Windpost necessary ?

[Doug610]

We are building a single storey extension to the rear of our property 6mt x3.75mt and as the bricklayer has just started the SEngineer has asked us to put windposts in the cavity.Both our architect and bricklayer think this is way over the top and totally unnecessary and from my research it seems to be that they have to be made bespoke and fitted fairly early on in the project.The SE is now sitting on the fence when I have challenged him as to the expense and hassle this is going to cause us he is now saying another colleague wouldn't use them We are tearing our hair out ! Any Ideas

 

[Alastairreid]

Are you in an area of high exposure?

 

[theoldun]

On a single storey extension of the size you are erecting, wind posts are not required, unless of course you live on top of a mountain.
Wind posts are designed to span vertically BETWEEN FLOORS to provide lateral support for panels of brickwork. Windposts can be installed into either the inner leaf of blockwork or into the cavity leaving the block work undisturbed, however both skins must be tied to windpost.
Regards oldun

 

[tony1851]

Is this due to short brickwork returns at the cormners of the new extension?

Even if the returns are less than those advised in the Approved Document A to the regulations, it is often possible to prove that windposts are not necessary.

A sketch plan would help here.

 

[Doug610]

No we are not in an area of high exposure, it is a semi detached Victorian house.The corner returns are 518mm so hopefully we are ok without windposts

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I've had to up the inner skin to 140 with bed reinforcement a few times but have never had windposts on a domestic extension.