lintel / support questons

[reggie13]

Hi all,
I want alter the kitchen of my 1930's semi. The left side wall is the internal wall; the right side wall is the external wall along the side of the plot. The kitchen is 2.7 wide at the entrance, and 4m deep. It narrows down to 2.3.m on the opposite side (the garden wall). This reduction starts when you walk 3 metres into the kitchen towards the garden wall; there’s unwanted brickwork on the left side wall. The remaining 1 metre of depth projects into the garden and has a sloped tile roof (there is no first floor load over this section). The bathroom is directly above the main section of the kitchen.

I would like to make the kitchen into a true rectangle. So I gather the existing lintel/timber support will need to be removed and a new RSJ put in for the full width of 2.7m opening, and then unwanted brickwork removed, and new walls built up.

There is also a hearth chimney (on the right hand side wall) that I want removed. Its 1.5m wide, and has 90cm wide opening in the middle. It projects into the kitchen by 25cm up to 1.5m, then only 10cm above that. From the outside you see it coming out 30cm for the full height of the kitchen, and then there’s a narrow chimney stack that is built up from the top of that, going all the way of the external wall.

So my questions are:
1) How does a builder support the first floor whilst removing the old support? Web sites show builders using needles to support brickwork. Would that be applicable here? Would the sloped roof need to be undone?

2) How is the lintel supported by the side walls? Will it need to be rested on load spreading blocks? The walls are 2 brick courses thick. Does a lintel requires a min 6 inches resting on bricks?

3) Is there any need to reinforce the walls in any way at the base (i.e. under the floorboards)?

4) Is there a need for a lintel in place of the hearth chimney (I only want to remove the brickwork within the kitchen)?

5) Is this a tricky job to undertake? I have repeatedly asked three “reliable” builders to quote me; none of them have even visited. I would be very grateful if someone could give me a reasonable ballpark price for this job?

Thanks in advance

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

1) yes props will be used, they are called acros.
It is likely the roof will need lifting, if the new wall will effect the flow and fall of it.

2) the lintels will be built in to you supporting walls either side and 150mm is the recommended measure. But if this can not be achieved a pillar can be built and tied in to support it.

3) Your new wall will need support footings, your current wall should be okay, but you will need a structural engineer to make calculation and he will advise whether the wall needs extra support.

4) Some chimneys do have lintel further up the wall, that will need to be investigated, but a lintel will be needed.

5) Piece of string, how long If the builder is not willing to visit you and give you a quote, forget them.
I'm sure there will be many builders in your area looking for work.
You need references and proof of the work they have done and you need them in your property doing the quote not the end of a phone.
I recommend 3 quotes then take it from there.

 

[reggie13]

thx PrenticeBoyofDerry,

just to clarify:

1) the acros should be postioned as close a poss to the existing timber/lintel ? And they should be within the main section of kitchen, not the little extension section ?

3) the new wall will run 90 long the depth of kitchen and underneath the sloped tiled roof. I assumed it will not be load bearing ; I was actually wondering about the exsting wall. But I should still call in a structural engineer ? BTW is a structural engineer the same as a chartered surveyor ?

5) That was my idea all along. I got these three of the Which? website as local recommendations.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

The acros need to support what needs to be supported, if you removing a wall the position of that wall is key.
So the area above that needs support, the acros will be spaced out along that length and have a plank/timber above them to offer the area more support.

is a structural engineer the same as a chartered surveyor?
some maybe able to do both but a surveyor will do a survey on you property for soundness, a structural engineer will give you the recommended gauge, depth, width of your RSJ to carry the load and any additionals

http://www.ratedpeople.com/

 

[reggie13]

had a structural engineer around to take a look. He said two options can be possible:

1) remove old lintel and insert new wider one. That would require needles to be put in above the ceiling.

2) leave the existing one in place and put in a new wider one underneath it, so it will be visible within kitchen. Also insert a second lintel to replace the current load bearer on the right end of the existing lintel.


I'm reluctant to go with the first option because it requires the sloped ceiling to be taken down, also the bathroom is above the kitchen and not sure if its possible to get needles in where required; have to be placed in gaps between bath tab, wash basin, and hot water cylinder. I should have asked the SE about that but did realise at the time.

So I've opted for option 2. A builder needs to :
a) support the existing lintel
b) remove the load bearer (in the side wall) supporting the right end of the lintel
c) insert a new lintel as spec'd by the SE
d) remove unwanted brickwork supporting the left end of the lintel and create 6 inch opening for new lintel
e) put in new wider lintel

So I was wondering how (e) is achieved whilst acro-props are in place holding up the old lintel ?
Can strongboys be used to support the old lintel, and the new lintel pushed up into place tight against the underside of the strongboys ? Any gaps can be filled in with mortar. When it has cured strongboys can be removed.

Or will normal acro's be req'd with 2 inch thick timbers running across the old lintel, and some specific type of padstone/slates be required to fill 2inch gap between main lintels ?