Replacement window - will I need permission?

Michela

Hello,

I have a lovely Edwardian semi-detached house and I am in the process of restoring it back to its glory.

In the kitchen they have added a suspended ceiling to accommodate a zillion spotlights. So this is coming off to expose the original tall ceiling.

The issue is they put in two PVC windows (that face my neighbours wall on the side of the house (1m walkway between the houses ) at a low level due to the lower ceiling.

I want to put the windows back to how they were, so higher up to fit with the tall ceiling.

Obviously this means removing the two PVC windows, knocking out the brickwork to fit the 'new' height, so they are back in their original position.

 Do we need permission for this? Or can we just do it. 

Thanks 

p00hsticks

Are you in a conservation area ?

stuart45

It needs Building regs.

Michela

p00hsticks said:

Are you in a conservation area ?

Thank you. No we are not in a conservation area. 

Michela

stuart45 said:

It needs Building regs.

Thanks. Is this something the window companies usually  do or do I need someone to draw something up?  

FreeBear

Choose a window fitter that is either FENSA or CERTASS  registered, and they will take care of all the Building Regs compliance for you. If they do the job properly (as most of them do), you'll get a certificate emailed or posted within a week or two of installation.

One thing to check thought - A lot of older buildings relied on the window/door frame providing support for the brickwork above. You may need a lintel installed along with the new window. The installers should be able to advise when measuring up, but there will be an additional cost if a steel is needed.

Michela

FreeBear said:

Choose a window fitter that is either FENSA or CERTASS  registered, and they will take care of all the Building Regs compliance for you. If they do the job properly (as most of them do), you'll get a certificate emailed or posted within a week or two of installation.

One thing to check thought - A lot of older buildings relied on the window/door frame providing support for the brickwork above. You may need a lintel installed along with the new window. The installers should be able to advise when measuring up, but there will be an additional cost if a steel is needed.

Thank you. I can see where the original window was from the outside as the bricks go upwards above where the window was. So I hope the support is still there.

Its a bit like this pic

https://c8.alamy.com/comp/D31HFM/arched-brickwork-over-a-window-on-a-newly-renovated-barn-in-rural-D31HFM.jpg

Section62

Michela said:

FreeBear said:

Choose a window fitter that is either FENSA or CERTASS  registered, and they will take care of all the Building Regs compliance for you. If they do the job properly (as most of them do), you'll get a certificate emailed or posted within a week or two of installation.

One thing to check thought - A lot of older buildings relied on the window/door frame providing support for the brickwork above. You may need a lintel installed along with the new window. The installers should be able to advise when measuring up, but there will be an additional cost if a steel is needed.

Thank you. I can see where the original window was from the outside as the bricks go upwards above where the window was. So I hope the support is still there.

Its a bit like this pic

Unfortunately that doesn't mean there is adequate structural support as different styles of brickwork can also be decorative/architectural rather than structural.

You may not know for sure until the window and infil is removed.

FreeBear

Section62 said:

Michela said:

FreeBear said:

Choose a window fitter that is either FENSA or CERTASS  registered, and they will take care of all the Building Regs compliance for you. If they do the job properly (as most of them do), you'll get a certificate emailed or posted within a week or two of installation.

One thing to check thought - A lot of older buildings relied on the window/door frame providing support for the brickwork above. You may need a lintel installed along with the new window. The installers should be able to advise when measuring up, but there will be an additional cost if a steel is needed.

Thank you. I can see where the original window was from the outside as the bricks go upwards above where the window was. So I hope the support is still there.

Its a bit like this pic

Unfortunately that doesn't mean there is adequate structural support as different styles of brickwork can also be decorative/architectural rather than structural.

You may not know for sure until the window and infil is removed.

A lot of Victorian properties had a brick arch over an opening and had a substantial timber providing additional support. Worked well with wooden sash windows. Some uPVC installers took to removing this timber support and slapping an infill panel in with copious quantities of expanding foam to fill the void. After a few years, the hapless owner started to notice cracks appearing above the windows as the brick arch was not strong enough to support the weight of the wall above without the timber that had been removed.

Just because there is a brick arch, do not assume it is sufficient or that additional support isn't required - Get the opinion of a structural engineer in all cases (and don't take the word of a window installer).

stuart45

If you put some photos of your windows on I'll have some idea of whether the arch will support the brickwork above. 
If it's like the one in the photo and is 9 inch thick like the 9 inch wall above that should be fine provided the abutments are sound and it hasn't started to fail. Victorian houses often used camber arches built gauged brickwork that were only 4 inches thick and partly relied on the lintel on the inner 4 inches. As yours is Edwardian the camber arch went out of fashion.