MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Looking at buying a very old cottage ( 1891 ) , with an extension attached to it ( garage and bathroom ) which was built in 1960 .
Plan would be to extend on top of garage and bathroom , but not sure on footings .
as a rule is it more expensive to underpin the existing extension or , take it down and start again to comply with current building regs ?
I expect ripping it down will be cheaper.
Depend on the state of the extension. To compile with part L (October 2010) I think that you would have to make sure the extension had good insulation. Check the document (google planning portal) but it give the required U values.
Add on tough work of underpinning + other structural renouncement to cope with the extra weight and any alteration will be costly.
Never done any under pinning but my Dad did years ago and said it was a long hard job, a significant amount of the digging was by hand = expensive.
it will almost certainly be better to knock it down and start again
first of all you need to work out what foundation construction you have and if it can accommodate the additional loads, underpinning is a simple and relatively inexpensive job, as a geotechnical engineer I investigate and design for this type of problem all the time...
get your shovel out, dig down the side of the extension, get underneath the foundation, take some photos, measurements, draw a sketch and email me... I could give you some further advice...
dont go ripping down a building, that, with a little work could accommodate your plans...
thanks , that is what I thought .
and there is a small chance the footings on the extension are strong enough .
thanks neilforrow, but we dont own the property yet .
if we get it , I ll keep it in mind .
You may wish to look at the planning situation if you are intending to knock it down as it may prove problematic.
Why not get an architect to take a look and give you some advice?