Hi Folks,
I want to build a downstairs WC extension onto the back of a possibly 50's or 60's utility room. Both myself and the neighbours are detached houses. This is all easily covered by PD. However, the utility room is sitting on a footing of only 100mm thick- ah, the good old days! Worse than that is that the side wall of the old extension is right on the boundary line with next doors. This is on a down sloping hill side. At some time, they have lowered their soil line to fit a double garage level with their house and in doing so, my 100mm footing is now about 200mm in the air on their side. Needless to say, the rendered surface in this area is showing a few cracks, as well as several all around the room. Logic tells me to knock this appalling part down and start again. But it has been there for at least 50 years, and sort of fits what's best for that area.
When I put in my new footings, they of course now have to go down the required depth and be signed off. But can anyone tell me first off all, will the BI likely allow me to build onto a rather dodgy building. And if so, how can I use my new footings to strengthen the old part. Can I self corbel out maybe some engineering brick from the new concrete to join it into the old footing. This old room is a DIY disaster. The end wall on which I want to build onto has a window which spans from the outer course of blocks on one side to the outer course of blocks on the other with a wooden lintel cemented onto these 2 outer courses. Therefore there is little structural rigidity and this might account for some of the cracking. If I rebuild this end wall with lightweight block and use a concrete lintel to span what will only become an internal doorway, rather than a whacking great window, might this give it all a bit more strength? Then I go on to strengthen it from underneath.
I want to build a downstairs WC extension onto the back of a possibly 50's or 60's utility room. Both myself and the neighbours are detached houses. This is all easily covered by PD. However, the utility room is sitting on a footing of only 100mm thick- ah, the good old days! Worse than that is that the side wall of the old extension is right on the boundary line with next doors. This is on a down sloping hill side. At some time, they have lowered their soil line to fit a double garage level with their house and in doing so, my 100mm footing is now about 200mm in the air on their side. Needless to say, the rendered surface in this area is showing a few cracks, as well as several all around the room. Logic tells me to knock this appalling part down and start again. But it has been there for at least 50 years, and sort of fits what's best for that area.
When I put in my new footings, they of course now have to go down the required depth and be signed off. But can anyone tell me first off all, will the BI likely allow me to build onto a rather dodgy building. And if so, how can I use my new footings to strengthen the old part. Can I self corbel out maybe some engineering brick from the new concrete to join it into the old footing. This old room is a DIY disaster. The end wall on which I want to build onto has a window which spans from the outer course of blocks on one side to the outer course of blocks on the other with a wooden lintel cemented onto these 2 outer courses. Therefore there is little structural rigidity and this might account for some of the cracking. If I rebuild this end wall with lightweight block and use a concrete lintel to span what will only become an internal doorway, rather than a whacking great window, might this give it all a bit more strength? Then I go on to strengthen it from underneath.
