Building regulations for an external wall.

daveheno

hi.
i own a semi detached house built 2005/6.
i got a quote for cavity insulation and found out the external wall is built by 100mm block on edge, 50ml cavity and 100mm block on edge, there is also a 65mm insulation plasterboard on the internal leaf (cant tell if its battened).

i am just wondering was this built to regulation as i always thought it should be a 100mm cavity with 60mm inslation.

appreciate any comments.
thanks.

Poor Uncle Tom

That sounds strange. Are you saying the insulation is on the room sides of the outer walls? rather than inside the cavity against the inner leaf.

daveheno

Yes.
It's an insulated plaster slab.

rayjdav

You sure you have a 100mm inner leaf block?

Is the house a Timber Frame house? Standard TF Usually had block outer leaf / 50mm cavity / OSB / 80-140mm Timber Frame and then Plasterboard. It may/maynot be Insulated plasterboard.

daveheno

Block alright.
The gables are built using blocks.

archtech

Its not common construction, nor would I consider it an idea construction, (in some respects)however it there is nothing to say that it could not comply with building regulations and it most properly complied with the applicable Part L at the time of construction.(would need the planning permission/relevant Part L and calculate u-value to confirm compliance)

I would be guessing it was used;

1. To reduce costs of laying blocks (no insulation for blocklayers to put into cavity= cost saving)
2. To reduce drying out time within house with elimination of wet plaster

I seem to recall a developer considering it for an apartment scheme I was involved in at one stage.

One concern I would have, is the extent of mortar dropping that may be in the cavity.

beyondpassive

Dave, are you sure its not Hollow Block? check at the ESB box.

daveheno

The wall is approx 360mm thick. I checked the meter box and there is a 50mm cavity. The internal plaster must be battened so.
Rang the council and they said the statue of limitation in gone and if i wanted to pursue it that i would have to take a civil case against them and the plans of the estate stated 100 cavity with 60mm insulation. Surely the build I have would not be up to regs and would be a bad u-value?

I meet one of the apprentice block layers and he told me the walls were supposed to be pumped.

rayjdav

daveheno wrote: »

The wall is approx 360mm thick. I checked the meter box and there is a 50mm cavity. The internal plaster must be battened so.
Rang the council and they said the statue of limitation in gone and if i wanted to pursue it that i would have to take a civil case against them and the plans of the estate stated 100 cavity with 60mm insulation. Surely the build I have would not be up to regs and would be a bad u-value?

I meet one of the apprentice block layers and he told me the walls were supposed to be pumped.

Firstly, with all due respect, Admin staff in the council know SFA about legal proceedings, no matter how well intentioned they may be. If that route, talk to someone who actually knows what they are talking about.

Secondly, again with all due respect, an apprentice block layer knows, and cares even less, what a developer from a different project is doing or intends to do to their units. Once again, talk to someone who actually knows what they are talking about. Get an AT/Arch/Eng out for a specific site visit an let them have a look and they will be able to tell you exactly what the story is.

There will be Certificates of Compliance floating around that some professional signed. Get the site visit first and take it from there.
My 2 cents..

Corkblowin

Seen that construction a fair bit in Cork - unlike Dublin hollow block walls were extremely rare due, I think, to concerns about wind driven rain.

As for being in compliance with building regs, if the house got permission before 31 december 2002 and was substantially complete by December 31 2005 then it merely had to comply with the 1997 part L. Didn't do the calc but it wasn't that high a bar to get over & at a guess I'd say it complies - even the 2002 update wasn't anything spectacular.

As the guys above said, you need to get the opinions of compliance to see when permission was granted & what regs were in force.

Edit: may not be battened, could be secured to wall with mechanical fixings or plaster dabs.