Structural Alterations
Structural Alterations in Consett
What is under the ground shapes structural alterations in Consett more than most people expect, because a lot of Consett is built on ground that was worked, tipped or reclaimed, so made ground and variable bearing capacity are genuine possibilities and a trial hole is often money well spent before anyone prices a foundation. Consett is a hilltop former steel town, high and exposed, where a large area of the old works has been redeveloped for housing and employment since the plant closed in 1980.
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Andy is a time served general builder with more than 25 years behind him, and no Consett job is priced from a phone call alone. We look at the property first, then put the figure in writing.
Structural Alterations
Our structural alterations in Consett cover
- RSJ and steel beam installation: padstones, bearings and fire protection detailed as the calculations require
- Doorway and opening widening: new lintels and made good openings in load bearing and non load bearing walls
- Support steelwork: goalpost frames and columns where a wall cannot simply be beamed over
- Building control coordination: stage inspections booked and attended through to sign off
- Underpinning and foundation support: where existing foundations need strengthening before other work proceeds
- Load bearing wall removal: temporary support, beam installation and permanent works to the engineer specification
Local Knowledge
Local considerations for structural alterations in Consett
Consett falls under Durham County Council for both planning and building control, which is the practical starting point for structural alterations here. Consett sits well over 200 metres above sea level and Durham County Council applies the same building regulations here as anywhere, but exposure grading for driving rain is the detail that actually changes the specification of a wall. None of that is a reason not to do the work. It is a reason to establish the constraint before a design is finalised rather than after it has been drawn twice.
Ground conditions are the second thing we look at. A lot of Consett is built on ground that was worked, tipped or reclaimed, so made ground and variable bearing capacity are genuine possibilities and a trial hole is often money well spent before anyone prices a foundation. For structural work this becomes relevant at the point the engineer checks whether the existing foundation can take the concentrated load from a new beam.
Property types vary across Consett more than the name of the town suggests. Around Blackhill, Delves Lane, Leadgate you will typically find terraced streets built for the steelworks and the surrounding pit villages, while further out there is later housing on and around the reclaimed steelworks site. For structural alterations, in older property the wall you want removed is more often solid and load bearing, while newer housing more commonly uses timber studwork for non structural partitions. The town is exposed enough that winter delivery and lift days need planning around the forecast, which we flag at quoting stage rather than mid job. None of this changes how we price, since every Consett job is quoted in writing after a visit, but it does change what goes on the van and how the week is planned.
Recent work
Our Approach
How we work in Consett
Site visit first
We come out, look at the property and ask the awkward questions before quoting. A price given without a visit is a guess dressed up as a quote.
A written quote
You get a written, no obligation quote that states the scope. If something is excluded, it says so rather than leaving it to be argued about later.
Regulations handled
This is the one category where there is no grey area. Removing or altering a load bearing element is notifiable building work every time, needs structural calculations from an engineer, and needs building control sign off. Anyone offering to do it without either is a problem, not a bargain.
Kept informed
We keep you updated as the work goes on rather than disappearing for a week. It is the least complicated part of building work and the part most often done badly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Structural Alterations in Consett: your questions
Do you cover the areas around Consett as well, such as Stanley and Langley Park and Rowlands Gill?
Yes. Alongside Consett we regularly carry out structural alterations in Stanley, Langley Park, Rowlands Gill and across the wider North East, working from our base in Blaydon-on-Tyne.
What sort of properties do you carry out structural alterations on in Consett?
All of them. Around Blackhill and Delves Lane the stock is mostly terraced streets built for the steelworks and the surrounding pit villages, and further out Consett has later housing on and around the reclaimed steelworks site. The right approach depends far more on the age and construction of the individual property than on the town.
How much mess does this create?
A meaningful amount, which is why we sheet up, isolate the working area and remove waste as we go. There is no way to make a structural opening dust free, but there is a difference between contained and uncontrolled.
Do ground conditions in Consett affect structural alterations?
They can. A lot of Consett is built on ground that was worked, tipped or reclaimed, so made ground and variable bearing capacity are genuine possibilities and a trial hole is often money well spent before anyone prices a foundation. We raise it at the quote stage rather than after the digger arrives, so you know whether an investigation or an assessment is likely to be needed.
Can I stay in the house while the work is done?
Usually yes, though the day the wall actually comes out is disruptive and noisy. We tell you which day that will be so you can plan around it.
Which council handles structural alterations applications in Consett?
Consett comes under Durham County Council for both planning and building control. That is where a building regulations application is made and where the inspector who signs the work off comes from. Structural calculations from an engineer and building control sign off, without exception is what they will be looking for.
Are there any planning restrictions I should know about in Consett?
Possibly, depending on exactly where the property sits. Consett sits well over 200 metres above sea level and Durham County Council applies the same building regulations here as anywhere, but exposure grading for driving rain is the detail that actually changes the specification of a wall. If your property is affected, the design is shaped around that from the start rather than revised afterwards.
How do I know if a wall is load bearing?
Wall thickness, what sits directly above it, the direction the floor joists run and the age and type of construction all give an indication. We check on site, and where there is any doubt the structural engineer confirms it before anything is cut.
Does the steel need fire protection?
In most domestic situations exposed steel needs protection to achieve the required fire resistance, normally through boarding or plaster encasement, and building control will check it.
Do you arrange the structural engineer?
We work alongside engineers regularly and can put you in touch. The calculations are theirs, and we build to exactly what they specify rather than substituting a different beam.
Also covering near Consett
We carry out structural alterations across the surrounding area as well as in Consett itself.
Other building services in Consett
Whatever else the project needs, it is the same team and the same standard.
Planning structural alterations in Consett?
Tell us what you are planning and we will arrange a look at the property. You get a written, no obligation quote for structural alterations in Consett, and an honest answer about what the regulations will actually require.
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