Internal Step on Old External Wall

dickibobboy

Good Evening,

The house i’m currently renovating to move into has a step from the kitchen to the dining room (1920/30s house, double skin brick)

The kitchen is an extension onto the house done quite a number of years ago (probably 20+). The double doors into the kitchen to the dining room was where the original external window once was.

A step between the two rooms ia one brick high + 2 bricks thick (a little taller allowing for cement etc..)

Do you think there is any real reason for this to have been left in when it was changed? It would be so much better without although i suppose if the kitchen ever flooded it would stay contained!

Thanks

Davesnave

dickibobboy wrote: »

Do you think there is any real reason for this to have been left in when it was changed? It would be so much better without although i suppose if the kitchen ever flooded it would stay contained!

We have similar at the junction between our main bungalow and its extension, done in 1988. With a bit of jiggery-pokery, we've reduced the 50mm diference to around 25mm, but we couldn't get rid of it completely. Previously, the hall had a ramp built in.

According to the people who lived here at the time, the reason for the discrepancy is very simple: the builders were idiots!

FreeBear

If it is a step down into the extension, then the difference can be built up with timber & plywood (or even a layer of screed). There is an opportunity to insulate and/or install underfloor heating at the same time. That said, if there are any other doors in the extension, then that adds an additional problem.

dickibobboy

The heights of the floors in both rooms are pretty much the same which is why it seems pretty strange.

The external door on the extension is also at similar height.

Here’s a picture if anyone’s interested

Link

FreeBear

An absolutely pointless obstruction with no logical purpose. I would certainly take a hammer & chisel to it. I assume the floors either side are at the same level ?

dickibobboy

That’s all i keep thinking. I can’t see how it would be any way kept for any reason.

Going to have a word with the joiner regarding sorting out the door frame if i were to take it out.

The sizes are already custom for the doors there so making them a little bit taller shouldn’t be a problem that way.

dickibobboy

So i took this task on today, I removed the first course of bricks to find another course that stuck up around an inch. I attempted to stitch drill these level however the began to crumble so i took them out.

The the old step is now a dip! One side is old flagstone and the other side is contrete floor with the damp proof membrane just sticking out.

What would be the best way to proceed, as simple as preparing the surface and filling with concrete level or would i need to do something else first?

FreeBear

Remove as much of the old bricks & mortar as you can to leave a channel 75-100mm deep. Put a thin layer of mortar in to give a smooth & level surface. Use a strip of plastic sheet to form a bathtub in the channel and fill this with concrete level with the floor either side. Chances are, one side will be lower than the other.