Putting in a window

[rayf6604]

My workshop in the the garage which only has an up and over door and no windows. Come the colder days when I want to go in there I'll need the door shut so I was thinking of putting a small window in. I was wondering if anyone has knowledge or experience of doing this and could help me with some advice on how to tackle this. The garage is a modern (built 2004) brick built building not attached to the house. I'm hoping to pick up a cheap window from a reclamation yard hopefully upvc. I have a 9in angle grinder fitted with a diamond stone cutting disc so I should be able to cut the verticals for the frame. My main concern is do I need a lintle above the frame or can I safely remove all the brickwork without one? Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Grump]

Cut a slot for your lintel first to hold the roof up then start knocking bricks out and making frames.
Seek a local builder who knows what he is doing, is my best advise or it could come to grief for you.

 

[Woody]

If I were you Ray as Brian said seek some advise from a builder its not just a matter of cutting a hole in the wall it depends which way your roof struts run as to is that the wall that is holding your roof up will you need to support the roof whilst removing bricks for the lintel the last thing you want is your roof as a hat also do you need permission from your local council the last thing you want is to fit a window and they come along and tell you to brick it up again
What I done I took the up and over door out boarded it up with a window in there but you could put a door in as well if you need to that way there is no need to cut a hole in the brick work

 

[rayf6604]

Hmmm I was hoping I could have done it on the cheap as I haven't got the money to get a builder in. Being a k modern build the roof is the same construction as most modern houses, an apex roof which goes across the building width ways and the roof is made up of several prefabricated triangular wooden roof sections which face front to back. The window I wanted to put in would be only about 18inx15in. But if the brickwork above the hole for window wouldn't support itself without a lintel I'll have to just put up with no natural light. Thank you both for your advice, it confirmed what I had thought.

 

[stevenw1963]

can't you put a velux window in the roof?

 

[rayf6604]

can't you put a velux window in the roof?

One could be put in but I couldn't do it. The roof would leak if I did it lol

 

[ray7]

Have you got power in the garage? If so put lights above you work bench and lathe and fit them with daylight bulbs.
I use daylight bulbs when I`m doing my art work and find them fine to work with for long periods of time.

Ray

 

[Grump]

I have a large window and open a large door in shed and still have two 6ft fluorescent tubes and a daylight lamp over my lathe.

 

[rayf6604]

Have you got power in the garage? If so put lights above you work bench and lathe and fit them with daylight bulbs.
I use daylight bulbs when I`m doing my art work and find them fine to work with for long periods of time.

Ray

I do have a mini sun bulb on my lathe which is a daylight led it's brill, it's more that when it is daylight outside it feels rather hemmed in inside the garage with the door closed and no window if you get what I mean. I will replace the other bulbs with daylight ones as that will be the cheaper option

 

[Jim]

I would definitely put a lintel in Ray, better safe my friend ..

 

[chas_41_uk]

I have a large window and open a large door in shed and still have two 6ft fluorescent tubes and a daylight lamp over my lathe.

My set up sounds pretty much like Brian's
Except my shed has a small door

I would definitely put a lintel in Ray, better safe my friend ..

For the price of a pre-stressed concrete lintel (£10 upwards dependent on size) it has got to be worth it.
How much wold it cost if the bricks above the window collapsed and took the roof with them

There are also the legal regs as well. Worth checking but I think external windows and doors are classed as a controlled fitting under the building regulations. This generally involves the use of an installer who is registered with a competent person scheme (BSI, CERTASS or FENSA).

 

[Buckeye]

I have a large window and open a large door in shed and still have two 6ft fluorescent tubes and a daylight lamp over my lathe.

I have no windows and like Ray it is an up and over door, which I keep semi open so the local yobs can't see all the tools and machinery. Lights are really important and I am okay with small stuff like pens, but I need to get better lighting for larger stuff.

Peter

 

[Grump]

I would definitely put a lintel in Ray, better safe my friend ..

In Ray's case I would definitely employ somebody who knows what they are doing, to do it for him.

