Suspended timber floor maintenance

[akist]

We have a suspended timber floor which is hanging off the walls with metal hangers built into the brickwork. The hangers are nailed onto the joists from the sides. To remove a joist you'd have to cut it in pieces and you'd be left with two pieces nailed to the hangers which would be much harder to remove. Any twisting/lateral/ force applied to the joist would probably dislodge the metal hangers which only have a small section inside the brickwork. You may even undermine the structural integrity of the wall, and it is the inner skin which takes a lot of weight from above. To then replace the joists - I am not sure how I'd go about it.

Can anyone please advise me?

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Do you have an angle grinder. Cut the heads off the nails (with a metal cutting disc) then the hangers will easily pry apart sufficiently to pull the joist out.
Try not to damage the hangers.
I would use a thin cutting disc.

The new joist should simply drop in if it's cut to the correct length.