Newbie: Building Inspection Prior To Ripping Out?

[Tricky Dicky]

From the research I have done so far, it seems that property developers/renovators get hold of the property, rip out the existing fittings and then call in the building inspector to see if anything needs doing structurally.

Are building inspectors able to assess structures that are still being lived in (i.e. still carpetted, full of furniture, wallpapered etc.)?

Cheers

Tricky

[Lobster]

What do you mean by a building inspector - a Building Control Officer (ie, a local council employee) or a structural engineer? I think you probably mean the latter? They certainly can and do assess inhabited buildings - much of what they report on can be done just from looking at the outside. However, they can and will provide more info if (eg) the odd floorboard can be lifted to look at joists, etc.

Not sure that many developers will routinely get an engineer in to 'see what needs doing', unless there's good reason to do so (eg, if they knowingly bought a property cheap because it's falling down??)

David

[Tricky Dicky]

I should have chosen my wording better

I am unsure of what needs to be done structurally to a house I plan to renovate. I am going to knock through an outside toilet and coal scuttle to extend the kitchen, put in French doors in the living room to the garden and install a downstairs toilet. The house, however, is 1930's and I am sure there will have been some deterioration by now - particularly as their was WWII bombing nearby

What person is best to call in so that I don't proceed and find a problem later on that will cost time & money?

Cheers in advance

Tricky

[Owain]

The opening between the kitchen and toilet will need a lintel to support the wall above. The toilet etc will also have to be brought up to present requirements for a habitable room, particularly in terms of insulation.

If you are creating or altering a window opening this will need a lintel. New windows are also subject to certification by Building Control.

New drains need Building Control.

Building Control will usually be able to give helpful suggestions on what standard you need to achieve. For the knocking through and lintels, a structural engineer is probably the best source of advice and he will be able to produce plans and calculations to satisfy Building Control - particularly if there may be existing structural weakness.

You can probably draw the new toilet, washbasin and extractor fan on the plans yourself before submission to Building Control.

Owain

[Lobster]

I'm doing an almost identical project myself at the moment as it happens.

I agree with everything Owain said. But do talk to Building Control first about what exactly they'll want you to do. I agonised for ages about this before talking to them; reading up about U values, talking to the Kingspan Insulation technical services helpline etc etc, and when the Building Control Officer looked at it, he just said, 'oh stick 2" of Kingspan under the floor slab, against the walls, and above the ceiling'

- I know for a fact that this won't meet current standards, but since it was refurbishing an old outside building to bring it into living accomodation, the BCO was happy for me just to do what was 'reasonable' under the circumstances. The refurbed area will certainly be way better insulated than the rest of my property, for sure. BCOs are hopefully pretty reasonable about interpreting the building regs appropriately, rather than laying down the letter of the law.

If you go to the Building Control offices on spec, you'll usually find a BCO there able and willing to provide advice on your ideas (helpful to take plenty of sketches and photos with you. They'll tell you whether you need to get an engineer in (may not be needed). You'll need to put the Building Notice in (ie, and pay their fees) before the BCO will come on site for a pre-work inspection; given that you'll need to do this anyway you may as well go ahead, get the BCO round to your house and pump him for all the info you can! Have a part-filled-in Building Notice in front of you when you go the office; shows you mean business and are taking it seriously; and he can help you complete any bits you aren't sure about.

David

[Tricky Dicky]

Many thanks Owain & Lobster

This is just the sort of advice I need - I really know virtually nothing and your kindness is appreciated

Cheers

Tricky