Possible to raise this lintel?

[Sparrowhawk]

We're exploring ways to get more light into the north-facing ground floor rooms at the back of our house. The doors need replacing and we had the idea of having glass above the doors to make the sky visible and let light deeper into the rooms.

 

A builder came round yesterday and reckoned the max this can be raised is 2 inches because the steel will take the rest of the space.

 

Does that seem right? Any other options to consider?

 

Internally there's 50cm above the doors plus 20cm of blockwork in the floor void; externally there's 40cm before the soffit starts.

 

 

 

[Dave Jones]

guessing steel is 225mm then there is wallplate 90mm ?

[Sparrowhawk]

The internal leaf's wallplate is 50mm so assume the external one matches?

Edited June 2, 2023 by Sparrowhawk

[Dave Jones]

be easier putting in some velux i would say

[Sparrowhawk]

1 hour ago, Dave Jones said:

be easier putting in some velux i would say

It would if the rooms above didn't already have them. Taking cupboard and floor space from the rooms above we could use up to 1.5m from the edge of the roof to place them - with a vertical wall to allow the bedroom to restart at the upper edge of the Velux I'm not clear if this will get light much further in

Edited June 2, 2023 by Sparrowhawk

[Nickfromwales]

It doesn't need to be a steel?

If you cut out the heads, inside and out, then you can easily install a pair of 6"x4" pre-stressed concrete lintels in, and max out on the headroom. You can put some compo over the top and wind them up with a Genie lift, eg so the wall plate is bedded in and firm (so no movement after the lift is removed). Defo doable, just you need a slightly more dynamic builder. Insulate between lintels and away to go. 

You'd gain about 325mm of additional head that way.