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Building a Home Renovating Windows

Structural plans wrong?

6 years ago

We have noticed that our structural engineer has drawn the position of our current bathroom in the wrong place (at the side of the room, rather than at the back). We are having a dormer built on top of it and wondering whether the position of the window makes a difference to any structural calculations. I will be getting in touch with him, but wanted an unbiased opinion. Thank you.

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Comments (4)

Rowland
6 years ago
Hi Rhian

Am i right in understanding that the window is shown in the wrong position and the bathroom is shown on plans as in the wrong place. if the former is incorrectly positioned then the engineer will have to redo the calculations to prove the position works and importantly that you builder has the correct information.

the adjustment may not be significant, but he/she will need to verify this for you to have building control signed off for the former, if incorrectly positioned.

if it is merely a room shown incorrectly, and the dormer is in the right position then the engineer will not need to adjust any calculations.

hope I have understood you issue. if you provide a photo of the plans ,it may help in better understanding your problem.

best

Rowland
Rhian Foley
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks Rowland. I wrote that in a rush and it should have said that the bathroom is in the correct position, but the window is in the wrong position.

So from what I understand of your post the plans do need to be redone. The plans have not been sent to building control yet nor have the works started. All we have done is shared them with our neighbour, who spotted it (how silly of me not to!)
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Rowland
6 years ago
yes if you could get them to verify the calcs and design details. it should be to onerous and he should be able to get back to you quickly. without seeing their design not really able to comment, but if it is a timber solution forming the window the change should not affect timber sizes.

easy to miss if you dont deal with this sort of thing on a daily basis. that is why you hired the engineer, so dont be upset with yourself.

good luck!!
Rhian Foley
Original Author
6 years ago
Well, I wasn't expecting the response from them that I got. The secretary just rang me up and proceeded to tell me off for chasing for a quick response, asking me if she'd missed some correspondence as she can't understand why we expected a response so quickly "you sent an email on a Sunday night". I'm flabbergasted at how I've just been spoken to! All we wanted was reassurance that the mistake was small and the updated plans sent through. She has misinterpreted our email of worry as an accusation...but they have made a mistake so it wouldn't be unreasonable for us to be making an accusation anyway! I assumed we'd get an apology and updated plans not a telling off!

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