INTERNAL ALTERATIONS
At Coba Design we believe that open, contemporary and flexible living spaces in your home can vastly improve your quality of life. With early to mid 1900's houses you find that the common layout ground floor layout included a small narrow kitchens tucked away to the rear corner of the house as well as separate sitting and dining rooms adjacent to each other.
Kitchens have not always been thought of as the sociable focal point of a home which they have become today. Homes with large open plan contemporary kitchens are highly desirable and are in high demand. In most cases you do not have to buy a new house to enjoy more open living space in your home, if you find that you cannot extend your home for any reason, the most cost-effective way of gaining that extra open plan living space is to knock through existing walls.
Whether you are thinking of removing a load bearing wall in a house or redesigning the interior layout of a multi storey building, at Coba Design we are able to take the project through from initial sketches through to project completion.
When removing or altering any wall in any building you should always seek professional advice from a structural engineer prior to any demolision works. There is a common misconception that existing timber studwork walls are not load bearing and timber studwork walls can simply be removed. We have seen this misconception stated by presenters several times in renovation programs on television. This is not the case. Timber studwork walls can be load bearing.
Any project which involves altering the existing structure of a building (i.e. removing a load bearing wall) will require structural design calculations from a structural engineer which should be submitted to the local authority Building Control Department for their approval. Coba Design have a working relationship with a firm of structural engineers and if requested Coba Design can obtain a quote on behalf of the client for a set of structural design calculations. Coba Design can also work with a structural engineer of your choosing.
A Building Regulation application may be required for certain types of other internal alteration works and this will depend on the type of works to be carried out. If you are unsure please contact the Local Authority Building Control or contact us at Coba Design and we will be happy to advise you.
CHIMNEY BREAST REMOVAL
If you are removing a section of a chimney breast this will require a Building Regulations application, except in cases where you are removing the whole chimney. Removing a section of a chimney breast is classified a structural alteration. If you are unsure please contact the Local Authority Building Control or contact us at Coba Design and we will be happy to advise you.
Please note that some types of projects require a Party Wall Award. Further information can be found here