Hi Guys.

We recently purchased a house with a double garage, it gives me plenty of space for tools etc, but really it is two single garage as there is a supporting pillar in the middle which stops a car being put in the centre and worked around.

The center pillar supports two 90 degree RSJ which supports the brick outer walls of the corner of the house / bedroom 3. I would like to know if it would be possible to remove this pillar and extend the RSJ to the outer garage wall or am I dreaming? I know the outer wall will need some additional brick work to take the extra weight. I've attached a quick diagram using the floor plan from Rightmove.



At the moment I'm at the qualification stage to see if this possible or not before I put time into finding a good structural engineer and getting costings etc.

Assistance is greatly received.

[Edited on 15/2/17 by ash_hammond]

Nothing is impossible, but...

I'd say the RSJ to go across to replace it will have to be pretty beefy as, once you remove the pillar, it will be supporting the other existing RSJ and both walls above.

In addition you'll need to create two brick peers one at each end to support said RSJ, particularly at the inner end where the wall appears to be a single skin.

So it's doable, but the depth of the RSJ may be a problem for you, as it will either have to be built into the wall above or hang down into the garage space.

Speaking here not as a Sructural Engineer, but a civil engineer with a bit of home extension experience.

quote:

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Originally posted by Mash
Nothing is impossible, but...

I'd say the RSJ to go across to replace it will have to be pretty beefy as, once you remove the pillar, it will be supporting the other existing RSJ and both walls above.

In addition you'll need to create two brick peers one at each end to support said RSJ, particularly at the inner end where the wall appears to be a single skin.

So it's doable, but the depth of the RSJ may be a problem for you, as it will either have to be built into the wall above or hang down into the garage space.

Speaking here not as a Sructural Engineer, but a civil engineer with a bit of home extension experience.

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My sister has the same issue in her house/garage. Whilst she's not bothered about it my brother-in-law has investigated the same as you. The alteration was possible, but the cost of it left it as a no-go for them. BIL "decided" he could live with the pillar, but then smacked the door of his vintage 3 series on it and felt otherwise.

I think it comes down to value for money in the end!

quote:

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Originally posted by nick205
My sister has the same issue in her house/garage. Whilst she's not bothered about it my brother-in-law has investigated the same as you. The alteration was possible, but the cost of it left it as a no-go for them. BIL "decided" he could live with the pillar, but then smacked the door of his vintage 3 series on it and felt otherwise.

I think it comes down to value for money in the end!

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No they've not done the conversion - busy saving for an extension instead.

Ref. the car door BIL fitted a small bit of carpet to the pillar to prevent same happening again.

Don't think it would be to bad to do watched DIY sos a few times and they have done that kind of thing it just needs a welder to plate the ends of the existing ones and a mounting plate on the middle of the new one bolt it all together after supporting and removing the pillar and pockets to take the ends of the new beams. You would need a structural engineer to give all the correct sizes.

Alternatively - it looks like you have a side alley. Explore options spending the same £5k on a 1 metre side extension under permitted development. So you'll have a 2.5 car garage. You could even partition in the narrower 1 car area as a warmer winter workshop/office area that's easier to heat and free of dust/debris.

Get a few jacking roller dollies and put the car in the garage then turn it lengthways! Access all round the car with the rear section of garage for a work bench and tools!