Fitted 500mm steel lintels, was building control needed?

[Beginerz]

Refurbishing our 1960s semi.

There were 5 small windows situated on the gable wall approx only 500mm wide which presumably used to have timber frames and since having uPVC frames were identified on survey as potentially requiring adequate lintels above.

Our builder has fitted an L shaped lintel above each and corrected the brickwork as required and looks like a good job. We hope to have new windows soon.

Only thing I am wondering is whether building control needed to be involved? Builder didn't suggest it and when I asked in passing was told they wouldn't need to be involved but that all work was to current regulations anyway.

Does that sound ok?

Thanks.

 

[Notch7]

All window fitting falls under build regs.

however window installers are able to self certificate under the Fensa or Certas schemes.

what I’m not 100% sure of is whether that includes lintels - I think it does and if so then your false / Certas cert provides you with building regs compliance.


Window replacement covers a surprising number of building regs including: thermal performance (part L), safety glass, risk of falling, passive ventilation, fire egress, security.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

All window fitting falls under build regs.

however window installers are able to self certificate under the Fensa or Certas schemes.

what I’m not 100% sure of is whether that includes lintels - I think it does and if so then your false / Certas cert provides you with building regs compliance.


Window replacement covers a surprising number of building regs including: thermal performance (part L), safety glass, risk of falling, passive ventilation, fire egress, security.

The FENSA etc self certification doesn't cover the structural elements of the hole that the door/window is shoved into so your replacement lintels do/did need a separate building control notice.
I'm hoping that your L shaped lintels aren't just lengths of 3" angle iron.

 

[Beginerz]

I presume they are something like this although I'm not a builder and just employed one: https://www.wickes.co.uk/IG-Ltd-Ang...0mgcqKyX-jrC8SFE-tkaApWEEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Where would we stand with regards informing building control or needing to? Realistically they aren't going to come asking or likely to enforce as they won't realise anything has been done.

Once we have new uPVC replacement windows fitted will they not self cert and effectively certify to say that the windows (and therefore the openings which they are likely to check) are adequate now?

Bearing in mind as things were the outer skin bricks were sagging onto the frames etc and this has now been corrected but obviously if we were to sell up in the future a surveyor isn't likely to know when lintels were fitted and would probably just find all looked well with the new windows. They could assume any lintels were original as they should have been ideally.

 

[wessex101]

You could argue that the work did not require a building regulations application as replacing/installing a lintel to an existing window opening is only a repair.
If you wanted to be really pedantic you could argue that it is a structural alteration as you are not replacing exactly like for like but personally I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

You can presume or assume whatever you like but evidence of what has actually been installed is always a lot better.
As above, if your windows are installed by a scheme member they can self-certify that the windows are compliant but that doesn't cover the structure they have been inserted into.
What to do about it? Either continue assuming its been done properly or carefully remove a brick and have a look.

 

[Notch7]

The FENSA etc self certification doesn't cover the structural elements of the hole that the door/window is shoved into so your replacement lintels do/did need a separate building control notice.
I'm hoping that your L shaped lintels aren't just lengths of 3" angle iron.

Thank you for that, I did wonder if that was the case.

 

[Beginerz]

You could argue that the work did not require a building regulations application as replacing/installing a lintel to an existing window opening is only a repair.
If you wanted to be really pedantic you could argue that it is a structural alteration as you are not replacing exactly like for like but personally I wouldn't worry about it.

I thinks that's the way the builder sees it. Basically the windows ideally should have had lintels fitted above to begin with. This has simply been corrected. I do think the double glazing installers are only likely to fit and certify windows only if they find the holes to be adequate. I.e. if they had found no lintel there and sagging bricks they may have flagged this and told us they need doing first.

My thinking is that once new windows have been fitted we should have a FENSA certificate and be satisfied that the window fitters were happy they were fitting windows to adequate holes which will be clearer once they remove the old windows.

You can presume or assume whatever you like but evidence of what has actually been installed is always a lot better.
As above, if your windows are installed by a scheme member they can self-certify that the windows are compliant but that doesn't cover the structure they have been inserted into.
What to do about it? Either continue assuming its been done properly or carefully remove a brick and have a look.

Its not really evidence I was looking for, more whether we should retrospectively approach the council to try and file a building regs application. Is that even possible or worth doing? I can't see them contacting us about it if we don't approach them as they just won't realise anything has changed as the house just looks as it should have done had lintels been fitted in the first place.

 

[mrrusty]

500mm!! it's not even 3 bricks wide. How much do you think a lintel is actually holding up?

 

[Beginerz]

500mm!! it's not even 3 bricks wide. How much do you think a lintel is actually holding up?

I would say roughly 500mm yes. Our pre-purchase Rics survey raised it.

Have a look at the one bottom left. Began to cause cracking on the pointing leading upwards from it. The old timber frames were no doubt designed to hold up the brickwork.

Also top windows the sagging in the bricks above the window frame can be seen.

 

[mrrusty]

The point I was making is that with a width of 500mm, there is only a maximum of three bricks* can be affected/need support. The rest are supported by corbelling

* except where they've inserted half bricks - maybe 4. If they've put in simple angle lintels, they'll be fine.

 

[Notch7]

Its not really evidence I was looking for, more whether we should retrospectively approach the council to try and file a building regs application. Is that even possible or worth doing? I can't see them contacting us about it if we don't approach them as they just won't realise anything has changed as the house just looks as it should have done had lintels been fitted in the first place

I would just forget about it

If you sell the property -the only time it would be picked up, you have new windows, they have a FENSA cert. That will be sufficient for the conveyancing surveyor and or solicitor to tick his box

nobody knows when the lintels were fitted -mightve been there forever

and from a construction point of view, you have the correct lintels fitted -did the builder leave weep holes for cavity drainage?

 

[^woody^]

Repair/replacement is not controlled work. No approval required.

 

[Beginerz]

-did the builder leave weep holes for cavity drainage?

Yes they did, with little plastic clips sticking out from them. Although how long the actual clips ever last I don't know.

Repair/replacement is not controlled work. No approval required.

Thank you.