Padstone mistake

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My builder has just installed a steel beam, 'party wall-party wall', to replace a load-bearing wall.

The structural engineer specified 850x300mm concrete padstones to support the beam, but unfortunately the builder misread the specs and installed the padstones vertically (ie 300x850).

A quick call to the engineer confirmed that a steel spreader plate, 850x100 can be used to rectify the mistake.

If I understand his directions, this spreader plate should go at the base of the current padstone, but I was expecting it to go at the top of the padstone, under the steel beam.

Does anyone have any thoughts/advice before my builder installs this spreader plate?

Thanks for any help,
Dan

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I don't know which is the funniest - a builder putting in the padstone vertically (has he not done this before?) or the SE specifying such a monster padstone in the first place?

Is he a proper SE?

Instinct would say don't bother as its allright as it is. Or put the plate under the beam
 
Dan please state the size of the padstone in l x w x h and then say which dimension is vertical and which is horezontal so we can help you!!
 
Woody - thanks for the reply, and yes, I agree the builder's mistake is pretty ridiculous. As for the SE, he's genuine, just erring on the safe side I think.

Wavetrain - the steel beam is 200x200mm. It sits on a concrete padstone. The SE specified a padstone 850 wide (horizontal) x 300 high (horizontal) x 100 deep (into the wall). The builder misread, and created a padstone 300 wide, x 850 high x 100 deep.

The SE has now specified a steel spreader plate 850 wide x 100 high x 25 deep, and I just want to confirm if this can be put at the top of the concrete padstone (under the steel beam), or at the bottom of the padstone (as I understand the SE suggested).

Dan.
 
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not a SE or a builder, but I would have thought that it goes under the padstone..

the idea of the 850 wide padstone is to spread the load of the beam right?

putting it the wrong way ( 300 ) spreads it less onto the bricks below..
the spreader plate takes the load from the beam and padstone and spreads it back out over the 850 again..
 
Wtf is this holding up? Four storeys on a balsa wood wall? 850???! Or are you bearing on the very edge of an eccentric padstone, sat at the end of a wall? It's supporting a 203UC, so that suggests the reactions are not that great.

Anyhoo, if he's saying use a spreader plate, put it in under the beam, not the padstone. The plate should be adequate for the situation of the padstone not being there ie what's there now is effectively redundant. Or otiose, that being my word of the day :LOL:
 
850 wide x 100 high x 25 deep,

Yikes. It gets worse!

That will probably do without the padstone!

There is an old SE on here who pops in now and again to give us words of wisdom on structural matters. He'll be along once Neighbours has finished
 
You mean a steel plate 850 wide x 100 wide x 25 thick do you?

Take my advice, don't let him hang any radiators on the wall for you unles you like them tall n narrow :LOL: .

What did the bulder have to say for himself? Why not ask him to take it out and put it in the right way and then buy a book on contruction like "BUILDING CONSTRUCTION HANDBOOK by R. Chudley MCIOB and R.GreenoBA (Hons) FCIOB FIPHE FRSA.

How much is that steel is going to cost?
 
There is an old SE on here who pops in now and again to give us words of wisdom on structural matters. He'll be along once Neighbours has finished
Look above thy post, young wippersnapper ;)
 

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