I would welcome some thoughts and ideas from the panel...

I am planning on replacing our lean-to conservatory with a proper (regs-compliant) extension and knocking through from the house. To keep costs down, and avoid unnecessary duplication of work, I am wondering if some aspects of the conservatory could be retained.

One such aspect is the cavity side wall seen he

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent...ysidewall1.jpg

If building a new wall building regulations would, I believe, require footings 60cm wide and 1m deep. According to the copy of the quote I have for the conservatory (built before we purchased the house) this is exactly what this wall was meant to have.

I am assuming that the building inspector would not be satisfied by the claim on a piece of paper and, to be honest, neither am I. I am therefore wondering how best to inspect what's actually there.

Digging a hole is obviously required but, as the following photo shows, access is limited (I've got around 30cm from the wall to the fence):

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent...ysidewall2.jpg

I could remove the fence for better access but nevertheless I'm wondering what's the easiest way to do dig this hole would be? I'm thinking that if I could bore a hole of, say, 10-15cm wide (and upto 1m deep) I could lower a camera to inspect the base. It could even be narrower - indeed I did think of just hammering down an iron rod to see if I could detect the depth of the footings as I don't expect the surrounding earth to be necessarily hard to get through. If the results are promising then I'd be quite happy to dig a bigger hole to show the inspector if required.

What I don't want to do is pass off this opportunity, knock the wall down, dig foundations and then find out I had everything I needed already there!

Any ideas how to do DIY this at minimum cost, hassle, risk(!) etc?

Mathew

On 30/09/17 18:55, Mathew Newton wrote:
I would welcome some thoughts and ideas from the panel...

I am planning on replacing our lean-to conservatory with a proper (regs-compliant) extension and knocking through from the house. To keep costs down, and avoid unnecessary duplication of work, I am wondering if some aspects of the conservatory could be retained.

One such aspect is the cavity side wall seen he

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent...ysidewall1.jpg

If building a new wall building regulations would, I believe, require footings 60cm wide and 1m deep. According to the copy of the quote I have for the conservatory (built before we purchased the house) this is exactly what this wall was meant to have.

I am assuming that the building inspector would not be satisfied by the claim on a piece of paper and, to be honest, neither am I. I am therefore wondering how best to inspect what's actually there.

Digging a hole is obviously required but, as the following photo shows, access is limited (I've got around 30cm from the wall to the fence):

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent...ysidewall2.jpg

I could remove the fence for better access but nevertheless I'm wondering what's the easiest way to do dig this hole would be? I'm thinking that if I could bore a hole of, say, 10-15cm wide (and upto 1m deep) I could lower a camera to inspect the base. It could even be narrower - indeed I did think of just hammering down an iron rod to see if I could detect the depth of the footings as I don't expect the surrounding earth to be necessarily hard to get through. If the results are promising then I'd be quite happy to dig a bigger hole to show the inspector if required.

What I don't want to do is pass off this opportunity, knock the wall down, dig foundations and then find out I had everything I needed already there!

Any ideas how to do DIY this at minimum cost, hassle, risk(!) etc?


I'm not a builder or anything like but I've been amazed at the different
things I've been able to use my Lidl Endoscope for. Could you drill out
a core or series of cores and inspect it with something like that?

Nick

"Mathew Newton" wrote in message
...
I would welcome some thoughts and ideas from the panel...

I am planning on replacing our lean-to conservatory with a proper
(regs-compliant) extension and knocking through from the house. To keep
costs down, and avoid unnecessary duplication of work, I am wondering if
some aspects of the conservatory could be retained.

One such aspect is the cavity side wall seen he

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent...ysidewall1.jpg

If building a new wall building regulations would, I believe, require
footings 60cm wide and 1m deep.

I dont believe that on the 1m deep.

According to the copy of the quote I have for the conservatory
(built before we purchased the house) this is exactly what this
wall was meant to have.

You dont have to show that existing stuff meets current requirements.

I am assuming that the building inspector would not be satisfied by
the claim on a piece of paper and, to be honest, neither am I. I am
therefore wondering how best to inspect what's actually there.

Digging a hole is obviously required

I dont believe that.

but, as the following photo shows, access is limited
(I've got around 30cm from the wall to the fence):

A post hole digger will work fine in that space.

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent...ysidewall2.jpg

I could remove the fence for better access but nevertheless I'm
wondering what's the easiest way to do dig this hole would be?

