Hi i need a little advice please.

[harrys1122]

Hi guys

Im no expert in buildings but I've been trusting my builder a bit too much,

So story is we were originally removing the wall in middle of our livingroom ( partition wall) and before that he said it will need a steel Beam, so we agreed on price.

Once removed he now says that it doesn't need steel Beam as Timber Joist will do the job. As adding steel may pull the weight down of the building.

There is wall above the livingroom wall but is 1 foot away, so not directly on top.

the building is 1930s.

Could someone kindly please tell me if timber joists are strong?

 

[23vc]

Trying to work out what’s going on in the pic, doesn’t even look like a decent timber beam, more like some 4x3 laid flat like a wall plate with a bad splice joint and a big gap. Doesn’t look good to me. are building control involved?

 

[^woody^]

Find out which way the bedroom floor joists are running, or the floorboards in both bedrooms, and post back

 

[harrys1122]

Find out which way the bedroom floor joists are running, or the floorboards in both bedrooms, and post back

Hi

Thanks for your reply

I can see the floorboards are like this. Sorry about the messy drawing.

 

[noseall]

Hi

Thanks for your reply

I can see the floorboards are like this. Sorry about the messy drawing.

If the floorboards are perpendicular to the wall in question, then the joists go in the opposite direction, i.e. do not land on the removed wall.

 

[johnny2007]

From your sketch it looks like the upstairs floor joists are perpendicular to the removed wall.
In that case it's likely that the wall is (was) supporting the joists.
Get building control involved.
What do structural engineer calculations say?

 

[noseall]

From your sketch

The OP was asked to show the floorboards - I'm guessing that's what that awful drawing is depicting. In which case the joists will be parallel with the removed wall.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If those joists run top to bottom of your diagram, then a proper support is needed from left to right in your diagram. What you show in your photo, timbers laid flat, and too short bits, absolutely will not do.

As adding steel may pull the weight down of the building.

I've no idea, what that might mean.

 

[23vc]

I’m none the wiser as to what that weird bit of timber is, either way

 

[harrys1122]

The OP was asked to show the floorboards - I'm guessing that's what that awful drawing is depicting. In which case the joists will be parallel with the removed wall.

Haha, sorry, I will try draw better one!

Im new into all this property & i completely relied on my builder

According to him its a straight forward job and doesnt need any planning or anything, hiring one and they will say extactly what we said.

First they said we will be adding a Steel beam after removing the wall

Once removed (wall between livingrooms) they ended up adding a long timber saying there is no weight above as the above wall is 1-2foot away (which is the bedroom wall)

I didn't have plans to have wall removed it was the builders idea as it will become spacious which i liked the idea.. according to them we didnt need Engineers or anyone..

 

[harrys1122]

If those joists run top to bottom of your diagram, then a proper support is needed from left to right in your diagram. What you show in your photo, timbers laid flat, and too short bits, absolutely will not do.



I've no idea, what that might mean.

Hi they are floorboards. I will be visiting the house tonight and see whats underfloorboard

 

[Notch7]

Once removed (wall between livingrooms) they ended up adding a long timber saying there is no weight above as the above wall is 1-2foot away (which is the bedroom wall)

That would make sense provided the joists are parallel to the wall removed - as the upstairs wall must be supported by a beam running across below it.

And therefore the ground floor wall was doing nothing, just stopping between 2 joists.


If the joists we’re running perpendicular, then most likely given the large span front to back 2 joists wouldve been used to make the span, overlapping each other above the ground floor wall which would support them. The upstairs wall would’ve been sat on the joists.

those are the most likely options


I bet the builders didn’t want to take up floorboards before starting the job so guessed it would need a steel - although if the floorboards were visible that should’ve been a good clue.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

According to him its a straight forward job and doesnt need any planning or anything, hiring one and they will say extactly what we said.

First they said we will be adding a Steel beam after removing the wall

Sorry, your drawings are still not making sense. Floor boards, always run a right angles to joists - no exceptions. You have drawn vertical lines down your diagram - do those vertical lines represent the way the floorboards run, or the joists?

If they represent the floorboards, then your builder is correct, no steel or any support is needed. If they represent the joists, then a steel is certainly needed.

 

[harrys1122]

That would make sense provided the joists are parallel to the wall removed - as the upstairs wall must be supported by a beam running across below it.

And therefore the ground floor wall was doing nothing, just stopping between 2 joists.


If the joists we’re running perpendicular, then most likely given the large span front to back 2 joists wouldve been used to make the span, overlapping each other above the ground floor wall which would support them. The upstairs wall would’ve been sat on the joists.

those are the most likely options


I bet the builders didn’t want to take up floorboards before starting the job so guessed it would need a steel - although if the floorboards were visible that should’ve been a good clue.

Hi

No the house is 1930s with full of carpet.

Sorry, your drawings are still not making sense. Floor boards, always run a right angles to joists - no exceptions. You have drawn vertical lines down your diagram - do those vertical lines represent the way the floorboards run, or the joists?

If they represent the floorboards, then your builder is correct, no steel or any support is needed. If they represent the joists, then a steel is certainly needed.

Hi, the drawing which says door window is drawing of the floorboards with bedroom wall in middle

The drawining at the bottom is what i can see under floor

 

[^woody^]

do those vertical lines represent the way the floorboards run, or the joists?

I can see the floorboards are like this