Installing door to garage from living room

Hi, if you have a builder with whom you have worked previously and have faith in you could discuss this with them. This type of work can be carried out with a Building Notice application to building control. Alternatively, you could approach your Local Authorities building control department directly and discuss with them. Again a building notice application would be sufficient. Ultimately it may pay to appoint a professional to provide you with a complete specification for all of the elements required to comply with the Building Regulations. This could then be used as the basis for the works ensuring an approval on visits that building control make during the works. What is important is that you make this application to building control for Building Regulations approval. It will be something of a pain at some point in the future when you come to sell the property if it is not in place and could cause significant delay. Notwithstanding of course the fact that you will be residing in the property in the meantime and compliance will ensure the appropriate level of safety for you and your family. I hope that this has been helpful. Guy

One thing you may not have thought of is the level of floor relation between the garage and living room. You must have a 150mm drop minimum from living room to garage. Although some council building control departments will allow alternative suitable arrangements. However in general do assume a 150mm drop. You also need to check height of underside of garage roof timbers to the underside of living room ceiling- particularly important if your house is built on sloping ground and the floor drop between the two floors is greater than 150mm. Once you have done that, and you are sure all levels work out, you can proceed, but you must advise building control, either by building notice or full plan submission prior to starting. A building notice allows you to start the work within 48hrs of submission (weekday timing), a full plan approval will need calculation proof that the proposed lintel is the correct one to use. The type will depend on the wall construction of your house. You will be required to fit an FD30 minimum door and matching frame to comply and these need to be certified. One final thought is if you have a mortgage, and particularly if a high percentage of the house value, you may need to notify your mortgage lender. You should notify your house insurers as well. This puts all your ducks in a row, and you should be okay to proceed. However, if this is a DIY project, proceed with caution particularly if the house is built with SIPS panels, and particularly if floor load above loads onto the wall where you cut through. Again this is information that building control requires and may have a bearing on type and load capacity of the lintel required.