Post hole digger, but I dont believe that you have to prove
that its foundations are what a new wall would have to have.

I'm thinking that if I could bore a hole of, say, 10-15cm wide
(and upto 1m deep) I could lower a camera to inspect the base.

Thats fine for the depth of the foundations.

It could even be narrower - indeed I did think of just hammering
down an iron rod to see if I could detect the depth of the footings

Dont see how it could do that.

as I don't expect the surrounding earth to be necessarily hard to get
through.

Yeah, a post hole digger should be fine unless its very stony ground.

If the results are promising then I'd be quite happy to
dig a bigger hole to show the inspector if required.

I dont believe any inspector would want to check the existing foundations.

What I don't want to do is pass off this opportunity, knock the wall down,
dig foundations and then find out I had everything I needed already there!

Any ideas how to do DIY this at minimum cost, hassle, risk(!) etc?

Post hole digger.
Mathew

On Saturday, 30 September 2017 19:31:12 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:

You dont have to show that existing stuff meets current requirements.

Are you sure? Even if this is the case I do want to make sure it'll hold up the tiled roof (the eaves wall is likely to be mostly glazed hence there'll be a beam supporting the roof from one wall to the other).

On 30-Sep-17 7:43 PM, Mathew Newton wrote:
On Saturday, 30 September 2017 19:31:12 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:

You dont have to show that existing stuff meets current requirements.

Are you sure?...

He will always be completely sure, even when wrong.

The person to check with is the BCO. IME they are always very helpful
with any enquiry.

--
--

Colin Bignell

"Mathew Newton" wrote in message
...
On Saturday, 30 September 2017 19:31:12 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:

You dont have to show that existing stuff meets current requirements.

Are you sure?

Yes, when adding an extension to a house, you dont have to prove
that the original house foundations are up to current standards and
pull the house down and redo the foundations if they arent up to
current standards.

Even if this is the case I do want to make sure it'll hold up the tiled
roof (the eaves wall is likely to be mostly glazed hence there'll be
a beam supporting the roof from one wall to the other).

Sure, but I dont believe that they have to be 1m deep to do that.

On Saturday, 30 September 2017 19:31:06 UTC+1, Nick Odell wrote:

I'm not a builder or anything like but I've been amazed at the different
things I've been able to use my Lidl Endoscope for. Could you drill out
a core or series of cores and inspect it with something like that?

Yes, I've got a couple myself (not from Lidl but I am sure very similar) and that's what I was thinking about with the camera reference. Maybe I'll get myself a 1m masonry drill bit - always handy I'm sure! - and make a hole or two with my SDS drill.

On Saturday, 30 September 2017 20:01:26 UTC+1, Nightjar wrote:

The person to check with is the BCO. IME they are always very helpful
with any enquiry.

Thanks Colin, that's good to hear. I've never had any dealings with them and was actually worried that they might be awkward to deal with!

On 30/09/2017 18:55, Mathew Newton wrote:


Any ideas how to do DIY this at minimum cost, hassle, risk(!) etc?



Assuming soil, could you dig a small hole with a pressure washer,
directing it away from the wall/foundation?

--
mailto: news {at} admac {dot] myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

In message , Tim+
writes
Mathew Newton Wrote in message:
I would welcome some thoughts and ideas from the panel...

I am planning on replacing our lean-to conservatory with a proper
(regs-compliant) extension and knocking through from the house. To
keep costs down, and avoid unnecessary duplication of work, I am
wondering if some aspects of the conservatory could be retained.

One such aspect is the cavity side wall seen he

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent...ysidewall1.jpg

If building a new wall building regulations would, I believe, require
footings 60cm wide and 1m deep. According to the copy of the quote I
have for the conservatory (built before we purchased the house) this
is exactly what this wall was meant to have.

I am assuming that the building inspector would not be satisfied by
the claim on a piece of paper and, to be honest, neither am I. I am
therefore wondering how best to inspect what's actually there.

Digging a hole is obviously required but, as the following photo
shows, access is limited (I've got around 30cm from the wall to the
fence):

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent...ysidewall2.jpg

I could remove the fence for better access but nevertheless I'm
wondering what's the easiest way to do dig this hole would be? I'm
thinking that if I could bore a hole of, say, 10-15cm wide (and upto
1m deep) I could lower a camera to inspect the base. It could even be
narrower - indeed I did think of just hammering down an iron rod to
see if I could detect the depth of the footings as I don't expect the
surrounding earth to be necessarily hard to get through. If the
results are promising then I'd be quite happy to dig a bigger hole to
show the inspector if required.

