Advice requested for cut floor supporting beam

[Noofty]

Hi, looking for some advice re a structural issue I noticed while down in my solum.

One of the large underfloor beams that spans my dining room (~1900 semi detached stone block house) appears to have been cut and supported by a piece of timber that runs at right angle down to the solum floor.

How concerned should I be about this?
Would it require a structural engineer to fix?

Added a couple of pics to illustrate what I mean.

Thanks for reading and in advance for any advice.

 

[catlad]

Is it not just something that has been added to stiffen the floor?

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

That red rectangle on your first pic, it looks like the beam never went into the wall. That column is strong enough, but I would have reservations about it being vibrated out of plumb and falling down, followed by the beam. I would try to brace it back to the beam.
Frank

 

[KenGMac]

Noofty, hi

There is a possibility that the missing section of this timber had rotted away? and the fix by the then owner may have been to chop off the rotted section and support the remaining beam with the timber shown. Question? what is that piece of new [looks like CLS] resting on? is it direct on to the Solumn or is it resting on a piece of hard, concrete or similar on the Solumn?

Is it possible to bolt and fix on to the main existing timber beam that has been cut away another similar sized timber to reach over and into what appears on the Image as a wall bearing? if you do then wrap the end of the treated new timber where it bears on the wall? but leave the vertical timber in place, for now.

Ken

 

[Noofty]

Thanks for the replies.

It doesn't show too well in the photo but the red section on the wall is recessed so it does look like the large beam did sit on there and distribute its load to the wall.

The newer vertical timber is sitting on top of a block that is resting on the dirt floor of the solum. I'd agree that it is concerning that over time it may vibrate out of plumb but good to know you all don't think dining room collapse is imminent!

Do you think I'd require a structural engineer to get this properly fixed up?

 

[honda]

I would do as KenGMac suggests and extend the beam and if you think you may have problems making a hole in the wall for it sit in you could use a joist hanger.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

I considered extending the beam, but its a big job, its 6" deep and could be 6" thick. either way, the straight forward way would be to sister up a new joist to it with the end fixed to the wall, but at the wall end we have the pocket where the old end was. So you have to hack out a new pocket, make good the old one then you are away, 3 big bolts and home for a beer. Or you have to cut out a slot for a joist hanger, half of which will be sitting in the space of the pocket, install joist and hanger, make good the hole. Or cut a stub joist fit it into the hole, and joint by overlapping straps either side of the old end, very difficult as there is only room for one fixing in the stub joist.
I would say that for the next ten years its OK as it is, if braced to keep the column square its good for thirty years, if you want a life longer then that put a brick column under it.
Frank

 

[Noofty]

Thanks all, this is encouraging and gives me an idea of how to tackle the issue. Short term I was thinking just to pop down every so often and take a level on the supporting timber to make sure it's still exactly perpendicular. Long term I'll look to brace it as suggested. Much appreciated!