Anyone here a builder

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I am told it is a Catnic that is not long enough and hasn't been fitted properly.

[Classicrock]

I am told it is a Catnic that is not long enough and hasn't been fitted properly.

This occurred to me after my last post . I assume they did not overlap the wall by 150 mm at each end then (Catnic is a brand of Lintel). Unfortunately a lot of expensive work for cutting corners - bet they used a Lintel they had over from another job. Was hoping it was something easier fixed. I see Zebbo has explained it all clearly.

[nickwill]

Hi Doc, have been away for the weekend sorry or would have replied earlier.
I'm a builder, have worked a lot with structural engineers, been a site manager etc.
You won't have an RSJ, it's a lot of work to trim the bricks to fit in the web, you'd end up with really thick beds. The advantage of lintels is that they are designed to carry the load for their span so you can't have one that is too long for the job. For RSJ's you have to get an engineer to work out the loadings and specify the size. It does look like it has been badly fitted, it shouldn't be sticking out of the mortar bed like that but as long as it is on 150mm either side it will be okay (100mm at a push). The exceptions are if say it's the ground floor of a three storey building then you need heavy duty lintels or if you have a beam bearing above the lintel then you need a structural engineer to devise a solution.
Have a look at the brickwork from the outside, if there is an uninterrupted triangle of brickwork above it, i.e. if both sides are cantilvering together and meet then all the lintel is really carrying is that triangle of brickwork. If you took the lintel out, that is all that would fall (inside will probably be carrying joists too)
Pop the covers off the hinges and adjust the doors so that they open and shut, you'll need a pozi screwdriver and allen keys. The covers can be tricky, check the hinge side first to see if you need to loosen them off from there. If you break one, you can get replacements online.
If it keeps happening then there may be some movement but I suspect it's just a bit of settlement.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

The adjustment has been done a couple of times and now it as far as it will go, it will take no further adjustment unless the doors are refitted. Also there has been a good half centimeter drop over the time since fitted, and sign of a very small crack showing on the brickwork above the door. So small I can't get it show up on a photo. At the very least I need someone to refit it as they are badly fitted. I obviously don't want to go beyond what is needed, and (sorry but) builders IME tend to get as much for a job as they can and make more work if they can.

[nickwill]

Okay, my concern from the photos was that they had used 4"x3" galvanised angle and fitted it the wrong way around as the front section should not be able to project from the face of the brickwork. In that case it isn't a catnic (or any other make of) lintel. You can trim the back off all the bricks but looking at the rest of the job, it's unlikely they would go to that trouble. That leaves us unsure of what is holding up the inner skin. There isn't much distance between the top of the door frame and the ceiling but that doesn't mean that the joists aren't on hangers. Sorry but the only way to tell is to open it up and look. You need a good builder, there are some around but they do seem few and far between. I live in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex but call into London occasionally for work. I can come and have a look but work on my own and it's definitely a two-man job, preferably for a good brickie.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I would love you to come and look and quote, I am sure you can find some muscles to help, or I can find local help. Especially if you want anything hi-fi and want a good deal, I love barter. I am here all the time just give me email or phone when your coming. The bridge is best between 11am and 3pm. At that time about 30 to 40 mins I would say.

The house is built like brick shithouse the way houses should be. Post war council estate type construction, not on footings on a thick concrete float, proper thick brickwork proper thick floor joists all into the wall.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

bump

[jayman67]

i see this as a perfect opportunity to knock the house down and build one in black acrylic

[TheMadMick]

There isn't much distance between the top of the door frame and the ceiling but that doesn't mean that the joists aren't on hangers. Sorry but the only way to tell is to open it up and look. You need a good builder, there are some around but they do seem few and far between. I live in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex but call into London occasionally for work. I can come and have a look but work on my own and it's definitely a two-man job, preferably for a good brickie.

It may well be that the door has not been installed correctly. If there is no expansion allowance between the frame and the structure, then only the frame will give. What time of year was it installed - what was the temperature? If it has been through an annual cycle then this may well be a red herring.

Hope this helps.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Nov 2014