Opinion from a builder please

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As a former worker in the construction industry, it's always eye opening to read opinions on projects that I have some knowledge.

For my two penneth, a conservatory should come under permitted development, but a quick phone call to your local council's planning dept should confirm.
Secondly, if you are laying blockwork or bricks, they need to be laid on a solid foundation. Looking at the original porch in the first post it appears there are around a dozen courses of brickwork, a decent weight. Also consider the existing ground, clay which is one of the worst types of surface for subsidence and shrinkage. Build on that without any foundation and the porch will move.

I'm not an engineer however, so I'd be getting advice on how deep and how much concrete in depth is required along with a decent builder who will tie the new blockwork into the existing house and cut in a new a lead tray where the roof of the conservatory meets the house wall. The secret is getting reputable tradesmen that you can trust and feel confident they are doing it correctly.
 
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As a former worker in the construction industry, it's always eye opening to read opinions on projects that I have some knowledge.

For my two penneth, a conservatory should come under permitted development, but a quick phone call to you local council's planning dept should confirm.
Secondly, if you are laying blockwork or bricks, they need to be laid on a solid foundation. Looking at the original porch in the first post it appears there are around a dozen courses of brickwork, a decent weight. Also consider the existing ground, clay which is one of the worst types of surface for subsidence and shrinkage. Build on that without any foundation and the porch will move.

I'm not an engineer however, so I'd be getting advice on how deep and how much concrete in depth is required along with a decent builder who will tie the new blockwork into the existing house and cut in a new a lead tray where the roof of the conservatory meets the house wall. The secret is getting reputable tradesmen that you can trust and feel confident they are doing it correctly.

Really appreciated to everybody.

Did you see my later post in this thread as to how the house was constructed? I guess had it been a traditional construction, my question re foundations would not have been posed. Cheers!
 
Really appreciated to everybody.

Did you see my later post in this thread as to how the house was constructed? I guess had it been a traditional construction, my question re foundations would not have been posed. Cheers!

If the concrete raft extends past the outer blockwork of the proposed porch, that would be a sufficient foundation for the porch.
Someone will have to do some digging to find out though;)
 
I have never put up a conservatory but I have had to pull lots of them down that were built on footings of a scrape of concrete and a prayer.
Get them done right in the 1st place and while your at it check your own house footing if its got 1,mine is a spread footing which is neither raft or strip footings
If the person who does the ground work speeks funny and drives a transit you wont need to pull it down it will fall down 👍
 
Get them done right in the 1st place and while your at it check your own house footing if its got 1,mine is a spread footing which is neither raft or strip footings
If the person who does the ground work speeks funny and drives a transit you wont need to pull it down it will fall down 👍
No need to check the footing of my house, I built it myself.
 
Get them done right in the 1st place and while your at it check your own house footing if its got 1,mine is a spread footing which is neither raft or strip footings
If the person who does the ground work speeks funny and drives a transit you wont need to pull it down it will fall down 👍
No need to check the footing of my house, I built it myself.
Well done 👏
Thanks
 
I know it’s a long time since I was at school, but isn’t three meters square three times the area of three square meters?
 

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I know it’s a long time since I was at school, but isn’t three meters square three times the area of three square meters?
Arghhhh! Don't go there!😲 As a specialist maths teacher, the misuse of terms relating to area used to drive me mad!
 
Arghhhh! Don't go there!😲 As a specialist maths teacher, the misuse of terms relating to area used to drive me mad!
Just a quick question ( nothing meant by it) but what is a specialist math's teacher?
 
Just a quick question ( nothing meant by it) but what is a specialist math's teacher?
I specialised in teaching maths to special needs pupils (both ends of the spectrum), designing and delivering training to staff, developing school policies, etc
 
3 sq.m is 1m x 3m or 1.73m x 1.73m or 1.5m x 2m, or any combination where the 2 dimensions multiplied by each other is 3sq.m or less.
Don‘t know if the information is still there but there used to be interactive guides on the planning portal.
Some small extensions labeled “porch” or “conservatory“ are exempt from building regulations so long as certain conditions are met. Such as retention of original external door as mentioned above, no heating & compliance with glazing regulations.
But, being exempt doesn’t mean cutting corners, particularly with foundations.
 

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