Small opening in load bearing wall

So first of all - this isn't something I would attempt myself - but I would like some advice as to which path to take:

The green is the proposed opening. Steel number one just holds up a flat roof, steel number two is there to prop up steel number 3, which is bearing the load of the side wall of the house, with a floor above + the substantial roof space.

Now the jury is out: Two builders have said 'no problem' and would simply place a lintel above the opening. Two further builders have said that it's likely not possible and that a static engineer should be consulted.

I'm naturally cautious, so would go with option 2, however if you consider the survey cost + the calculations, you're at over £1000 to get a smallish opening, albeit an effective one.

The fear is that what's left of the wall that steel 2 is resting on will not be able to bear the load from steel 3. What I don't know is how far along steel 2 reaches, whether it's just on a pad on the corner or actually stretches further along the wall, i.e. above the potential opening.

So - experienced builders - what's your view?

 

A builder won't be able to reliably tell you whether or not that pier is strong enough - you need a structural engineer.

The small pier you'd be left with probably won't have sufficient strength to support beam 2. You won't know how far beam 2 spans onto the wall until you strip off the wall finishes, but very unlikely to even reach the proposed opening you've marked up.

 

How thick is the wall, what material?

 

The wall is made of brick, Victorian, previously and outer wall. About 10.5in thick.

 

thats what I thought.

Re static engineer: 275+VAT for initial survey and then 350+VAT for calcs - sound reasonable?

 

The pier? 10.5" x 10.5"?

 

Sounds a bit much to me... are you in london?

 

As above, seems a lot for a check on a pier.

Whether the pier would be sufficient depends on:

1. The load imparted by beam 1, and the load imparted by beam 2 (for which you need the relative position along beam 2 of beam 3);
2. The thickness of the wall (10.5"?); the width of the pier; the width and height of the proposed opening.
3. the state/type of brickwork of the pier.

As we know none of this, no-one on here will be able to give you a definitive answer.