Remove old partion wall - ceiling beam / joists

[Brutus76]

Hi there,
I wanted to ask your advice for a small project I am doing internally to remove a wall and remnants of old beam in a living living room roof opening. This opening is 40 years old, and after this was done, 15 years ago now, a loft extension was made on the floor above. For the loft extension, new floor beams & joists were put in place to support the flooring. The house is Edwardian by the way - otherwise lath/plaster etc..great fun to diy with

See the attached pictures please. There are 3 beams in total above this opening..the "No 1" top one (barely seen) is "new" to support the floor, "No 2" is the longer square wood beam is presumably to support roof???, and the "No 3" bottom small'ish one is presumably just to support the old opening itself.

I have been told by structural engineer that I can remove bottom 2 beams (clearly not for floor above with metal holders for joists), but I am worried that the roof is going to fall down if I do?? It is difficult to see from the picture, but the old roof joists (??) rests on this No. 2 pillar, whereas floorbeams do not (slightly above). I have not removed enough coving yet to see exactely how far the beam goes in either direction.

Any suggestions/thoughts if I can indeed remove the square "No. 2" beam; or should i be afraid that the roof is going to collaps (i.e. not typically attached to new floor joists etc)??

Thanks a lot for any input!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Pic1 - roof beams in old partion wall

• Brutus76
• 2 May 2013
• 1

Pic2 - close up of beams in same roof/wall

• Brutus76
• 2 May 2013
• 1

 

[tony1851]

I've just nearly dropped my laptop.

 

[^woody^]

I no comprende at all

 

[pinenot]

From my understanding you want to remove the studs (marked blue in the sketch) up to the beam (marked white in the sketch) along with the lath and plaster, is this correct?...pinenot View media item 60828

 

[Brutus76]

Hi there,
Yes, I would like to remove all the studs in that wall up to, but also including that beam you marked in white..I was told that beam is redundant..but it seems to me that the joists (?) holding the roof is resting on it?! (is it normal when doing a roof conversion to connect the floor joists to these, slightly shorter, ceiling joists?? thanks for answer by the way/ much appreciated that you spend time.

From my understanding you want to remove the studs (marked blue in the sketch) up to the beam (marked white in the sketch) along with the lath and plaster, is this correct?...pinenot View media item 60828

 

[dann09]

1. The ceiling joists are "holding" your ceiling up.

2. From what i can make out from the pics, the ceiling joists are resting on the beam.

3. Can you lift the loft floor boards and take some pics?

4. What is the height of the room in the pics - FFL to ceiling?

5. What is the dimension from the finished floor to the bottom of the coving?

6. I'd suggest that you stop work until you have a clear idea of what you are doing - wait for more advice from here.

AAMOI: The Edwardian coving that you have hacked into is valuable and beautiful, and FWIW a valued house selling point. When it's gone, there is no more, it's gone forever.

We've actually cut away and freed great lengths of in-situ 18thC and 19thC coving from dry rotted backing and later re-fixed them without too much trouble - it's not hard, merely painstaking.

 

[pinenot]

an you ask the engineer to explain his position, because it certainly looks like the ceiling joists are a bearing on that beam...pinenot