Lintels overhanging a newly made door way?

Bit of background: We stay in a semi-detached with up and downstairs. We had a doorway knocked into an outside supporting wall so we could access an already in place extension. It was more convenient with this layout. We submitted plans for the work but for the life of me I can't find them and the building clerk is coming next week to inspect it (hopefully grant a certificate) The work was carried out 2 years ago so its all very hazy the actual details.

What I'm looking to know is, is there a guide on how much the concrete lintel should overhang the brickwork below? Given it is the ground floor of the outside wall. They told me just to take pictures at the time as that should suffice.

Cheers.

Reply to
Tony Graham
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By 'overhang' do you mean the bits at each end of the lintel which are supported on brickwork either side of the opening? How wide is the opening - is it just single door size?

For a single door width, 150mm each end should be sufficient - so the overall length of the lintel should be at least 300mm greater than the width of the opening.

Reply to
Roger Mills

Cheers Roger. Yes sorry the overhang that supports the brickwork either side of the door opening. I managed to find the plans and like you say it should be min 150mm bearing each side. I've also found the pictures with measurements and it doesn't bode well. The lintel measures 1040mm and the door opening measures 820mm. So I make it 80mm short!!! It looks to be sitting at 120mm overhang at one side and 100mm at the other!.

Anyone know how picky these guys are? In my favour it was done in 2007 and there has been no cracks etc above it plus the lintel was meant to be a Robeslee 100mm x 70mm and it looks more like a 150mm x 70mm if that makes a difference?

Reply to
Tony Graham

Tony Graham (no@ta) wibbled on Monday 17 January 2011 23:32:

How much is it supporting?

I have one lintel overhanging on one end by maybe 2.5-3" !

No it wasn't one of mine - and it is holding up 4-5 courses of brick for 3'

Reply to
Tim Watts

Its the ground floor of an outside wall so I suppose it is holding up the whole of the gable end!!!!

Reply to
Tony Graham

It's probably holding up 2 dozen bricks at the most.

The brickwork above is supported by the brickwork on either side of the opening, by deflection

Reply to
Phil L

Tony Graham (no@ta) wibbled on Monday 17 January 2011 23:40:

More like a triangular section of brickwork over the opening (the interlocking of the bricks or blocks tends to share the load sideways).

It's not going to fall off, for a doorway sized lintel. As to whether the BCO will like it is another matter. This would be an opportune moment to be of few words... But see what others think - personally I wouldn't be too worried if the wall it is bearing on is of good construction.

Reply to
Tim Watts

For a door sized gap, it won't actually be carrying much - if you took it out you would leave just a triangle of bricks above the opening unsupported.

Reply to
John Rumm

I'd expect the BCO to be fine with that.

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a standard bearing of 100mm either side on an opening of less than 1m, although it would depend a bit on the strength of the brickwork it's sitting on. A

Reply to
andrew

Unlikely, the bricks would fall away in an inverted triangle above it until they reached the point where the outside walls supported the rest. The angle is about 45 degrees.

Its more of a problem as the lintel could be supporting one or more rafters/trusses (not likely if its on the ground floor) or joists depending on how they run.

Reply to
dennis

Thanks guys. The BCO arrived and granted the certificate. He just had a quick squint of the "blurry" pictures with the measuring tape against the lintels.

Thanks again.

Reply to
Tony Graham

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