Has a carpenter ruined my loft - advice please

[BobbyBrown]

Hello,

The journey of discovery around my house continues. Ive been moving some things around the loft so I can board a section out to take empty suitcases etc..

I've moved the insulation and found that two joists have been cut to make access for the loft hatch. It's a 1930's house and the joist centres are at 400mm. Does this seem appropriate to those people with the knowledge?

p.s. ceilings do not look bowed and no plaster cracked - i reckon this was done about 3 years ago

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• BobbyBrown
• 22 Nov 2014
• 1

 

[JohnD]

usually only one joist needs to be cut, and the cut ends are fixed to the adjoining joists with trimmers to support it.

Pull back some more insulation and show the frame of the hatch and all the timbers around it.

Also say the width and depth of the various timbers.

 

[Cabbyfan]

Can't help noticing the red and black wires.... Mains electrics in singles ?

 

[BobbyBrown]

Joists 3x2, heres how it's attached to parallel joists

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• BobbyBrown
• 23 Nov 2014
• 1

 

[BobbyBrown]

Can't help noticing the red and black wires.... Mains electrics in singles ?

please ignore that, its the cr*ppy filter my wife keeps putting on my iphone! The wire is actually orange and it plugs into a socket for the loft light (single pendant)

 

[JohnD]

Joists 3x2, heres how it's attached to parallel joists

can't make it out, please take a wider-angle pic to show the entire hatch opening and what's around it. Pull back the insulation.

 

[BobbyBrown]

here you go

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• BobbyBrown
• 23 Nov 2014
• 1

 

[JohnD]

I still can't see enough of it to tell how it has been put together. I would want to see the other end of the hatch, and the fixings around the trimmer. I expect there are nails or screws somewhere. It does however look like a neat and professional job and if the cut ends are not sagging, would not worry me.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

If you are really worried, put a plank down over lapping that new trimmer and onto the two joist its fixed to. With good sized screws, say 5mm X 75mm, screw it down on the to the two old joist ends and all the other wood work. That's called belt and braces.
Frank