My friend has recently had a conservatory built. However, the builder didn't know much and only took the foundations down about 2 feet. Her conservatory is separated by an external door but it is not fire proof. Because her neighbour's shed encroaches onto her property by about five inches she has had a single skin wall built one brick width away from that encroaching shed. The conservatory measures 19ft x 8ft. It is an L shaped lean to conservatory. It is attached to the 8ft wall of the house which accomodates the doorway between the kitchen and conservatory and consists of the 19ft back wall of the conservatory, these are the only bricked areas. As the builder she had was inadequate she feels she has been ill informed and is wondering if she has broken any building regs

Would be greatful for any advise for her.

conservatories are almost always outside the scope of building regulations - so difficult to prove any negligence on that part

what makes you think 2ft foundations is not deep enough? While not particularly deep - plenty of conservatories have less foundations than that. As I said, it is outside scope of building regs which generally speaking would require min foundations of 1 metre for proper brick built extension

Yes thanks Ginger that is reassuring. I forgot to mention that initially she had it built 14 feet long and then decided to extend it to 19ft. When this second builder came he had to then extend by another 5ft. It turns out that he built the back wall several inches too short and rather than rectify it he brought the shorter depth wall connecting the two long parrallel walls in at the left botton corner thus making it out of square. She pointed this out to him before the conservatory was erected but he was adamant he was right. Consequently, the back wall plate now overhangs the french door frame by about four inches and the last roof bar does not sit correctly directly above the doors. If it fitted as it should have he would then have bolted the two together. She pointed out to him that when she closes the doors the frame shudders but he dismissed her concerns and said all conservatories shudder the same way. We feel that there is not later restraint and this is why there is shuddering apart from the fact that it is not sealed properly and looks ugly.

She has contacted the builder who is now claiming that the initial 14ft base was out of square and that is why the section he added is out of square as well. However, the roof fits the base perfectly which would surely tell anybody that if the initial base was out of square this would not be the case. He could have used the back wall plate as a guide for measuring the correct length of the back wall or the cill as a template but he didn't even though they were there. She has now written to the builder but he keeps telling her that if building regs found out her footings were not deep enough they will pull the whole thing down. Could he be telling her this to frighten her so she will not persue him.

Any adivse from anyone would be most welcome.

Hi
He is probably saying this because he knows that Building Control will not get involved and thinks he is off the hook

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Regards Gary Deverson Cosy Living Ltd

email: gary@cosyliving.co.uk