removing a supporting wall

[cl55 amg]

After some advice please guys?

I would like to remove a supporting wall (between lounge/dinning room). I am happy to do the work myself but would like advice regarding building regs/rsj calculations etc, is there a online service or does a structual enginner need to visit?

Thank you

p.s. I am located in manchester, if anybody local.

 

[SilverSaloon]

you'll need to contact building standards of your local council and it would be worth getting a structual engineer to draw up and spec up the steel required.

 

[Frugal]

I would recommend having the steel calculations done by an accredited bulding design / structural engineering company. This shouldn't be very expensive (guessing £200-300?) for a relatively simple job, especially if you don't trigger building regulations requirements.

 

[Mike Walker]

Costs will depend on type of property - detached /terraced/semi - loads from above and also what neighbours - if any, have already done to their/s property/ies.
Talk to Building Control, who may hold records of any previous structural alterations and will also advise on statutory process to follow.
Find them normally under Planning Department.

 

[Paul/]

Between them, the Council and the Struct Engineer will likely relieve you of at least £500 to ensure you get the necessary work done and documented.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Get some photos up of the wall, it'll be easier to advise.

 

[renault12ts]

What size is the wall above the proposed opening?

 

[geraldrobins]

I suggest you contact a lintel manufactuter such as Catnic or Keyline and if you can send them a sketch they will likely design and have a standard lintel for the job.
Best if you contact them through your builders merchant as they dont usually deal direct. Might avoid the costs of a structural engineer.
Lintels designed in this way by lintel manufacturers usually satisfy Building Control.

 

[paul_c]

Basically, a structural engineer would need to be used, since they would typically show the calculations to back up the specification of the required support/RSJ put in place to compensate for the removed wall. By all means, it can be done without a structural engineer if you can show the calculations leading to the specification, and that all aspects of the beam's installation have been done correctly. But its kinda beyond the scope of a DIYer to do these to the satisfaction of building control.

 

[Piff]

I suggest you contact a lintel manufactuter such as Catnic or Keyline and if you can send them a sketch they will likely design and have a standard lintel for the job.
Best if you contact them through your builders merchant as they dont usually deal direct. Might avoid the costs of a structural engineer.
Lintels designed in this way by lintel manufacturers usually satisfy Building Control.

I was going to suggest this also. But, an off the shelf lintel is likely to be taller than an RSJ so height of opening will be reduced.

 

[geraldrobins]

I was going to suggest this also. But, an off the shelf lintel is likely to be taller than an RSJ so height of opening will be reduced.

There are all sorts of lintels available. Some of them are basically galvanised 'rsjs' to particular requirements.
It might be worth a try. It depends on the height available and what its supporting of course. A supporting wall can mean lots of different loadings. Also depends how much headroom you want. The beam could be incorporated into the floor void as well but more work.

Too many variables to answer here realistically.