New foundations

[emailrob]

I'm converting our garage into a playroom. We've taken the garade door down and in place put a two skin (brick and breeze block) wall in it's place.
We went through the normal building regs, and phoned them to say we were starting the work. They said they didn't need to inspect as it was only minor work.

Now much of the work is complete I've asked them to come back, and suddenly they've asked for a small hole to be dug outside the new wall, so that they can check the foundations.
They have checked it and say's it's not suitable, and we need to dig out a hole under the wall pour concrete in to a depth of 600mm.

I will call the builder who built the wall, as I assume he is responsible for ensuring this type of thing in the first place.
However, how big a job is this? i.e. half a days work, couple of days? It took him two days to do the work initially.

Also, as we phoned in the 'commencement of building work' but they say they have no record of it, where do we stand? I'm concerned they're just be ars*y with us as they think we did not phone them, so they're insisting on things that may not be necessary.

btw, the foundations are made of bricks and hardcore.

thanks

rob

 

[masona]

Was there not any agreement with the building inspector & builder's regarding footing size or drawing? The building inspector should've been there regardless how small the job is.The builder's should've known better.

I'm going to be very honest with you as you will not like this.It would be easier & quicker to start again with the correct dept footing.To put concrete under the ex-footing would have to be done in sectional (hard work) like they do with underpinning and the walls could collapse if you go too wide as you can only do one at a time until the footing dry out then go on to the next section with metal rods in between.

How is the main entrance to the playroom,is it existing back door or knocking thru' opening to your property ? if not I don't know why you got a double walls on the front and nowhere else (but haven't got the full details)

I've just done one for somebody same as you but use sectional timber stud & wall roof tiles finish without the need of a footing,so therefore building inspector don't want to know as it's not a living accommodation.

When it became a brick walls it doesn't became sectional therefore building regulation applies. Mad world we live in.

 

[emailrob]

Thanks for the reply. There was a up and over garage door there initially, which we obviously had to brick up as it was draughty and old and broken etc. I don't know why the builder did not consider this, this is what I will asking him...
The main entrace is from some french doors, which are away from the (what was) garage door. I think a double wall was put on just for insulation purposes. The other walls are studded and boarded, with noggins and the like.
Are you saying that if the 'wall' was build of wood we would have got around the problem?
Bit of a disaster this one, so will see what the outcome with him is.
cheers

 

[masona]

There're loads of people doing what you're doing converting garages into extra space.I just think it a lot easier & cheaper making it out of wood providing you can stop damp getting in e.g. pvc membrane on top of floor (with maybe carpet or wooden flooring) on top then onto your dpc with bitumen paint coated on the ground level outside or use 2 course of engineer brick then stud work with wooden cills on top etc,basically just common sense.You're not breaking the law because you're not living in it,the building inspector only want to know if the footing can support the walls when you started it.Too much hassles with building inspector around ! I'm afraid a lot a builders will not tell you the truth and will duck & dive over the issue unless they can make more money ! I don't know what you want to do now,if you leave the wall there the building inspector will not go away and if you knock it down they will sod off
I will try & post a picture to one I've done last week.

 

[emailrob]

thanks for the reply. The builder has said he will come back and underpin it for us, so fingers crossed.

Whilst I'm on the subject, can I pick your brain about the floor? It's a standard concrete floor with a few bubbles in it (correct word?)
I have a plastic membrane under the soleplates, going up the wall about 8 inches and onto the floor about the same. Not sure what to do with the floor. I have some carpet tiles (office type so pretty good) and not sure whether to screed it with concrete (but have no concrete mixer) or maybe use one of these epoxy and concrete type mixes which I could probably lay myself. I need a fairly level floor to put the tiles on.

Do the building regs care about things like this? He mentioned a dpc under the soleplates which we have. We're not insulating one of the walls, would this be a problem?
cheers
rob

 

[masona]

No you should be okay !

You can use latex floor finisher on top of your concrete floor which will take it up from 3mm to 10mm which mix up with water and pour it out & towel it around & will find it own level,very easy to do (I think!). Make sure the floor is free of dust and wet it before you start or better still use Unibond + part water

See this.

 

[emailrob]

great, that's the stuff I was thinking off. Should seal it nicely as well.

thanks