Is this joist safe?

last year

last modified: last year

Hi everyone,

Hope all had a gr8 weekend

Mine was on, cleared the garden and did some cleaning up.

Was a lil upset about this joist, pic enclosed within. It had been drilled into three times, to make way for 2 heating pipes. Causing a full-thickness crack or split

Besides, there were two other joists, where there were deep notches cut through. When I raised this, the builder promised that the joists would be sistered with timber

Today, I noticed that the joists were plaster boarded. So took a few screws down and had a peek. Hey presto, no timber. Is this safe?

Please see the pics enclosed within

Also, the builder spoke about an rsj over the door from the dining room into the sunroom. This is currently supported with poles.

I had previously requested an Rsj over the wall taken down.

I need to talk to the builder when he gets back...

Any advice plz

Mel

ps- builder got back to me saying that in his opinion those cracks were fine but if I was 'adamant' they would sort it out!!

Thanks but those cracks don't look fine to me!!

Featured Answer

K OB

last year

Dont quote me but I believe the rule of thumb is up to a third of the depth of a joist can be taken out.

Comments (11)

HU-768402840
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Pre-drilled joists

Post drilling, someone decided to drill not one but two holes, just to be sure??

Don't these joists need to be reinforced?

Sonia, Angie, Jonathan..
HU-768402840
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
RSJ and the entrance between the kitchen and sunroom
HU-768402840
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year

After hacking through these two, at least they repaired them in the end

Pics of the hacked joist from the top, through the bathroom floor
Jonathan
last year
The builder is right that it is probably fine……. But you had previously agreed that he was going to add extra timbers so you should feel no embarrassment about reminding him about it.
HU-768402840 thanked Jonathan
Jonathan
last year
And just to be clear that concrete lintel over the opening to the sun room is not an RSJ.
HU-768402840 thanked Jonathan
HU-768402840
Original Author
last year
Thanks Jonathan

Yes, that’s a concrete lintel. Which the builder says is weak and hence needs an RSJ

It used to have a sliding door beneath, which was removed and now has those supports!

The supports were brought in to support the celing after the wall between the kitchn and dining room was knocked down. Instead was used to support this conrete lintel, until the steel goes in, hopefully this week

On the right, in the sun room are those awful cracks, discovered or created when they took down the decorating wall

Overall, seems like my builder has a plan in place, may be me being a lil anxious and ocd

KR

Mel

wall on left knocked down and the door in front too
PRO
Carla / kolours.space
last year
My wisest advise is get a formal structural engineer to look!
HU-768402840 thanked Carla / kolours.space
HU-768402840
Original Author
last year
Do I need a structural

engineer now?

Not sure why those props have to be used to support a concrete lintel

Previously, there used to be a sliding door beneath, so hardly any support

Jonathan any ideas please
Jonathan
last year
The props are being used to provide additional temporary support- previously the door frame would have helped with that support.

Try not to worry- am I right in thinking that concrete lintel is being replaced?
HU-768402840 thanked Jonathan
HU-768402840
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Thanks Jonathan

Yes, as far as I can recollect the builder did mention there would be an rsj installed there, where the concrete lintel currently stands.

Hope that would solve the issue?

Although I am still preplexed on what would be the difference here, between a steel RSJ and a concrete lintel? I thought both are strong and can take a lot of weight

Also, at right angles to the left of the concrete lintel, there will be another RSJ going across the kitchen (where the original wall used to stand)

Could two RSJs resting on that small section of the wall create some load issues?

Mel