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Fitting Lintel
12 Answers
Hi all,
bit of advice please. we are going to put an archway through a single brick 5 inch thick internal wall, downstairs in granddaughters house. The width of arch will be 42 inches.
what sort of lintel do we need, do we need planning permission or building regs etc.? We are going there this morning to see if the wall continues upwards and see which way the floorboards run.
Is there anything else we need to know about this wall?
We have looked on the internet, and its a minefield, the Bannings australia youtube video just shows a bloke sliding in a quarter inch steel plate on an outside wall, whereas other people are saying calculate weight of bricks above new opening X width of opening,concrete lintel not sufficiant, need RSJ
Thank you for any advice, seemingly simple job now looking like a major marathon. .
Answers
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Very risky if you don't know what you're doing.
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Planning permission shouldn't be required (unless the building is historically important and is 'Listed' as such).
The building works may be able to be certified via a Building Notice. Call your building regs dept at the local council.
If you don't have the works approved, your granddaughter could face problems if she sells the house.
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Planning permission shouldn't be required (unless the building is historically important and is 'Listed' as such).
The building works may be able to be certified via a Building Notice. Call your building regs dept at the local council.
If you don't have the works approved, your granddaughter could face problems if she sells the house.
I guess this is just to join two rooms together within one building?
It IS a straightforward job Annie. No need for panic.
You're already on the right lines. If there are old-type floorboards, then any joists will run at 90 degrees to the boards.
You may find the joists run parallel to the wall, in which case, it's even easier.
Most important is whether the downstairs wall extends immediately upstairs to the bedroom ceiling.
Still no problem though.
Let us know. Then we can talk about Building Regs etc.
It IS a straightforward job Annie. No need for panic.
You're already on the right lines. If there are old-type floorboards, then any joists will run at 90 degrees to the boards.
You may find the joists run parallel to the wall, in which case, it's even easier.
Most important is whether the downstairs wall extends immediately upstairs to the bedroom ceiling.
Still no problem though.
Let us know. Then we can talk about Building Regs etc.
Thank you for the replies.
Joists run with wall direction, not across.
Upstairs there is a door way above the downstairs wall end, so remainder of upstairs wall is 7 feet to outside wall and 7 feet to ceiling.
I can put most of the opening to the end where the doorway is above, so that only two feet of the proposed opening would have the upstairs wall above it.
Height of arch proposed is 80 inches, which leaves 14 inches to ceiling, width of arch can now be wider by about 10 inches, as a cupboard is going to be moved, so total width now 52 inches.
Hope this makes sense,
Thank you.
Joists run with wall direction, not across.
Upstairs there is a door way above the downstairs wall end, so remainder of upstairs wall is 7 feet to outside wall and 7 feet to ceiling.
I can put most of the opening to the end where the doorway is above, so that only two feet of the proposed opening would have the upstairs wall above it.
Height of arch proposed is 80 inches, which leaves 14 inches to ceiling, width of arch can now be wider by about 10 inches, as a cupboard is going to be moved, so total width now 52 inches.
Hope this makes sense,
Thank you.
First off, Annie, don't worry about aligning upper openings directly over the proposed arch. Any lintel you put in would take care of that.
It is officially considered "structural alteration", so Building Regs should be involved.
Local District Council Building Control.
Look online or visit their office to get a form for a "Building Notice".
A simple form to complete.
Send it off with the fee, then arrange for the local Building Control Officer (Building Inspector) to come along to talk it over with you.
If he's a rookie, then he may ask for a Structural Engineer to calculate lintel size needed.
The chances are, he'll go on his own judgement, and just ask for a standard lintel.
This could be a doubled-up timber one (for a 52" opening, I would use 2 x 9x2 bolted together.
Or, a 1800mm long 150mm x 100mm steel box lintel.
You really don't want to be heaving concrete ones around.
In my opinion, a steel beam (RSJ they used to be called) is well over the top.
Any ordinary small builder would have done all this many times.
It is officially considered "structural alteration", so Building Regs should be involved.
Local District Council Building Control.
Look online or visit their office to get a form for a "Building Notice".
A simple form to complete.
Send it off with the fee, then arrange for the local Building Control Officer (Building Inspector) to come along to talk it over with you.
If he's a rookie, then he may ask for a Structural Engineer to calculate lintel size needed.
The chances are, he'll go on his own judgement, and just ask for a standard lintel.
This could be a doubled-up timber one (for a 52" opening, I would use 2 x 9x2 bolted together.
Or, a 1800mm long 150mm x 100mm steel box lintel.
You really don't want to be heaving concrete ones around.
In my opinion, a steel beam (RSJ they used to be called) is well over the top.
Any ordinary small builder would have done all this many times.
Thanks the builder, you always take the fear out of doing a job.
Would an ordinary concrete lintel do the job? I have been offered a free one, it would need cutting down as it's a bit too long, but its a 100mm wide, so thought we could stand it in the corner when the council regs chap comes and say would that suffice, or should we look round for a steel box section, I don't feel safe with timber, although it's probably just as safe.
Thanks again.
Would an ordinary concrete lintel do the job? I have been offered a free one, it would need cutting down as it's a bit too long, but its a 100mm wide, so thought we could stand it in the corner when the council regs chap comes and say would that suffice, or should we look round for a steel box section, I don't feel safe with timber, although it's probably just as safe.
Thanks again.
Thank you for that, Annie. I always think it helps to take the "mystery" of of building matters. ;o)
Concrete would be fine.
But... it's 100mm wide, but is it only 75mm high?
That would be a "brick lintel", and wouldn't be right for this job.
It should be 140/150 mm high.
Cutting a concrete lintel is Ok too. Remember that you will need a diamond disc in a 9" angle grinder... plus a steel cutting disc for the internal re-inforcing bars.
If you need a steel lintel, then a Box lintel 100x140x1800 should be around £50.
Keep us posted :o)
Concrete would be fine.
But... it's 100mm wide, but is it only 75mm high?
That would be a "brick lintel", and wouldn't be right for this job.
It should be 140/150 mm high.
Cutting a concrete lintel is Ok too. Remember that you will need a diamond disc in a 9" angle grinder... plus a steel cutting disc for the internal re-inforcing bars.
If you need a steel lintel, then a Box lintel 100x140x1800 should be around £50.
Keep us posted :o)
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