Structural engineer / builder ARGH

shaniannie

We want to knock down a wall between the kitchen and dining room. It's a load bearing / structural / my bedroom wall right above it wall, so we phoned building control at the council who told us to get the calcs done and then submit to be approved.


We had the calcs done.


Says there's a 3.5m span (ummm the gap is actually 3.7m but yeah....) and to use "203x133x30kg beam with c30 concrete padstones as end bearings" (and 6 sheets of drawings and calcs I can make no head nor tail of!)


We apparently need to dig down, create foundations and 2 pillars (?) for the beam to rest on.


3x builders seem to disagree...


One came and had a look, said he'd get back to us with a price, a week later we phone him and said he'd take another 2 weeks to get us a price (aka - he doesn't want the job).


Another came and couldn't understand why the SE designed it the way he has, he'd tie it into the existing walls there... And didn't want the job if building regs were coming round (said it'd be weekend/evening for him and it'd hold up the job for us...)


3rd came today and again couldn't understand why the beam can't be tied into existing walls. Basically, I'd be looking at £500-£900 to do it (plus cost of beam, plus cost of plasterer) by tying in, but easily doubling that if they had to put foundations and pillars in. He asked me to speak to SE again.


Spoke to SE who said we might possibly get away with tying it in on one end (external wall end), but that he thinks (?!) there's only 4" support on the other end for the beam, so pillar would be needed.... but he'd revise the drawing for no pillars, although would advise not to do it that way....




ARGHGHHH Sorry... still with me?


We have another 2 builders (hopefully!!!) coming tomorrow, who, for want of a better word, are more professional (read:expensive) than the other 3 that's been.


Anyone got any words of wisdom? I just want the ruddy wall gone as my kitchen is tiny... but not at the cost of my bedroom wall/house falling down!!!!

blackshirtuk

in order for the steel to be able to spread the load of the upstairs wall there has to be somewhere to spread the load to.

One solution is pillars as per structural engineer, the other would be to reduce the opening to allow the steel to sit on the 2 remaining parts of the wall.

This would definitely be cheaper but it depends on how you want it to look.

System

I would be taking the advice of the structural engineer as it will be them signing the paperwork! unless you can get a builder to provide you the calcs to satisfy building control...

jc808

shaniannie wrote: »

Another came .... And didn't want the job if building regs were coming round

lucky escape - where u finding these builders?OK Corrall?

teneighty

Unless there is something out of the ordinary with this wall the Engineer does appear to be rather over cautious.


Apart from a few overly cautious engineers I have had the misfortune to encounter I have only seen re-built brick piers and underpinned foundation pads when there is very high loadings and/or a very long beam span, 6 metres plus.


For the sake of £150 or so it might be cheaper in the long run to go with a new Engineer with a more realistic approach.

shaniannie

Thanks everyone.


We've had a further 2 builders round.


One thought it was overkill, but could see why the SE wanted it done that way. Something to do with possibly only 4 inches remaining on one side for the beam to sit on (there's a doorway the other side of it, so a lintel there?) Said it wasn't really a problem and will get back with a price by the weekend. It'd be around 3 weeks before he could do it.


Another came and agreed with SE, saying it'd be a "proper" job done that way. Quoted in the region of £1500, but he can't do it for 6 weeks as he's busy - and to call him back then if we haven't got anyone to do it yet.


It's a standard 3 bed 1930's semi by the way - living room in front, dining room behind it, a total mirror image, and the kitchen next to dining room behind the stairs, and red-brick built.


We're going to wait to see what price we get by the weekend off the last builder, and then make a decision. It's no real hardship waiting 6 weeks if we have to - we'll just get the plumber in to fit new gas central heating first, and hubby can have enough time to prep everything and re-do the joists and floorboards in the hall...