Door opening and Engineering brick external wall

[Bouba]

Please can somebody guide me in the right direction. Bit confused with the advice on internet.

1. I would like to increase the height and width of my internal doors downstairs by 12 inches. House is victorian terrace. Is this possible by just using a concrete lintel. The walls are not loadbeaing. Has anyone done this.

2. How do i close a current door opening. Do i need to put footings or just build off ground under ground floor joists.

3. Finally if i build a garage wall close to boundary, of red engineering bricks (single skin) and do not render it, will i have problems with damp and mortar blowing out in future. The neighbour is not very keen on allowing me access now or in future. Any suggestions please on what to use which wont need rendering.

 

[lostinfens]

You can increase the height & width to whatever size, why a foot higher & wider? Concrete lintols should be more than adequate for internal use, it's the propping & fitting that is the tricky part. Even if not load bearing there's usually something above which could spoil your day if you're not sure or experienced in this type of operation. Also bear in mind that structural work generally comes under building regs (if you let them know). If you're closing off a doorway off joists, I'd consider timber studwork. Properly fitted and plastered should do the trick.
Red engineering bricks should not spall or require repointing in the foreseeable future, class b or class 2 as was will generally stand up to most use (with the possible exception of BOE coping) .
What's your neighbours problem?

 

[Bouba]

Thanks lostinfens. Widening doorways as it gives an impression a bigger place. Should i worry about anything except propping the above joist with acros and inserting lintel.

Great timberstudwork sounds great. What timber to use please for studwork.

Neighbour owns 3 properties next to each other. Likes to throw his weight around so I do not want anything to do with him. Therefore asking advice about the bricks. How long will it be before class b engineering will need pointing roughly.

Thanks again for your input.

 

[noseall]

3. Finally if i build a garage wall close to boundary, of red engineering bricks (single skin) and do not render it, will i have problems with damp and mortar blowing out in future. The neighbour is not very keen on allowing me access now or in future. Any suggestions please on what to use which wont need rendering.

If the wall is built from decent mortar (min 4:1) and is pointed to a decent standard then this wall with last centuries.

 

[lostinfens]

Timber size, depends on the wall, plaster margins etc. Assuming a Victorian property with 4" brickwork & plaster, I'd use 4x2 CLS or similar with preferably half inch plasterboard, if your plaster margin allows. It's also a good idea to allow for a coat of bonding either scrimmed or better reinforced with a bit of expamet around the edges.
But that's just me, I'm sure there's a spread out there that's disagreeing ere I type .
As Noseall says properly laid Eng Brick will outlast us all, shame about your neighbour.