Preparing for the Second Storey

With the first lift of the external walls pretty much complete, the builders are ready to start work on constructing the next. A specialist scaffolding contractor has erected a scaffold around the new work ready for this. There is a lot more to scaffolding than meets the eye – the work needs to be carefully designed so that it not only provides a suitable working platform at the right level but also to ensure that it is strong enough to support the likely loads put on it and, that it doesn’t interfere with the building work itself.

Before work starts on the next lift, stacks of bricks and blocks are placed at regular intervals around the platform along with spot boards ready for the mortar. The construction of the cavity walls continues in pretty much the same way as before. Stepped leads are built up at the external corners and a builders line used as a guide for the level of each course. As the two skins of the wall are built up, wall ties are included at regular intervals so that the two are bonded together. Cavity insulation is laid between the two as work progresses.

The detail for the second storey is interesting as it is not as big as the foot print of the ground floor. The rear wall is set back a couple of feet from the ground floor back wall. And, the side wall nearest the neighbouring house will also be set back. You can see from the elevation drawing how the rear of the extension will look when it’s completed. Rather than ending up with a very plain ‘cube’ of an extension, there will be an appealing and architecturally pleasing elevation to the rear of the house. You will see as the work progresses that such details make the job far more complex to build but the end result makes it well worthwhile.

Steel work will be used to support the walls of the second storey and this has to be prepared for as the walls are built up. Pockets are left in the flank walls for the new steel work, and engineering bricks are used at the point where the steel will rest. These provide a strong solid load bearing base for the steel work. Another large steel will be used when the ground floor back wall is cut out. This will take the load of the rear wall above the opening. Once these steels are in place, a third section of steel will span between the two acting as the base of the side wall for the second storey.

Steel work such as this is carefully designed to cope with the loads. Structural engineers will have calculated the exact specification and the steel is then manufactured specially. The steel work has been ordered and will arrive on site in the next day or two.

In the meantime some of the interior alterations are started. A new window is to be formed in the side wall of one of the bedrooms. The position of this window is carefully marked out on the wall and holes drilled around the perimeter of the opening. At the top, a new concrete lintel is needed to support the structure above. The plaster is cut away at this point to expose the timber wall plate. A couple of courses of brick are cut out beneath this allowing the concrete lintel to be set in position. The wall plate is then re supported on a course of bricks between the two. With this lintel in place, the new window opening can be cut out ready when the new windows arrive on site.

If you live in the Hertfordshire area and are looking for a professional building contractor, you can get in touch with G L Smith and Sons via their website: http://www.glsmithandsons.co.uk/