Exposed Lintels?

[Kmurphy]

The architect/SE has put 'check existing lintel' on the plans. He says, there's not much extra load so he's happy. But...

1. Does it mean it's MY responsibility to instruct the builder to check?
2. The councils responsibility to ask me?
3. What actually has to happen to check a lintel anyway?

Thanks

 

[tony1851]

Ultimately it's your responsibility to show compliance with Building Regs.

In practice, it will mean the builder removing a brick or two so that the inspector can see the lintel, preferably near the end where it rests on the wall.

If the inspector feels it's OK, then it's OK. If he's a bit doubtful, he may either ask for calculations to ptove it's OK, or he may suggets an alternative to your builder.

 

[Kmurphy]

So I should expect conditional approval?

Or is it the kind of thing they ask for halfway through a build? The lintel is across my kitchen so I'm thinking about the mess/difficulty and the possible time and cost if they have to do something halfway though my build

 

[tony1851]

Building Control can issue a conditional approval.

The time when the beam is checked is really best agreed between yourself and the builder. Clearly the earlier the better, to save having to undo new work.