Alternative to stabilising beams in loft

[LabudMoj]

Hi, I am looking for a company that specialises in a sort of a roof related product that I have heard exists but don't have any details nor exact term for it.

The setting is as follows: it's an end-of-terrace house, of which the roof uses horizontal beams running mid-height of the loft, with the purpose to stabilise the roof laterally (ie. to reduce force that the rafters exert to the walls they rest on). I have been told that an alternative solution is possible, where these beams could be removed and instead a reinforcing structure that run along the existing rafters could be fitted. Any suggestion as to which companies are in business of producing that kind of structure, or at the very least what are the search terms I should use when looking for this? I talked to some roofers but they could not give me a direct advice where to search for that, although they said they could fit it once I find it, and once building control is happy with it.

Cheers,
Nikola

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Sounds like you are talking about purlins. They are there because they allow the roof builder to use shorter and lighter section timbers to support the roof. They also serve to tie the end walls together whilst at the same time allowing use of the attic space as living space and are quite common in terraced houses in this part of the world. Without them the roof structure would be far heavier and the tendency of the roof to spread the walls would require some complex engineering to overcome it. I think that you may find an engineered solution to gain a few extra inches of space will be very expensive. Many structural steel firms can produce this sort of solution, but it requires the services of a structural engineer to design it - I doubt that there is any form of kit approach as each roof is different to the next

 

[LabudMoj]

Hi, JobAndKnock, thanks for the answer. OK, perhaps these are called purlins, but I was not sure as I am seeing something else as purlins on my google image searches when looking for roof structures. I think I should have attached a drawing to make it more clear... which I have done now:

The beams I am looking for a way to remove are those at the 1m height from the loft floor. There are only four of those. So to perform the same function either something can be fitted to run along the floor level, or as suggested by the roofer, an inverted-V that attaches to the rafters and prevents them from spreading. I am not trying to convert the loft into a living space, just to make it more useful as a storage/occasional workshop.
At any rate, it sounds to me that I would need a help from a structural engineer - any particular place where one of those can be found?

 

[bobasd]

why not post pics?

 

[LabudMoj]

Hi bobasd - it was more convenient to just quickly knock up a simple drawing, but I can go up there and take a photo if you think that'll help. Once I am at home, that is.