Worried about holes in joists

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Hello,

I've recently had a plumber in to install a wetroom in. He did have some good reviews on a well known website and is gas safe registered. However I've gradually lost faith in his ability to do the job (after many moments of incompetence) so kicked him off the project.

The chipboard floorboards were removed and replaced with 18 mm ply (he wanted to use 12...), however I'm now beginning to worry about two joists he drilled into for the waste pipe. Do you think this would meet building regs? (and if not could it be put right easily once the floor was taken up)

(I've attached some more, 1 before the joists were drilled)

]
IMG_3647.JPG IMG_3653.JPG IMG_3668.JPG

Mark
 
Last edited:
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Never mind the drilled joists - it the ones with the notches in the top or bottom that are the problem. This is common to see, and cretinous.

Nozzle
 
Best option would be to add some ply sisters to improve The strength. There are a lot of pipes in that floor.
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As above, the notches are much more of a concern. It's only permitted to notch a maximum of 10% out of the top of a joist, and that should be between 7% and 25% of the span. Drilling can be up to 25% of the depth, from 25-40% of the span
 
The notched joists aren't good, but it's the waste pipe in the 2nd picture that the real worry, and you can see where he's had to fit in small sections, and then join them. I think this needs taking out, sistering the joists as Motorbiking has suggested, and then getting someone more experienced in. You may need to install some boxing somewhere to take all the pipes safely.
 
Ours was worse than that, notched over 50% depth of one joist. It's not going to snap but it's bad practice and will cause movement and cracking.
As previous poster's suggestions I also removed the pipe, used plywood screwed and glued securely, and fitted two rows of herring bone struts throughout the whole rin of joists. The originals were missing in a few places due to the plumber's hammer through the years and they were not wedged against the outside wall.
You can get Pu glue from wickes or screw fix for less than a tenner.
That toilet frame doesn't seem great, I just fitted one and fitted a strong structural frame around it. That just looks like some cheap boxing pine. Is it supported with some extra brackets elsewhere? The loo pan will rest on the cross member below the threaded rods, so make sure there is good support back to the metal frame itself at this point.
 
See the image below regarding the frame support
 

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Well spotted John, didn't look to closely at the toilet, and as it looks like plasterboard behind it, then the frames got no support or strength in it at all.
 
Well the plywood floor, adhesive and ditra mat is now down so to remove this will be a big expense, however I guess a smaller expense than worrying about it.

On the toilet it actually backs on to plasterboard which itself backs onto a breeze block wall. So I'm hoping it somehow connected to that. Maybe I'll remove some tiles from around the toilet and have a look.
 

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