Raising loft beams

[minion]

Hi,

My loft is a decent size but the beams going across are stopping you standing up.

Can beams be put higher then the lower ones removed?

If similar can then look at putting an office up there.

Don't want to get someone out to quote if it can't be done due to structural reasons so rather than waste their time I thought I'd ask here first.

I assume thy have been put that level for a reason?[/list]

 

[big-all]

anything is possible but not in the way you discribe

it is major structural work with something like 8x2" timbers for the floor and something like steels to support the roof

 

[c11rgd]

Do you mean the floor Support beams??
or the ones holding the roof up> ie perlings?

best thing is to get some pics up and explain what you want removed or try to do.

also if your converting it to an office or liveable space you need to check planning permission. etc.

 

[minion]

Hi,

Not sue if I am using the correct wording.

The floor is not to be touched.

The loft has thee pitched sides, it is a semi detached house.

There are wood stripps vertically around the loft as well as horizontally about 4 ft from the floor. (i believe they may be called purlings ??)

Can the horizontal ones be raised so that we can stand up in the loft?

Sorry if it not laking sence

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Probably not, you'd need a structural enginers solution anyway rather than people off a forum. Even the engineers on here can only offer unofficial guidance, hence the lack of responses. Nobody wants to be responsible for your roof sagging.

As previously mentioned, typically to get rid of the ties you would provide additional support under the purlins making the ties redundant, then they can be removed, but again this is a considered engineered approach.

Purlins are horizontal not vertical. How about a couple of photos?

 

[RonnyRaygun]

There are wood stripps vertically around the loft as well as horizontally about 4 ft from the floor. (i believe they may be called purlings ??)

Can the horizontal ones be raised so that we can stand up in the loft?

Purlins run directly under the rafters to give extra support, but they wouldn't usually prevent you standing up in the loft space.
For this reason I think you might be talking about ties spanning between opposite rafters.
The vertical ones are probably hangers.

If anything is moved it's likely the roof will need to be strengthened in some way. An engineer will be able to anaylse the roof and tell you for sure whether this is the case.

 

[noseall]

Hi,

My loft is a decent size........ look at putting an office up there.........The floor is not to be touched.

Have the floor joists been beefed up and trimmed out for a staircase?