Any structural engineers around?

[ThoughSheBeButLittle]

I need a tiny bit of advice if at all possible.

If my supporting wall is 3.3m, can I enlarge the current serving hatch and add a doorway without a supporting steel? Or if I mess about with the wall at all do I need a structural engineer to come calculate what size support I need?

Thanks in advance.

I am sure you will need supporting steels (or concrete lintels) for both.

I don't know how to calculate it, I expect there are tables online from suppliers.

It is very common to put in a left-over bit that is far greater than the calculation requires, because it is a free offcut. You builder may suggest that.

Don't let anyone prop it up with a bit of wood.

Thanks PigletJohn. I suspect the cost might be prohibitive but maybe just enlarging the hatch and putting in a lintel might not be quite as expensive as doing the whole lot.

I'm a structural engineer, and yes, you should get someone to come and look at it. We will be able to look at the structure as a whole and check that there are no unwanted side effects on other parts of the structure. The current serving hatch should already have a lintel, and this will need to be removed and a new, longer, one put in. We would then also do the paperwork for submission to Building Control as any alterations to the structure require a BR application.

I once put in a very wide hatch, like you might find in a canteen, with a fold-down door which became a serving table. We used an offcut of RSJ which the BCO laughed at as it was so oversized.

When drawing it I had miscalculated, though. The bottom of the hatch was level with the worktop (fine) but the top was too low and I had to stoop to peer through.

Thanks - PigletJohn that would probably work for me as I'm so short!

WoodBurnerBabe do you have any suggestions of the best way to find a structural engineer or will the Yellow Pages do? Also, if you don't mind me asking what's the ballpark fee for coming out to have a look and then doing the calculations? Thanks

The IStructE website has a "find an engineer" facility. I'm south central region, and we charge £200-250 + VAT for that kind of job. For that I would do a site visit, have a good old poke around, look at your drawings, calculate the beam size, and do the BC submission.

Great, thanks. I'll have a look