Those "prefabricated triangular wooden roof sections which face front to back" are pre stressed roof trusses.
Your walls are load bearing, those trusses are holding a lot of weight, figured out by structural engineers taking into account things like snow loads, wind factors, ground heave etc.
The piers that are built into walls have pad-stones or lintels and so forth to spread the load, making a hole in the wall could put stress in areas that are already stressed and not only from above.

 

[rayf6604]

In Ray's case I would definitely employ somebody who knows what they are doing, to do it for him.

Those "prefabricated triangular wooden roof sections which face front to back" are pre stressed roof trusses.
Your walls are load bearing, those trusses are holding a lot of weight, figured out by structural engineers taking into account things like snow loads, wind factors, ground heave etc.
The piers that are built into walls have pad-stones or lintels and so forth to spread the load, making a hole in the wall could put stress in areas that are already stressed and not only from above.

Brian you're right, I should've thought about the regs. Because we plan to sell the house in few years I don't want to spend a lot on it so I'll just put more daylight bulbs in. The led type don't burn much electric. Thanks again for putting me right

 

[bassethound]

All you need to do really depending what size window you got in mind is, get a couple of Acrow props from a hire place and put a bit of timber through the wall a Brick or 2 above where you want to put a lintel 1 prop inside and 1 outside, tighten the props up to hold it and then cut the bricks out below it for the lintel , when its fixed and if its not too big Myself I would use a sizable bit of timber for a Lintel make good the wall again, Quite simple really! Done it loads of times!:wink:

 

[Grump]

All you need to do really depending what size window you got in mind is, get a couple of Acrow props from a hire place and put a bit of timber through the wall a Brick or 2 above where you want to put a lintel 1 prop inside and 1 outside, tighten the props up to hold it and then cut the bricks out below it for the lintel , when its fixed and if its not too big Myself I would use a sizable bit of timber for a Lintel make good the wall again, Quite simple really! Done it loads of times!:wink:

There you have it from a master builder, simples init?
You can be sure of getting the right advise on these forums, nice to have all these professionals around us init?

 

[Vic Perrin]

All you need to do really depending what size window you got in mind is, get a couple of Acrow props from a hire place and put a bit of timber through the wall a Brick or 2 above where you want to put a lintel 1 prop inside and 1 outside, tighten the props up to hold it and then cut the bricks out below it for the lintel , when its fixed and if its not too big Myself I would use a sizable bit of timber for a Lintel make good the wall again, Quite simple really! Done it loads of times!

Done this last year at the back of my garage to fit a door and window unit. I am no builder but just took my time and it ended up a decent job. The best thing was that I got the second hand door and frame (UPVC) fully glazed for nowt .

Vic

 

[Grump]

It's all very well for you to do your own work and have fun and confidence in doing it but Ray from what he has said doesn't know a joist from a jester.
He has a modern brick built garage with a tiled apex roof which will have a considerable amount of weight.
We don't know any more than that.
Neighbours objections, substrate, certification for resale etc all should be taken into account before saying shove a bit of wood through a hole and prop the roof up on that.
No good putting acrows directly onto clay and proping it up with a lump of architrave, not saying he would but lets have some prospective here.
Don't forget these are public forums.

 

[rayf6604]

I love your way with words Brian. I do have a reasonable knowledge of buildings, I used to be an energy assessor for the last government HIPs programme and I studied the domestic built environment, however, as you so rightly point out, it's having the confidence in my ability to do such a thing and also confidence in being able to finish the job to good standard and to meet regs. The last thing I need when we come to sell the house is for the surveyor to say the job doesn't meet regs and remedial work is needed at cost to put it right. I didn't think it through properly when I asked the question but at least your advice has put me right and I appreciate that.

 

[bassethound]

Well what can i say? I have only had about 45 years as a self employed builder and decorator and many years buying old houses and converting them into Flats to resell, I would have thought ray would have a fair amount of common sense about how to use acrows on safe ground and poking a bit of wood through a brick wall etc, but there you go I was only trying to help!