Hi everyone,

Almost ready to exchange on a flat and today a builder pointed out the whole of the back of the building may fall down! It appears there isn't a lintel in place from when the French sliding doors were installed in the downstairs flat. The flats have been owned by the same person, and he has already sold downstairs. He also owns and is looking to sell the freehold. We'd be buying the first floor. Just wondering if anyone has any opinions? We had a building survey done and they didn't say anything about it, but I'm wondering if they've missed something? I've written to them so will find out the surveyors opinion on Monday I assume. In the meantime if anyone can put my mind at rest?

Thanks

You definitely need to confirm there is a lintel of some sort in there, can’t imagine there would not, but there are cowboys about !!!

The french door width is about 2m which is beyond what even the most the dodgy of cowboy builders should chance without a lintel. Metal lintels are not expensive, about 1/4 of the daily labour rate of a brickie.

 

I wonder if there is some fancy concealed lintel behind the two brick arches. Is that a cavity wall or an older two brick thick solid wall?

I'd get it checked definitely.  I suspect there is some sort of lintel in there, but the whole thing looks odd tbh; leaving the old window arches in and making up the height with an infill window isn't the tidiest of jobs...

There must be a lintel, I suspect Catnic 

Is it worth asking Building control if they have a record of work being done on the ground floor flat.

 

It doesnt look as if there has been any movement.

If he has already sold the downstairs flat go knock on the door and ask if they had a survey done and was a lintel mentioned?

Thanks everyone. @epsilonGreedy It's a solid 2 brick wall. @Temp I wrote to downstairs and their survey didn't mention anything about it. Good point re building control. Will certainly ask.

What was the outcome of this?  Looking at the pic there's two distinct. Diagonal lines that have been pointed up separately, even going into the soldier arch on the left. Did you buy it?