Wall return size before opening

[Carllongson]

Hi

Currently getting a single storey extension built and the front is gonna be aluminium bi fold doors. The overall width is 4m so have allowed 500mm of wall either side of the doors. Building control have come out and said the return walls need to be a minimum of 665, builder said he's done many of jobs at under this. Anyone able to help?

 

[^woody^]

If your builder has done so many jobs with returns less than three bricks then he must surely remember that there would be structural calculations to prove that they returns were stable.

 

[noseall]

Hi

Currently getting a single storey extension built and the front is gonna be aluminium bi fold doors. The overall width is 4m so have allowed 500mm of wall either side of the doors. Building control have come out and said the return walls need to be a minimum of 665, builder said he's done many of jobs at under this. Anyone able to help?

665mm (3 bricks long) is standard. As Woods says, any less has to be proved. Your builder is either very naïve or is clueless.

 

[John D v2.0]

Ours had to be 400mm minimum for a 4.8m opening but for some reason that was specified by the architect not the se. But if there are calcs I can't see that labc would have a problem.

 

[^woody^]

It's actually a nonsense. Most of the houses around me don't even have enough reveal too hang the curtains. Very inconvenient for opening the window, and yet I've yet to pass a pile of rubble in the morning on the way to the shop. And they were all built in more enlightened times.

 

[John D v2.0]

Didn't know you were into curtains woody! First world problems indeed.
Ours is a floor to ceiling glass, so it's lucky we're not overlooked at the back!
I think our se was interested in what next doors house was like, it seems the last person who has a reveal is responsible for the stability of the party wall. Our return on the existing party wall was completely removed.

 

[^woody^]

Lined Velour!

 

[tony1851]

How far out from the rear wall does the extension go? That has a bearing on how the returns should be sized.
Ar there any drawings?

 

[Carllongson]

Afternoon everyone thanks for the help looks like we will go 665 to save getting any calculations done