Garage loft conversion

[Darrenr75]

Ive got planning approved for my garage to have a bedroom on its loft, and the architect plans uses a metal frame at the back middle and front for the new building to sit on, with 100mm square poles screwed to the garage floor (again, all approved).

Builder started today and apparently the building regs chap wants 4 holes drilled in the floor to ensure the slab is deep enough. My architect stated at the time that by using the frame there wouldn't be any need for the slab to be massively thick.

Any thoughts or experiences in this matter?

 

[Alastairreid]

My thoughts! its easier drilling 4 holes in the slab than getting on the wrong side of building control.

 

[^woody^]

Columns on a garage slab will exert a point load which could shear through a thin slab or crack it

It seems that your Architect has guessed, not designed

 

[tony1851]

You say your plans are approved, but was this just planning and not building regs?
Has your architect detailed this steel frame himself, or has an SE designed
it? Personally, I can't see an SE saying it would be OK to sit 4" posts directly on a slab without knowing its thickness. The building inspector would also be taking a lot on himslf if he OK'd the slab without any calcs.

 

[Darrenr75]

Well, the posts don't directly go onto the concrete - they sit on plates that spread over a bigger surface. Anyway I'll find out more tomorrow...

 

[Darrenr75]

The builder drilled down and stopped at 12 inches, and it's steel reinforced, so building regs have okayed it.

Complaint on its way to the architect next, he admitted he assumed...