Is it possible to "modify" uPVC?

[Pickup]

Hi,

We have a lean-to porch which is starting to give some problems it was built approx 18 years ago (we bought the house 3 years ago). It is constructed of 3 panels (2 sides and an end) and a roof. Each of the 3 panels is basically a frame with either a door, double glazed glass or uPVC panel filling in the spaces.

The door has got a bit stiff (due to the "frame" that makes up the side wall of the porch sagging at the vertical member that the door is hinged upon) and a few of the floor boards have rotted through from underneath.

A little bit of investigation (replacing the rotten boards) reveals that the porch was constructed on a wooden frame built resting upon 6 concrete blocks resting on earth. No removal of soil, no foundations, no hardcore, no dpc, no membrane.

We'd really like to take it down and build a new porch more in character with the house BUT that is not financially an option (quotes vary from £9500-16000 for a 2.5 x 1.8m porch). So the cheapest option would appear to be to take it down, put in better founds and re-erect it.

However I'd also like to make it a bit smaller as it's difficult to get our car past without going onto the neighbour's driveway

Soooo........ Is it feasible to modify the framing? If not any suggestions for an easy / cheap solution.

I realise that this will affect the fall of the roof and various other dimensions but if I can "cut and shut" the frame (as per rough 'photos attached) then I think I've got the rest covered.

Thanks

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[gregers]

i think you will need to provide a few pics so that the gurus on here will have a better idea on how to answer you?

now why didnt they load up when i 1st saw this????

 

[Gazman16]

Have you tried getting quotes from local window company's and builders?
I would estimate £4500 max for all new base frames and roof.

The roof could be shortened and the door reused but not really anyway to shorten the other frames.

 

[big-all]

could you not move it sideways a bit to give more room??

if you alter it substancially it i think will need to comply with modern regs as to size

old framing will not be worth altering and no company will deal with old materials or at least new will be far cheaper
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/house

 

[crank39]

Hi,

We have a lean-to porch which is starting to give some problems it was built approx 18 years ago (we bought the house 3 years ago). It is constructed of 3 panels (2 sides and an end) and a roof. Each of the 3 panels is basically a frame with either a door, double glazed glass or uPVC panel filling in the spaces.

The door has got a bit stiff (due to the "frame" that makes up the side wall of the porch sagging at the vertical member that the door is hinged upon) and a few of the floor boards have rotted through from underneath.

A little bit of investigation (replacing the rotten boards) reveals that the porch was constructed on a wooden frame built resting upon 6 concrete blocks resting on earth. No removal of soil, no foundations, no hardcore, no dpc, no membrane.

We'd really like to take it down and build a new porch more in character with the house BUT that is not financially an option (quotes vary from £9500-16000 for a 2.5 x 1.8m porch). So the cheapest option would appear to be to take it down, put in better founds and re-erect it.

However I'd also like to make it a bit smaller as it's difficult to get our car past without going onto the neighbour's driveway

Soooo........ Is it feasible to modify the framing? If not any suggestions for an easy / cheap solution.

I realise that this will affect the fall of the roof and various other dimensions but if I can "cut and shut" the frame (as per rough 'photos attached) then I think I've got the rest covered.

Thanks

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How much!

You'd get a 3 m2 conservatory all in for 4k and they want that for a porch, my advice is get more quotes

 

[Gazman16]

Yea Im sat here quoting 2 porch's right now. 1 about the same size with a more complicated roof is going to be about £3500.
The other 4m long is basically a car port on a few concrete pads with the 2 ends filled in (just somewhere for the bins and drying clothes) is going to be about the same price £3.5k

 

[Pickup]

Thanks for the feedback folks.

We've asked 8 (EIGHT) builders of varying sizes from 1 man bands to small building contractors.

Of the 6 who turned up 1 said he couldn't do anything for 18 months, 2 said it wasn't worth their while quoting because of the volume of work they already had and the size of the project, and the other 3 quoted 12-16 k with one coming down to 9500 because "a job had been delayed due to planning and he could 'fit us in'"

These quotes were also given on the premise that we have acquired some land at the rear of the property, are probably going to extend and whoever did the porch would be strongly placed for the rear extension.

Aberdeen's property market us continuing to boom "Two cities in the UK - one is a centre of commerce, has runaway house prices, and welcomes a constant stream of overseas property buyers. The other is London." See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24348196 for the full article.

Every second house appeRs yo have construction work going on, 1960s 3 bed bungalows are being bought for 300-400k, knocked down and replaced with 1 or even 2 bigger houses going for 450-600k. And this is just in reasonably nice parts of town!

Thanks again

 

[Gazman16]

You could try emailing some out of town company's with sizes and photos for prices saying if you were to go ahead you would be happy to pay for a few days in a B&B.

Im half tempted to say I would do it for £5000 and travel up from deep dark Somerset

 

[Gazman16]

In fact if guys are making that sort of profit on a basic porch up that way I might have to consider moving. 1 porch a month = 2-3 days work £7000+ profit and spend the rest of the time in the caribbean

 

[Gazman16]

Lol Im actually really considering putting that 5k quote in writing to you. One of the builders I sub contract said to me the other day that a job had been delayed so hes a bit desperate for work for the next 6 weeks. He offered to do anything for £70 per day.

 

[Pickup]

Gazman16,

Thanks, things are SERIOUSLY crazy up here. Any kind of skilled trade is making good money, I personally know 5 car mechanics doing daily commutes of 70 miles each way. Credible rumour has it that some Oil Service Cos are retraining anyone with a trade (eg plumbers, carpenters etc) as technicians on £30-60k but a lot of the work is offshore / overseas.

If you're genuinely interested in the porch and think you can do a quality job for a reasonable price I have plans that I can send you! But check out the price & availability of B&Bs first!

Cheers

F

PS http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-24548616 average property rental £1002 per month.

 

[Gazman16]

I have sent you a privet message with my contact if you would like to send me your plans. Heres something similar that I did recently.

Before picture

After picture