Raising a floor level

[Quadhurst1]

We have a small room at the top of our stairs which we want to connect to our bedroom in order to create an ensuite shower room. But to get level access from the bedroom requires us to raise the floor level by 21". The room is approximately 2'8" by 7'. How should we do this?

Many thanks.


Andrew

 

[jeds]

If you have two opposing suitable walls, (i.e. load bearing) I would fix wall plates to those walls and put joists on joist hangers. That way you will avoid placing any additional load on the existing floor.

If you do not have two suitable walls then you will need to place a framework onto the existing floor. In that case the existing floor really needs to be checked out to make sure it will take the load.

 

[Quadhurst1]

Thank you for that. One of the walls, an external wall, is clearly load-bearing; but the opposing wall is not, I think: the joists run parallel to that wall, which is why (wrongly, maybe) I don't think it's load-bearing. Would you suggestion for load-bearing walls work when there's just one?

Regards.


Andrew

 

[Quadhurst1]

Of course, I could always run the new joists along the long side of the wall, I suppose. Again, one's an external wall and the other is likely to be load-bearing since it runs at right angles to the joists. Would that work?

Regards.



Andrew

 

[jeds]

One wall doesn't help you. If you don't have two opposing walls you will have to bear on the floor. You're only talking about a small area so I don't think it will be a huge problem to overcome but I would advise checking out the existing joists - condition, size and span - just to make sure the additional load doesn't cause excessive deflection.