What I don't want to do is pass off this opportunity, knock the wall
down, dig foundations and then find out I had everything I needed
already there!

Any ideas how to do DIY this at minimum cost, hassle, risk(!) etc?

Mathew


Post hole digging tool?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck...e-digger/35835

+1 on the post hole digger. I dug a 9" wide slot in search of a sewer
pipe. About 1.2m down! The fence will be in your way as you need to open
and close the handles, standing to one side. Must be hirable.

--
Tim Lamb

On 30/09/2017 18:55, Mathew Newton wrote:

I would welcome some thoughts and ideas from the panel...

I am planning on replacing our lean-to conservatory with a proper
(regs-compliant) extension and knocking through from the house. To

Digging a hole is obviously required but, as the following photo
shows, access is limited (I've got around 30cm from the wall to the
fence):

In which case, dig the hole inside the conservatory! (if you are
rebuilding it anyway...)



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Saturday, 30 September 2017 21:58:24 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:

In which case, dig the hole inside the conservatory! (if you are
rebuilding it anyway...)

If all goes well the floor will be reused too (it supposedly being an insulated slab)!

On Saturday, 30 September 2017 21:51:24 UTC+1, Tim Lamb wrote:

Post hole digging tool?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck...e-digger/35835

+1 on the post hole digger. I dug a 9" wide slot in search of a sewer
pipe. About 1.2m down! The fence will be in your way as you need to open
and close the handles, standing to one side. Must be hirable.

Thanks everyone for the ideas. The variety has made be realise that it very much depends on what the material is that I've got to get through and at present I only know of the loose stone sitting on the top. I might make a start through whatever means and see what lurks beneath. Screwfix have got a 1m 20mm SDS drill bit on offer at the moment so I might get that anyway as a useful-to-have bit.

On 30/09/2017 19:43, Mathew Newton wrote:
On Saturday, 30 September 2017 19:31:12 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:

You dont have to show that existing stuff meets current requirements.

Are you sure? Even if this is the case I do want to make sure it'll hold up the tiled roof (the eaves wall is likely to be mostly glazed hence there'll be a beam supporting the roof from one wall to the other).


I'm not sure that I would trust all that weight to a wall that was not
built with that in mind.

Are you going to increase the size of the rear extension, compared to
the conservatory? If so, a good solution would be a brick pillar at each
side, with strong foundations, specifically designed to take the weight
of that beam plus all it will support. Tack that onto the end of the
existing side wall.

I'd be just as concerned, if not more so, to check the house
foundations. At the moment, the weight of the two storeys is spread over
the entire back wall, but if you knock through it will be concentrated.

Do you need a structural engineer to advise you?

On Sunday, 1 October 2017 12:06:31 UTC+1, GB wrote:

Are you going to increase the size of the rear extension, compared to
the conservatory? If so, a good solution would be a brick pillar at each
side, with strong foundations, specifically designed to take the weight
of that beam plus all it will support. Tack that onto the end of the
existing side wall.

The current plan is for the footprint is expected to stay the same.

I'd be just as concerned, if not more so, to check the house
foundations. At the moment, the weight of the two storeys is spread over
the entire back wall, but if you knock through it will be concentrated.

The current back wall has a window and a pair of french doors (two windows upstairs) but, yes, it will be changing significantly - not least the fact that the opening will be 5m wide so not at all insignificant.

Do you need a structural engineer to advise you?

Absolutely; I have every intention of getting one for the knock-through beam calculations and so I will be sure to get their views on other pertinent aspects too. I will also be employing an architectural technician for the drawings. At the moment I'm just trying to pre-empt some of the inevitable open questions that will arise such as how deep are the existing foundations..

On Sunday, 1 October 2017 12:06:31 UTC+1, GB wrote:

I'm not sure that I would trust all that weight to a wall that was not
built with that in mind.

You've got me thinking - I was assuming a conventional tiled roof just to directly match the house and garage roofs as per the following pic (showing the latter at least; I don't seem to have a photo of the whole rear but the same pantiles are used on both):

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent/conservatory.jpg

Do you/anyone have any alternative ideas with regards to the roof - perhaps something lighter but still obviously satisfying the necessary U-values and ideally not something that belongs on Grand Designs, both in style and associated cost! Due to (lack of) light in the existing lounge we are intending to put rooflights in this lean-to and so it would have to be compatible with those.