steels to support roof timbers

[sarahproperty]

i am changing the layout of a loft. steels have been laid under the timbers about 1/4 of the way up them to help carry the load of the roof. previously the roof was held up by a wooden beam running across the middle of the roof timbers and this beam was suppported by loads of upright timbers supported by the floor. the house is about 110 years old.

some of the new steels are on posts whcih rest on supporting walls. i am a bit worried that either the steeels wil be too heavy for the house or walls? or that the steels are too low to carry the weight. in particular:

1. there is one steel which has been laid across the floor (supposedly below the floor level). this rests on an outside wall at one end and on two chimney breast walls in the centre of the room. a post (which supports one of the steels which support the roof timbers) then sits on this steel running along the floor.

this floor-level steel is currently running not level. does this matter? the lower level is at the chimney stack end. is it right that these chimney stack walls are therefore taking all the weight? could this cause problems in the house?

2. some of the posts holding the steels up rest on timber. is this ok? the timber seems to run from one outside wall to probably another thick internal wall.

3. one of the steels is cementred into the wall but the post could not be used as there was no wall below this.

 

[Static]

Who designed the steel arrangement? engineer, architect, builder etc?

 

[sarahproperty]

a structural engineer planned the steels. a steel man put them in but some ar not as per the plans because the walls below were not as the engineer had assumed.

 

[Static]

Then the person who put them in should have spoken to the engineer to get confirmation he is happy with this. In the end it boils down to insurance backed responsibility, the engineer is responsible for the overall end stability of the structure, the builder is responsible for putting in what the engineer has asked for and for the temporary structural stability. If the builder failed to inform the engineer of complications in the build then it boils down to his liability and his insurance.
Personally i would request that the engineer comes out and inspects the work as it is not same as his plans. Mension "private indemnity insurance" and youll get a fast visit.
As far as youre questions go:
1) When you say not level what do you mean? Chimneys are load bearing items so should be able to take the loading.
2) Steel onto timber isnt adviseable due to fireproofing requirements and unknown properties of existing timber.
3) If the engineer is happy without the post then i wouldnt worry, but check he is and has written confirmation that he is.

 

[sarahproperty]

hey static, are you sure you're not a lawyer in builders' clothing?

 

[Static]

He he