Builder problems

If your Building control would not accept a 4" bearing on this job then they do not know what they are doing.
You cannot go hacking 6" into a 9" party wall, therefore 4" is the required bearing in this instance.
What if this was a cavity wall? would you have a 6" bearing on a 4" brick or block.

 

He does and when the BCo says its ok I've seen photo's what's he do then??

Yes 50mm is tiny and not right, but it also will not coming down any time soon, being in this game as long as I have, I've seen Intel's sitting on next to nothing (especially cast in situ ones) that have been there for years without movement.

Yes his builders a cowboy but does he want all the disruption of ripping it all out to gain what????

 

Some say you should run 50mm into the cavity, now bearing in mind that was the width of cavity in the old days that would mean touching the outer skin ???

 

Fair do's, Dobbs - I was going by a normal lintels 'in-line' as opposed to RSJs approaching at right angles.

I presume, then, that a padstone of a certain length and thickness is required to spread the load over that section of single-skin wall? Any idea what minimum size padstone is required, and whether your average BCO would be content to have the RSJ sitting on only half the width of the 'stone?

 

It seems so difficult to find trustworthy tradespeople these days, as for timescales I generally work off this - (quoted time in days x 5) + 3 days where they go AWOL and can't be reached.

On a serious note, I always check that any tradesperson is on the competent person scheme set up by the government as this is well regulated and shows that they have passed all the criteria, assessments etc. This is much better than if you hire someone and then the inspector doesn't pass the work, which happened to a neighbour of mine. It took him ages to get it sorted.

I prefer to use companies that have well established reputations so you know they aren't going to suddenly disappear if you find a problem a year or so after the work is complete. On reflection, I have had a few people do work and have been reliable, stick to dates etc but they are few and far between. If anyone needs any construction work in the London area, http://constructioncompanylondon.org.uk/ were one of the better ones I've used.

 

No matter the trade, there will alway good & bad tradepersons, it's not new thing, been happening for centuries.

 

Certian amount of lean allowed!

If you know how to use a level, there should be NO lean,

 

Agreed. It is sooo shoddy - shows such a lack of regard for themselves as well as their customer - that it should sound warning bells agogo.

Who the hell would build a wall and not use a spirit level, string or straight edge?! What the?

Smarty, when you say the builder upped the 50mm to 70mm, what are you referring to - the thickness of the padstone or the RSJ's overlap? If the latter, how did he do that - does it mean the other end only has 30mm...

(Only kidding - but I have to ask...)

 

Probably used a 100x65mm concrete lintel cut into sections for padstones.

 

Surely BC would insist on a pier being built to provide the 150mm bearing ?? If the rules say 150mm bearing, then no BCO worth his salt is going to accept only 100mm bearing (and we shouldn't expect them to accept it)

 

I had a kitchen knock through done some years ago, through a cavity wall. The lintel, a "catnic", rested at one end on the inner wall of the cavity wall only with no pier, however there was a lengthy padstone type brick installed so the load was spread. I guess this is a way of spreading the load along the "length" of the wall rather than the "width". It was probably around 300mm in length.

 

When I has my drawings done, the SE advises 100mm bearing for the steels, the steel above the window opening required a 150mm bearing.

You would have to get a party wall agreement in place for this type of work.

And most would only allow you to go half the distant i.e if the wall is solid then a 100mm bearing would be require. A PW surveyor employed said he had some cases where the beams went over, and the adjoining owners had to remedy.

 

Stand your ground. Its got to be done correctly. You not paid him all upfront?

 

Anyone can make a mistake. But this builder is quite simply lax and shoddy in their work, so I'm inclined to think them careless rather than an honest miscalculation.

This is backed by the way they have tried to get away with it. Hellish.

Keep a firm eye on this lot.

That bowing wall - make sure it's 100% plumb and flat by the time they board it out (please post photos of how they plan to achieve this...). Don't compromise. Make them realise they've actually created extra work for themselves by being carp in the first place.

How do they propose to board these walls - D&D or studwork? D&D will have them using zero to 25mm thick dabs... Studwork will require ditto packing.

Just awful, man. Don't give these guys an inch.

 

If a 150mm bearing and a pier was required, I would imagine this would this would be specified by the structural engineer.

 

If the pier was anything like the blockwork, it would be like a donkey's hind leg.

 

I am not fully up to date of the required size as most structural engineers will more than likely over spec.
Years ago engineering bricks were all that was required.