Lowering 1st Floor.

Head room on the ground floor isnt an issue as the floor is higher above.

Having a step on the 1 st floor lowers head room in the above 1st floor room by atleast a foot . Being a 1 and half story style of building and being built in the 1800s head room is not great anyway.

Ive had an Structural Engineer come round yesterday , doing his sums and getting back to me. But he seems to think 'clamping' a wall plate to the outer walls with a metal plate on either side with threaded rod through the wall. Then using joist hangars off of them . Shall see if he comes back saying thats okay to do.

Again thanks for everyones help.
 
A friend bought a barn with planning permission a few years ago. He asked me to design a ground floor slab with the intention of supporting a block inner skin facing the stonework. We dug a few trial pits and lo and behold there were no foundations. The stones just got bigger with depth into the ground.

We underpinned the entire structure and it was a stupendous house when finished. Very interesting to do.
 
Derek W said:
here comes some 'herp derp' regardless of whether you like it or not. Structural engineers know what they're talking about. As an Architectural Technician I cant tell you the finer details, but removing a structural element weakens the overall structure of your building. Done incorrectly the walls of your house could bow out causing a collapse (extreme case). Solutions I've experienced are putting up a new timber frame inside and bearing first floor joists onto the frame or as you suggest in your op bolting a timber plate through the external walls then joist hanging off that. Without the appropriate technical knowledge no one here can give you the advice you're looking for.
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As a structural engineer, spot on.

The only thing I can't remember right now is whether the disproportionate collapse/tying of wall+floor clauses of Building Regs are satisfied by simply using timber plate on the inside wall, especially given it is a stone wall (which I have no experience in).

So yes, get someone to give you some advice. For the few hundred pounds it will cost, it will be worth the peace of mind in the long term.
 
nkata said:
A friend bought a barn with planning permission a few years ago. He asked me to design a ground floor slab with the intention of supporting a block inner skin facing the stonework. We dug a few trial pits and lo and behold there were no foundations. The stones just got bigger with depth into the ground.

We underpinned the entire structure and it was a stupendous house when finished. Very interesting to do.
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Seen that & worse, it's amazing how some houses & barns are still standing 150 years later.
 
DB_SamX said:
As a structural engineer, spot on.

The only thing I can't remember right now is whether the disproportionate collapse/tying of wall+floor clauses of Building Regs are satisfied by simply using timber plate on the inside wall, especially given it is a stone wall (which I have no experience in).

So yes, get someone to give you some advice. For the few hundred pounds it will cost, it will be worth the peace of mind in the long term.
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Have done cost me £350 but as youve all said its worth it just for piece of mind after all.

The previous owners had lived here for 50 years previous and converted part of the house from a barn into living accomodation and left the bit at the end, for storage but since i bought it we have had a garage etc so so wanted a 3rd bedroom and larger kitchen and utility. Not planning on living in it , will be selling it on after the work has been done.

Thanks guys.
 
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