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I have a 1970s bungalow on a long, narrow plot which has no access down either side, so I can't drive cars around the house to park in the rear garden. The house has an attached single garage 9' wide, with a standard 8' door and windows above that all the way up (11' total height) to the existing 9" lintel and wall plate and my plan is to knock out the back of the garage to make it a drive through. Basically it will become a car port which will have doors at either end.
The front of the garage looks like it has no brickwork at all. All I can see is the garage door with windows above it, all the way up to the lintel which is tied into the inner block wall.
Am I right in saying that all of the roof load is being carried by the inner block wall? The only load the outer wall takes would be in supporting the woodwork (soffit, fascia, guttering, etc.)?
The back of the garage is currently double skin, so if I'm correct and the outer brickwork is not load bearing, then I would be putting a lintel in the inner block wall and completely removing the brick wall? I could support the soffit, etc. either off the block wall or using angle steel between the brick piers either side of the door opening?
I phoned to have a chat with a building control officer from my local council and we both agreed that if I copy the design at the front of the garage (i.e. same 9" lintel size, same bearing length) and go for the "best pre-stressed lintel I can afford-sorta-thing" then it will be the same if not better than the original 1970s design.
Apparently, I need to submit a Building Notice Application, pay a £60 fee and then I'm good to go. Is that it?
I'm happy enough with supporting and taking the wall down - I'm just concerned that what I'm putting up there to support the roof is going to do the job.
I have a 1970s bungalow on a long, narrow plot which has no access down either side, so I can't drive cars around the house to park in the rear garden. The house has an attached single garage 9' wide, with a standard 8' door and windows above that all the way up (11' total height) to the existing 9" lintel and wall plate and my plan is to knock out the back of the garage to make it a drive through. Basically it will become a car port which will have doors at either end.
The front of the garage looks like it has no brickwork at all. All I can see is the garage door with windows above it, all the way up to the lintel which is tied into the inner block wall.
Am I right in saying that all of the roof load is being carried by the inner block wall? The only load the outer wall takes would be in supporting the woodwork (soffit, fascia, guttering, etc.)?
The back of the garage is currently double skin, so if I'm correct and the outer brickwork is not load bearing, then I would be putting a lintel in the inner block wall and completely removing the brick wall? I could support the soffit, etc. either off the block wall or using angle steel between the brick piers either side of the door opening?
I phoned to have a chat with a building control officer from my local council and we both agreed that if I copy the design at the front of the garage (i.e. same 9" lintel size, same bearing length) and go for the "best pre-stressed lintel I can afford-sorta-thing" then it will be the same if not better than the original 1970s design.
Apparently, I need to submit a Building Notice Application, pay a £60 fee and then I'm good to go. Is that it?
I'm happy enough with supporting and taking the wall down - I'm just concerned that what I'm putting up there to support the roof is going to do the job.
