the floor weight, however I assume that wall supports the roof?
I know there are complex calculations required to work out if this is enough, however at a glance does this seem adequate?
I do have some paperwork about planning permission regarding the party wall act which dates back to a similar time the wall was knocked through, however it is titled "new windows" and has very vague content. The double glazing was fitted at about the same time, so I'd assume it has nothing to do with the wall and due to the title is for the windows, however would that be required for replacement windows?
A tradesman I mentioned this to in passing said something about getting the council to look at it, where would I start with that and would it be expensive?
As you can see guys, this is my first house and I'm new to all of this, any guidance would be greatly appreciated and I can supply any further info needed.
Thanks in advance!
My first post on these forums, so hi.
I've recently bought a 1930s semi-detached house which has various modifications that I'm suspicious of and have no supporting paperwork.
The one that concerns me the most is a lintel used to support an external solid brick wall that has been knocked through on the ground floor.
Below is my poor attempt at a diagram (not to scale) of the ground floor layout. The lines in black represent the original building, and those in brown represent the ground floor extension, of which I think the bathroom and toilet room were individual extensions that have been integrated into the overall extension at some point.
The original external wall has been knocked through leaving a 2.1 meter span. From what I can see so far after pulling back a chunk of plasterboard, there is a 6.5mm thick (measured vertically, and I assume reinforced) concrete lintel with the brickwork neatly packed up to it. This is all I can see, and I'm not sure if there is any other support in there.
After looking under the floorboards upstairs, I can see the floor joists run parallel to the wall that has been knocked through so I assume it doesn't take the floor weight, however I assume that wall supports the roof?
I know there are complex calculations required to work out if this is enough, however at a glance does this seem adequate?
I do have some paperwork about planning permission regarding the party wall act which dates back to a similar time the wall was knocked through, however it is titled "new windows" and has very vague content. The double glazing was fitted at about the same time, so I'd assume it has nothing to do with the wall and due to the title is for the windows, however would that be required for replacement windows?
A tradesman I mentioned this to in passing said something about getting the council to look at it, where would I start with that and would it be expensive?
As you can see guys, this is my first house and I'm new to all of this, any guidance would be greatly appreciated and I can supply any further info needed.
Thanks in advance!