Concrete lintel instead of RSJ
Discussion
Evening guys,
We're having our old flat roof on a kitchen extension torn off at the moment and converted into pitched. The builder took the old roof off today and has started constructing the new joists. The extension dates from the 1990s, I'd say, and is a bit of a DIY affair which is being rectified as the builder goes (wood beams instead of catnics above the windows and so on).
This has exposed the structure above the opening in the original load-bearing wall at the back of the house which leads to the extension, and I notice looking at it tonight that there's no RSJ spanning the aperture - there's what looks like a concrete lintel, which measures 70mm height by 300mm depth, to span a gap of about 2m.
Is this normal? I've not seen a concrete lintel used to bridge a load-bearing gap before, but I'm assuming if the gap is small enough it will work fine (I can't obviously see the internals but I'm going to assume it's reinforced concrete, at least I hope so!). There are no cracks or signs of movement in the brickwork, house is 1930s end of terrace. Bathroom is above the wall which has been knocked through.
Pics for ref:
We're having our old flat roof on a kitchen extension torn off at the moment and converted into pitched. The builder took the old roof off today and has started constructing the new joists. The extension dates from the 1990s, I'd say, and is a bit of a DIY affair which is being rectified as the builder goes (wood beams instead of catnics above the windows and so on).
This has exposed the structure above the opening in the original load-bearing wall at the back of the house which leads to the extension, and I notice looking at it tonight that there's no RSJ spanning the aperture - there's what looks like a concrete lintel, which measures 70mm height by 300mm depth, to span a gap of about 2m.
Is this normal? I've not seen a concrete lintel used to bridge a load-bearing gap before, but I'm assuming if the gap is small enough it will work fine (I can't obviously see the internals but I'm going to assume it's reinforced concrete, at least I hope so!). There are no cracks or signs of movement in the brickwork, house is 1930s end of terrace. Bathroom is above the wall which has been knocked through.
Pics for ref:
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