Base for a building structure

Abstract

A base for a building structure to be erected abutting an existing building comprises a plastics shutter having a base and sides to be filled with concrete.

Description

This invention concerns a base for a building structure and building structures on such a base.

Conservatories are popular forms of extensions to existing buildings as well as becoming increasingly provided as part of a new house. However, there are various conditions attached to the erection of a conservatory regarding size and the need for building regulations approval in certain circumstances. One such condition is that building regulations approval is always needed unless existing doors in the wall against which the conservatory is erected are kept in place.

Furthermore, many houses may not be able to accommodate an add-on conservatory because of space restrictions, although the benefits of a conservatory type add-on structure may be desirable.

An object of this invention is to facilitate the provision of an extension to a house or other suitable building having conservatory type properties but for which building regulations approval may be readily obtained.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a base for a building structure, especially but not exclusively one to be erected abutting an existing building, the base comprising a plastics shutter having a base and sides to be filled with concrete or the like.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of providing a base for a building structure, especially but not exclusively one to be erected abutting an existing building, comprising positioning a plastics shutter having a base and sides and filling the shutter with concrete or the like.

The shutter will usually be rectangular in section but other shapes may be provided suitable for different shapes of building structures to be erected on the base. Preferably the base of the shutter has at least one raised portion to reduce the amount of concrete required to fill the shutter.

The shutter preferably has an outwards lip. On one side the lip may be deeper than on the other sides of the shutter in order to provide an integral damp proof course, which can be integrated into brickwork of the existing building against which the base is situated. The lip of the shutter may also be used as a level for tamping down the concrete.

The base may be provided with insulating material either internally or externally thereof. The insulating material may be bonded to the surface of the shutter. Suitable insulating material for use in the invention may include foamed plastics material, such as of polystyrene.

The base may also have means for locating and/or attaching side frames, such as window frames thereon. Such means may be in the form of clips that connect with the side frames. The base of the invention may be especially suitable for use with small glazed extensions to existing rooms. Such extensions are ideally glazed structures that are not necessarily classed as conservatories. When a conservatory is to be added to a house, it is usually against a wall that has an opening closed by means of patio doors or French windows. These closures are left in place otherwise building regulations approval is required even if the conservatory is less than 35 m². However, for a smaller structure, where advanced glazing systems are used, building regulations approval is more easily obtainable and so the patio doors or French windows can be removed to create with the smaller structure a light extension to a room without taking up garden space that would otherwise be occupied by a conservatory.

The invention comprehends the concept of an extension to an existing building, which extension is a glazed structure, with no closure between the extension and the existing building and the extension preferably erected on a base according to the first aspect of the invention.

This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a section through a base for an extension to a house;

FIG. 2 shows the base from above; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of a typical extension to be erected on the base of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view from above of the extension of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an opposite side view of the extension of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view from one side of the extension of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view from the opposite side of the extension of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a front view of the extension of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, a base 10 for an extension to a house or other building 12 comprises a plastics profiled shutter 14 of rectangular section. The shutter 14 has a base 16 and sides 18. The base 16 includes a raised central portion 20 and the sides 18 have a lip 22. The lip 22 is narrow around three sides of the base but is deeper along the side to abut the house, in order to provide an integral damp proof course 22A. The base is particularly suitable for a small glazed extension to a room with patio doors or French windows.

The shutter is either lined with insulating material 24, such as of foamed plastics material, especially polystyrene, or is surrounded by such insulating material. The insulating material will be bonded to the shutter. The shutter may be supplied with the insulating material already bonded to it. To complete the base, the shutter is filled with concrete 26 up to the lip, which provides an edge for tamping the concrete. The surface of the concrete may be given a trowel finish.

To create the base 10, ground is excavated to a depth greater than that required for the base and sand and cement or levelling grout 28 laid in the excavation to provide a level surface for the shutter 14. Insulating material 24 can form the top surface or may be added to the inside of the shutter. The shutter 14 is then positioned on the grout surface with its damp proof course lip fed in between the appropriate brick courses and its level checked before concrete is poured into the shutter. Finally, any space around the shutter can be back filled with stone chippings and sand 29.

Side frames for, for example, a glazed extension structure 40 of the type shown in FIGS. 3 to 8 are then erected on the base followed by laying of a flooring surface on the base. The shutter may be provided with means for location and/or attachment of the side frames, such as clips. The structure of FIG. 3 is based on an aluminium frame with uPVC cladding, although other structures of different shapes or materials may be erected on the base. In FIG. 3 the structure 40 is intended to provide a small extension to a room with its patio doors or French windows removed to create a light extension to the room without having to erect a full conservatory.

The structure 40 has front wall 42, side walls 44 and a roof 46. The side walls are angled outwardly from the front wall. The roof has is hipped and is formed of three triangular glazed sections. One of the side walls 44 includes a door 48, although the door could be in the other side wall or even the front wall 42. If in the front wall, the door could be in the form of a patio door or French windows.

The structure 40 is erected against a wall with an opening 48 therein, which originally may have been closed by means of patio doors or French windows now removed. Not shown is flashing to seal the roof to the existing wall nor is a trim around the base.

Claims

1. A base for a building structure comprising a plastics shutter having a base and sides to be filled with concrete or the like.

2. A base as claimed in claim 1 that is rectangular.

3. A base as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base of the shutter has at least one raised portion to reduce the amount of concrete required to fill the shutter.

4. A base as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shutter has an outward lip.

5. A base as claimed in claim 4, wherein on one side the lip is deeper than on the other sides of the shutter to provide a damp proof course.

6. A base as claimed in claim 1 having insulating material internally thereof.

7. A base as claimed in claim 1 having insulating material externally thereof.

8. A base as claimed in claim 6, wherein the insulating material is bonded to the surface of the shutter.

9. A base as claimed in claim 6, wherein the insulating material is of foamed plastics material.

10. A base as claimed in claim 9, wherein the insulating material is of polystyrene.

11. A base as claimed in claim 1 having means for locating and/or attaching side frames of a building structure.

12. A base as claimed in claim 11, wherein said means is in the form of clips that connect with the side frames.

13. A method of providing a base for a building structure comprising a plastics shutter having a base and sides and filling the shutter with concrete or the like.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the base is rectangular.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the base of the shutter has at least one raised portion to reduce the amount of concrete required to fill the shutter.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the shutter has an outward lip.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein on one side the lip of the shutter is deeper than on the other sides of the shutter to provide a damp proof course.

18. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the shutter has insulating material internally thereof.

19. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the shutter has insulating material externally thereof.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the insulating material is bonded to the surface of the shutter.

21. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the insulating material is of foamed plastics material.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the insulating material is of polystyrene.

23. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the shutter has means for locating and/or attaching side frames of the building structure.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said means is in the form of clips that connect with the side frames.

25. An extension to an existing building, which extension is a glazed structure, with no closure between the extension and the existing building, wherein the extension is erected on a base as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)