Removal of internal wall without building regs - buying

hollycall

Thanks all for your helpful comments. I'm putting these issues to our solicitor to enquire with seller's solicitor. Will see what the seller suggests or offers, if anything. Don't want to throw more money at builders and surveyors in a panic just yet!

chappers

The surveyor who flagged up the issue should have been able to establish simply enough if the wall was load bearing or not.
As DG says there is no certificate for something that doesn't need certification and any decent builder would know before they took the wall out if it needed supporting.
Of course the vendor could be lying and it is a load bearing wall, which they have supported without informing BC. Indications of this should be obvious do the two ceilings run through continuously without what would look like a beam protruding down into the room, together with supporting piers at each end. Is there another wall directly above it on the next floor up, do the floor joist for the next floor up run parallel or at right angles to the removed wall.

FENSA certification gets on my nerves as has been said it is no indication of a good job, I have fitted probably several hundred windows in my time and better than many installations by so called professionals. also I have never been asked by BC for FENSA certification before sign off. This is something that some solicitors seem to get a bee in their bonnets about. We just sold a newbuild that we built with over 30 windows in which we installed ourselves and there was never any mention of FENSA

makeitstop

chappers wrote: »

The surveyor who flagged up the issue should have been able to establish simply enough if the wall was load bearing or not.
As DG says there is no certificate for something that doesn't need certification and any decent builder would know before they took the wall out if it needed supporting.
Of course the vendor could be lying and it is a load bearing wall, which they have supported without informing BC. Indications of this should be obvious do the two ceilings run through continuously without what would look like a beam protruding down into the room, together with supporting piers at each end. Is there another wall directly above it on the next floor up, do the floor joist for the next floor up run parallel or at right angles to the removed wall.

FENSA certification gets on my nerves as has been said it is no indication of a good job, I have fitted probably several hundred windows in my time and better than many installations by so called professionals. also I have never been asked by BC for FENSA certification before sign off. This is something that some solicitors seem to get a bee in their bonnets about. We just sold a newbuild that we built with over 30 windows in which we installed ourselves and there was never any mention of FENSA

OP, take notice of this above.

In all probability, there is not an issue, but a simple check by someone with knowledge will put your mind at rest once and for all.

Fensa.....haha.

hollycall

As suggested, we have had a structural engineer round who was happy to confirm all work was carried out properly and wall was non-load bearing. Hoping to exchange shortly. Thanks very much for the advice!

Bojo56

Hi, I know this thread is a bit old now but does anyone know how long it can take to get br approval if it is a load bearing wall? Our survey recommended checking regs so think our lender requires this.

Thanks in advance!

3mph

Is it not a bit weird that the owner only a year ago had the work done specifically to do up and presumably sell didn't bother to get the relevant certificates or a report from the structural engineer?

AnotherJoe

3mph wrote: »

Is it not a bit weird that the owner only a year ago had the work done specifically to do up and presumably sell didn't bother to get the relevant certificates or a report from the structural engineer?

No because it wasn't a load bearing wall so none of that was needed.

3mph

AnotherJoe - not bldg reg Cert but the certs for Windows and other work and a letter or report from the Structural engineer which told her it was not structural.

Gigervamp

Bojo56 wrote: »

Hi, I know this thread is a bit old now but does anyone know how long it can take to get br approval if it is a load bearing wall? Our survey recommended checking regs so think our lender requires this.

Thanks in advance!

You'd be better off starting a new thread, because as you can see from the replies after you posted, people will reply to the original post and completely miss your question. Some people seem to only read the first post before replying.

Bojo56

Thanks gigervamp