Garage modifications

[clen666]

Hi all,

In the process of replacing my garage roof including the structural timbers due to water ingress over the years.

Whilst the roof is off I'm hoping to widen the garage door, the current wooden lintel need replacing anyway. So a couple of questions:

The garage is detached, 6.5m from the house. Garage door is on the boundary. Do I need planning/building regs permission to widen the door?

Also, relating to the above, would I need a structural engineer to spec the lintel/rsj for such a job for approval?

Any advice appreciated as I've not dealt with planning/building regs before.

Cheers

 

[WorkshopChris]

Just went to have a look on https://www.planningni.gov.uk/ but is appears to be down at the moment.
I dont think it needs PP unless it is a certain distance from a highway.
All you need should be on the site in the link when it is working.

 

[addjunkie]

I would just do it, assuming your not doing anything really radical. As there is very little to support above the door id suggest just buying a catnick type lintel suitable for the width. Or an i girder of the appropriate size.

If the i girder gets to heavey, say an 8x4 use two channel girders back to back.

This type of site will give you a feel to what you need

http://www.builditshop.co.uk/acatal...lid_Wall_Steel_Box_Lintels_Standard_Duty.html

 

[angellonewolf]

i done garge dawings and planning and if with in i think 3mteres of any boundry high way but there is permited development

something about being under 2.5 meters poss but yes you will need calcs and would recommend as if it falls down herts some one its not your fault can be done online for the cost of about £120

 

[Gritineye]

It's an existing building, you're just repairing it, as no body else knows how wide the door was before it all 'fell down' just sick a beam across and carry on, no need to tell anyone just do it.

 

[addjunkie]

It's an existing building, you're just repairing it, as no body else knows how wide the door was before it all 'fell down' just sick a beam across and carry on, no need to tell anyone just do it.

Man after my own heart. I live in a national park, and the planning officer said to me. "Of course you are allowed to maintain your buildings (said with a wink). That was in a discussion regarding barn roofs and bat surveys.

 

[Gritineye]

Carry on and put a wider beam over the doorway, completely finish the roof, then knock out the 'crumbling' brickwork each side and rebuild it to your liking.

 

[clen666]

Thanks for the advice chaps.

A bit more about the construction - solid 9" walls, 3 courses above the door lintel there are floor joists (175x63mm 4.2m long) located in pockets in brickwork.

3 course above joists is the wall plate, cement tiled roof will follow.

Without doing any calcs yet, I'm assuming the length and weight will require an rsj rather than a catnic style lintel

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I would Put a building notice in and get some structural calcs done. Shouldn't be too extortionate. You pay for a building notice so pick there brains as much as you can while there doing site visits.

 

[CornishPete]

I think if you're just making the door a foot wider or so you'll not need planning, you're not altering the overall dimensions.
as for the lintels it'll depend on what's being supported above. As a very general rule of thumb a joist/lintel should be 1/2" deep per foot of span plus 2". Eg a 10' span would use (10x1/2")+2"=7" deep.
however if it's just a few courses of brickwork and then the roof then a 6"x4" rsj would comfortably span a 10 or 12' opening. I've just fitted a lintel above a 3.2m opening just like yours and the engineer specced a 6"x6" universal beam with a 6mm plate welded to the underside which cantilevers out to take the external wall

 

[CornishPete]

i typed my last post as you were typing yours so didn't realise there was a floor above! The most important factor will be the span.

 

[clen666]

The floor will only be used for storage, nothing excessive either as access is just via a ladder

 

[gaz1]

Hi all,

In the process of replacing my garage roof including the structural timbers due to water ingress over the years.

Whilst the roof is off I'm hoping to widen the garage door, the current wooden lintel need replacing anyway. So a couple of questions:

The garage is detached, 6.5m from the house. Garage door is on the boundary. Do I need planning/building regs permission to widen the door?

Also, relating to the above, would I need a structural engineer to spec the lintel/rsj for such a job for approval?

Any advice appreciated as I've not dealt with planning/building regs before.

Cheers

anything you do must be the same or your changing the look of something then it becomes planning more so on a boundary (mine was a change to the roof to an apex neighbour reported me was quoted if id left everything as it looked but did repairs new roof covering id have been fine but i was changing the look and appearance of it which meant planning )

if you do it then take the risk if someone complains your going to have to go through planning make sure you have before and after pics you may need them

replacing the old wood door beam with rsj then a 3" or 4 " would be more than ample as theres no weight above it

 

[Muppet]

I wouldn't go near planning or building dept, especially if it's council,
There a pain in the ****, building regs are different council to council, around me

It was a repair and they made the door to the wrong dimension,
Common sense, a couple of accrow props and a RSJ

 

[Mee]

i done garge dawings and planning and if with in i think 3mteres of any boundry high way but there is permited development

Permitted development is a godsend in such instances and allow you to replace things such as this by using this legislation.

As already stated, its a replacement to a crumbling wooden structure which may affect the structural integrity of the building and cause possible injuries to passers by if it were to fail, so yes you can replace it with a wider door without issues.