Should We Have Informed LBA?

[thomp1983]

Hi All,

In October 2015 we had a builder remove an internal wall and door to create a kitchen diner as photo'd. We are now looking to sell the house and one of the estate agents has suggested the local building authority should of been informed of the works and we should of had some paperwork from them, we didn't know about this at the time and the builder made no mention of it. Do I need to get in touch with the lba about this?

thanks
chris

 

[RonnyRaygun]

Yes, you should have building regulations approval for structural alterations.

You will need to get a regularisation, which will mean a structural engineer calculating the size of the beam for you. Ideally they would also calculate the pad stone, check existing masonry, and check stability, but as you are selling you really just need to get the minimum amount of work done to satisfy building control.

The engineer will still need to know what beam is in there so you (or someone else) will probably need to make a hole to get to the beam (not a huge one; just so that the width and thickness of the flange can be determined).

 

[Notch7]

wouldnt a (worthless) indemnity insurance be the answer?

you cant get one if youve contacted the council

 

[Captain Nemesis]

wouldnt a (worthless) indemnity insurance be the answer?

Not if the buyer has any sense. They only insure against the legal costs re enforcement actions from the council. Which I dont think can happen anyway now as it was done too long ago.

And they dont cover the cost of putting anything right.

And they dont insure against any losses if problems arise because of non-compliant work.

If nothing is sagging or cracking after 5 years its probably structurally sound.

Expect buyers to use lack of BC approval to knock the price down.

 

[^woody^]

Tell the estate agent it was not a load bearing, and did not require any permission to remove.

 

[RonnyRaygun]

Tell the estate agent it was not a load bearing, and did not require any permission to remove.

Wouldn’t any surveyor worth their salt question that?

 

[^woody^]

Wouldn’t any surveyor worth their salt question that?

These salty surveyors may see that the shortest span is across the room.

 

[RonnyRaygun]

These salty surveyors may see that the shortest span is across the room.

I have to admit I noticed that (and the small down stand) myself.
The mere existence of a down stand made me assume there must be a beam there (albeit partially recessed). Plus it’s not necessarily the short span in the other room. Plus, joists don’t always span in the short direction.

I wonder - maybe the OP has knowledge of whether or not there is actually a beam there?

 

[frutbunn]

You will need to get a regularisation, which will mean a structural engineer calculating the size of the beam for you

Even if it is load bearing a SE may not be required, I usually request the steel be exposed at the bearing points, if I consider the steel is overengineered then I wouldn't require calcs, this is also the approach adopted by all the BCO's I've worked with, though not all LA may take this approach.

 

[thomp1983]

I've a feeling they used a concrete lintel,

that's the house we have and where the wall removed is within the eve space to the right side of the house with maybe 3ft going under the upstairs floor boards into the master bedroom. If required due to the design of the house I should be able to access the beam from above within the eves as they have doors into them for storage, Provided the builder removed the plasterboard from the ceiling before fitting it.

Chris

 

[RonnyRaygun]

I've a feeling they used a concrete lintel,

that's the house we have and where the wall removed is within the eve space to the right side of the house with maybe 3ft going under the upstairs floor boards into the master bedroom. If required due to the design of the house I should be able to access the beam from above within the eves as they have doors into them for storage, Provided the builder removed the plasterboard from the ceiling before fitting it.

Chris

Likely room-in-roof trusses so no beam required...

 

[thomp1983]

so does that in turn mean no building regs required?

 

[RonnyRaygun]

so does that in turn mean no building regs required?

Yes, if the wall was non load bearing then no Building regs required. Arguably the wall may have provided some buttressing but no-one is going to pick up on that...
Worth a check from above if easy to access...

 

[^woody^]

though not all LA may take this approach.

No, they may take the approach that a 6x4 wil be OK up to 3m, and a 8x4 OK up to 4m. Not relying on individual opinion, but a proper policy.

 

[frutbunn]

No, they may take the approach that a 6x4 wil be OK up to 3m, and a 8x4 OK up to 4m. Not relying on individual opinion, but a proper policy.

Nothing to do with the loadings either then? Just a policy that all 6x4 are OK up to 3m and that's it, not much of a policy then. Perhaps you could show me one of these proper "policies", or is this just another case of making something up, again? None of the authorities I've worked seen to have heard about it or for that matter was it ever raised at any of the county policy meetings I attended/chaired for the 7 authorities within the county I worked a few years back, but obviously you know different.