Kitchen / dining room opening with concrete lintel

[callmedave]

Hi,

This is my frst post here and I'm hoping someone might be able to help me.

I'm having a new kitchen fitted and the current layout is:

Untitled

• callmedave
• 27 Sep 2010
• 1

That's fine, except that the red bar represents a 2m opening the full width but not the full height of the room, and I was hoping to have a more "one room" appearance. Having seen other local houses and the direction of the joists above the red bar I think this would've originally been a load bearing wall, and it looks like a concrete lintel (140 x 100mm ish) has been used to span the opening. The lintel supports the joists for the rooms above, as well as a breeze block internal wall which would be approximately directly above it.

Does the conctrete lintel seem sufficient for that? If I were to replace this with a steel lintel that can be moved into the ceiling space I gather I'd need to have it inspected / approved by Building Control, is that correct?

Thanks for reading, much appreciated!

Dave

 

[noseall]

If the beam is presently supporting the joists, how do you propose siting the beam within the ceiling space?

You are correct in assuming b.c. will want a squint.

 

[callmedave]

Hi Noseall,

It's been suggesed that it might be possible to use an upside-down T type beam in its place which would sit further up. The joists in the ceiling space would need to be cut and supported during fitting I guess.

Give the relevant difficulty and need for building inspectors I'm thinking it might not be worth it! Of course that's assuming that the current concrete lintel is strong enough.

Thanks for replying