Like Tree2Likes

Lintel over doorway

Closed Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 1 2
  1. #11

    I'm a structural engineer. Ask him for the calculations to show the buildup of that wall and how it will behave when you make a 2m hole in it! Anything short of this and he is simply taking risks that you will inherit but he will profit from. Probably won't collapse but who knows if he hasn't bothered to even check.


  2. #12

    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Posts
    1,756

    Plaster cracks wouldn't go thru the wall from one side the other..

    2 certified struc engs looks at it - both said the same thing...

    Both didn't do calculations as they had done it 1000's of times so they said.

    Anyways Ymmv


    Sent from my iPad using GeoClicks


  3. #13

    Thanks for the info Scrambler and Rich, thats helpful.
    I hesitate to get the Building Department involved mainly because its so anti-social given most village houses have unauthorized structures of one kind or another. I prefer to address issues like this in a more civilised way.
    I would also prefer not to start arguing about my rooftop structure, although it should by now be protected as its already registered under the government scheme.
    The next step is to get an engineer to look at it. My neighbour has said that if the engineer says theres a problem, he'll install a lintel, which obviously would be good. Its actually pretty easy and cheap to do - I could do it myself if I had to.

    wtbhotia likes this.

  4. #14

    Scrambler - can I ask if the opening they created was under a wall featuring a supporting beam or did they just knock a hole in a standard exterior wall?


  5. #15

    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Posts
    1,756
    all the exterior walls in village house have beams..

    they build a concrete beam fame first then then brick up the walls in general.

    so in answer yes there is a beam above the wall they removed., the new door span I guess to be 3-4 meters.

    they also removed the adjacent wall for approx 2 meters..

  6. #16

    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Posts
    1,756

    actually that unsupported beam is the entire width of my apartment!!


  7. #17

    In my place the front walls have beams (under which all three floors have a 3m opening), but the side walls dont. Which is what worries me.

    In your picture there seems to be a big beam running above the sliding door, and what looks like an even bigger beam running off at a right angle along the far wall. A lot of beams there. Anyway our structural engineer said our neighbour's wall does need a lintel so theyre retrofitting one.

    No cracks yet in my place, though though that doesnt really mean much at this point.