Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Mahonia


It really depends on your foundations and the local subsidence issues in your area. A good check - look at similar houses close to you and see if any of them have had lofts constructed successfully without subsidence or any other structural issues.


The foundations need to be checked to see if they are adequate for the extra load. The building control officer may instruct you to alter your foundations if unsuitable - at extra cost.

Hi


Thanks for your reply. The structural engineer that we are using comes highly recommended and has done a lot of work in this area. I must admit I am a bit concerned. He is aware that we want the smallest amount of load possible on the building. He did say something about bore holes when we first saw him but he said that building control never take up this offer...


Not sure what to do as he is really good. I am so confused and want to get this right. Do you think that we should instruct another structural engineer to check the plans and do bore holes even if building control are happy with everything? I have never heard of foundation being checked prior to a loft being done and none of the numerous loft conversion companies we have seen have mentioned it either...



Want to make sure we are water tight when it comes to insurance. We do have their permission to do this work already...


M

Mahonia,


Your further explanation suggests your structural engineer is calculating the load bearing design of your existing footings to see if they need to be reinforced, perhaps by under-pinning, to support the extra loading of the new loft. On the face of it, this is nothing to do with "subsidence". Perhaps just asking him/her outright?


MacRoban

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • got a collection gathering dust? especially in the era of streaming services.. need the space?  most things considered rock / indie / hip hop / dance / funk / soul / heavy metal / jazz etc etc no easy listening  DM if you think you have something of interest.. cash awaits thanks Tim 
    • So much nonsense in a single post! 1) this vaguely xenophobic stuff is based on a belief that London is full of houses owned by foreigners that are kept empty and out of the hands of native buyers and renters. This is unmitigated bullshit. "England has the lowest rate of empty homes in the OECD, and Greater London has about one-tenth the level of Paris, just 0.7% of properties being empty compared to 6.5%...the effect on the general housing crisis is minuscule. London, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton and other cities have eye-wateringly expensive housing because of high demand and low supply. That’s the obvious and boring answer." https://www.edwest.co.uk/p/the-myth-of-londons-empty-homes 2) where do you get this idea that infill sites have to be small? Southwark and the GLA planning documents explicitly recognise that industrial sites can be infill sites. 3) It is simply factually untrue and misleading that taller buildings are out of character for the area of the development. The neighbouring school has taller blocks, Hambledon Court on the other side of the tracks is a taller building, the Dog Kennel Hill estate on the other side of the station consists of taller buildings. 4) if that is the lesson you have taken away, then is your opposition to this new housing in East Dulwich part of a Lib Dem policy to "deny, baby, deny"? Let's be real for a second: there is no way out of the housing crisis that doesn't involve building lots of new housing. If we can't build on top of a disused builder's yard above a railway station, where are we going to build in this neighbourhood? 5) This is also nonsense. The student accommodation was initially closed because of systemic fire risks that made the buildings unsafe. KCL is now halfway through totally renovating the blocks and expanding capacity. KCL gets twice as many applications for student accommodation as it can fulfil. KCL just opened another 452 student rooms in Battersea - so clearly they don't have a concern about a cataclysmic decline in student numbers. https://www.rlb.com/europe/projects/kcl-champion-hill/ https://roarnews.co.uk/2024/kcl-accommodation-still-empty-four-years-after-evacuation/ https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2025/03/03/watkin-jones-wins-30m-student-digs-campus-upgrade/   It is really disappointing that someone involving themselves in planning matters is relying on (and spreading) prejudices, misconceptions and misinformation like this.
    • Hello, I am pleased to let you know that registration for the Spring term is now open. Classes will begin from the week commencing 12th January 2026.  Spring Term Classes We offer a wide range of online and in-person classes to build confidence, creativity and future-ready skills. Click on the links below for more details: Onsite Coding and STEM classes at libraries in Southwark Online Coding Classes Online Maths Classes Online Creative and non-fiction writing classes Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 👉Click  here to register: https://www.ignitehubs.org.uk/register New Online Coding Classes Micro:bit – Physical Computing An introduction to physical computing and coding using the BBC Micro:bit through interactive projects. Please note: after the half-term break, students will need to have access to a Micro:bit. They cost around £18, and we will provide details on where to buy one if needed. Ignite Hubs will provide free kits to families in need of financial support. To find out more about Micro:bit, please click here. 🕛 Mondays | 5pm to 6pm Age 7 to 18 Click here for more details Computational Thinking Learn the core principles of computer science. Explore how computers work and develop computational thinking skills. 🕛 Wednesdays | 6pm to 7pm Age 7 to 18 Click here for more details Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) Ignite Hubs is an Approved Activity Provider for the skills section of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE). Students can select any of our classes as their chosen skill. Click here for more details: https://www.ignitehubs.org.uk/duke-of-edinburgh Places are limited, so please book as soon as possible.  We look forward to welcoming your child to learn with us for an exciting Spring term. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] Many thanks,   Lin Ignite Hubs Coding Classes Spring 26.pdf STEM Hub Spring 26.pdf
    • I'm sure there's a coherent point in there somewhere, but I can't fathom what it might be TBH
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...