Window placement on extension

[newuser1]

Hi Folks,

I am hoping someone can offer some advice. I am trying to understand about window placements on an extension. I had a quick chat to my architect but didn't have time to discuss at length about a window placement that I want in my kitchen. He says minimum space I need to from the corner is about 3 bricks and then I can put a window.

My question is why is this? and is there no way to have a window closer than this to the corner or I have seen windows which are placed in the corners etc?


Thank for your help?

 

[dann09]

Corners are pressure points and need all the masonry support that they can get.
Hip roofs, for example, can exert tremendous down and sideways pressure.

You also req good support for your lintel bearing ends. Remember that the inside skin is further over.

There's also the matter of how it looks - openings/fenestration - should always, if possible, be balanced. Oddness doesn't sell.

Corner windows have a special construction detailing, and custom, corner windows are expensive.

 

[newuser1]

Thanks dann09 for the very quick response.

My kitchen is about 1.5m longer than the living room, so between the 1.5m wall I wanted to stick a windows of about 2400mm high and at the moment the architect suggest maximum 600mm width and I am wondering if its worth paying over £500 quid for aluminium window which is only 600mm wide.

So what would be the actual size of the visible glass? do you think this would be worthwhile having for light and as the only window opening as the other side there will be 2.7m of bi-fold doors.

Many thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

A 600w window will have about 500 clear glazing, depending on whether it is opening or not. Alternatively you would have to get an engineer or other suitably qualified person to dome some calcs to submit to Building Control to prove that a return of less than 600mm was acceptable, structurally.

The light coming into the room will not be much better when adjacent to a 2.7m wide door anyway.

 

[tony1851]

The 3 bricks your arch. is talking about comes from a 'deemed to satisfy' provision in the regs.
As FMT has pointed out,if you want to go less than this, building control will probably ask for structural calcs to prove adequacy (the chief problem is lateral wind load).
If it is an average-height window, and your inspector is reasonable, he might let you go down to 2.5 bricks; anything less will be pushing it.

 

[newuser1]

Thank you all for your replies.

I understand the need for a solid structure however I have seen lots of extension with bi fold and windows placed in the corner.

Are these done with steel lintels at right angles in the corner to allow for the removal of the corner wall?

I think I will not be going for the window and install french doors with windows at top sides for ventilation as I don't think having a kitchen with just bi-fold doors is a good option considering the weather we have most of the year!