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Groundwork & Foundations

No support under the wall of kitchen extension

Anonymous user 15/03/2024 - 2.35 PM

Hello A few years ago the house has been extended to the garden on ground floor level in building a wall between two existing house walls (a kitchen extension towards the garden, like one sees at many houses in London). This was done by former owners. When I lifted the timber decking in front of the extension I discovered that the extension wall is not firm on the ground but a hole underneath. The extension wall is a brick wall on top of a concrete "sleeper" or lintel. Underneath the lintel is gravel which subsided partly and left a hole underneath the lintel. I assume it is only supported by the existing walls on the left and the right of it. The width of the wall is 2.9m. Is that something to be concerned about (can water get under the extension)? Many thanks for any suggestion.

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2 Answers

Anonymous user

Don,t quite understand what you mean by a concrete sleeper i will presume that is a lintel bearing on the two flank walls and if it has been done correctly i.e enough bearing on the walls and the right size lintel for the load bearing down on it. That is no different that what happens at widow and door openings so long as it has been done correctly it will be fine and water incursion down the side of any building is the norm if there is no sign of any subsidance you can assume its been done correctly last resort you can contact local authority building control or planners to make sure the extension was done to regs! I would let it lie or you might end up in a legal battle with your surveyors when you bought the house if anything is untoward they should have picked up on it when you purchased the property. Not unheard of that they get it tottaly wrong i am no fan of all the know alls who think they can tell just by looking most of them know nothing about yhe buildings or how it is done i,d best leave it there before i talk myself into trouble. I think your alright with what youv,e got i.m.o
Answered17 July 2017
1

D & R Property and Plumbing Maintenance

Rating: 4.9 out of 5
New Romney
this may be where they have put a lintel over an existing drain run witch is covered in pea shingle or gravel.
Answered18 July 2017
0