Isn't that one of 'those' words, the ones where those within the industry spell them differently to everyone else? Like sill/cill. I remember several such words the first time I was involved with plans.
I've got lots of plans for the mods to this place - and engineers calculations. But can't remember it being spelt that way. 'Cill' yes.
Not every time, no. But I have had enough distraught people on the phone asking for me to move heaven and earth to give them a Regularisation certificate on the day they were due to exchange contracts to know it is possible.
Anyway, how is a surveyor supposed to know from a visual inspection that the only thing wrong is the lack of paperwork? It could also be a lack of lintel.
Of course what I meant was I remember there being several such terms - but can't remember what they were!
Just found this:
"Lintol is the traditional Scots building term."
It's the spelling used by our artichokes on the ongoing Western Wing addition to Lowe Towers.
May be regional.
Lintol is an old fashioned spelling.
Some people still use it - perhaps it is just an affectation on the part of some architects but I have seen it on several architects' drawings in the last couple of years.
Also, the construction materials company Ibstock seems to use that spelling as a default:
The letter was probably draughted by a junior admin type and merely signed by the SBCS (or a scanned signature was used!).
It *is* one of those words with alternative spellings, mainly used in the building trade. Lintol is often seen as an alternative spelling.
Thanbks everyone for your advice:
The BCO came yesterday and agreed with me that the beam wasnt safe.
The builders started inserting blocks under it today.
Luckily they gave me a quote and I havent paid them yet.
The boss blamed his workers, but he should have checked and known that a wooden padstone wasnt good enough...
Nobody has asked the question: who specified the lintel? Whenever I've had this kind of thing done (ony twice) I've had an engineer in to calculate the loads and specify the type and size of beam. the BCO has wanted to see the calculation or at least to know who did it.
With regard to how the buyer's surveyor would know the doorway had been widened: these people are usually familiar with many houses in eth area. If there are other houses of the same type nearby he will know what the original design was becuase he has surveyed lots of them in the past. Robert
In most houses for most door openings or windows a pre-stressed concrete beam is way over specified anyway.
The metal beam in question looks ridiculously over-sized unless there are several stories above, or some very large floor spans in the upper floors.
The real issues are its bearing and the ability of the remaining brickwork to support the loads from above. All these aspects need to be checked by a suitably qualified professional.
(and no, I am not offering!)
I'm pretty sure the metal is overstrong, and yes the brickwork underneath is being improved..
On top of the beam is another storey and then the lead roof valley which holds up half of each of two roofs..
[george]
So do you now have Building Control approval, or not?
I've filled in the form at the council and paid a cheque for building control, when the builders say they've finished he'll come again and if he approves it I will pay the builders their initial quote price. That's how it's done, isn't it? (but I wish they'd done it right first time).
[g]
Well done! Not an easy situation to resolve, but you've done it.
I'm impressed. Respect! ;-)
Bruce writ:
But i've lost the trust of the builders, so probably must find others to do the next beam -
I said to the brickie: 'when you told me it was finished were you lying or were you incompetent and unable to see that it was unsafe?'
(Occam's razor?)
he blames the boss, the boss blames him...
but the job theyre doing now should last a hundred years, i'll post photos when its all done...
>
What did you actually ask the builders to do?
It seems to me that if you just asked for the work, then it was probably down to you to decide on specification, notification, etc. But if it was more of a 'tell me what is required and do it' then it looks to be more their problem.
If they did it it was their problem. If you ask them to do something that they knew was unsafe and they do it it is their problem. If a professional asks them to do it and they think its unsafe it is still their problem unless they query it first (in writing if I were them). You cannot just ignore a safety issue and claim its not your problem anymore.
The builder has a duty of care. There's no escaping it.
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