Going Up

[AustinScoobee]

Hi Group. We have a friend who would like to add a room/floor above an existing kitchen. It currently has a flat roof , which is eventually needs to be changed so they thought why not put a room up there. It is roughly 16 by 22' . Framed 2X4 with slab on grade. The project certainly looks possible but he said someone told him he may have to upgrade the beams of the slab? The drawings show a typical slab/rebar etc with the beams at 2ft deep and 12" thick. They put houses all around him up two and even three floors on the same slab, why would the existing not be enough to take the added weight of a few walls and the roof?

Any help appreciated, they just want an idea before they see the dredded "e:" word (engineer)

G

[Michael Bulatovich]

If you don't want to use an engineer, bone up on you statics, soils mechanics, and properties of materials, and do the calculations yourself. Remember to include your calculations with your building permit application....

OR

Would you really rather take advice from unknown persons on an internet newsgroup who may or may not be qualified in anything, based on partial information, and risk large sums of money, not to mention life and limb, in order to save a few hundred dollars?

I know people do this sort of thing all the time. You only hear about it when something fails, or when they try to sue someone who, they say, should have stopped them.

[Bob Morrison]

And why, pray tell, is the Engineer to be dreaded. A good engineer can come close to saving the cost of his/her fee with proper design and specification of proper materials. At least that's what I make an attempt to do. Talking to an engineer should only be feared if you don't want to do the job properly to meet the provisions and requirements of the building code. In other words, if you want to do a crappy job that may be unsafe, then don't talk to an engineer.

[Michael Bulatovich]

Talking to an engineer should only be feared if you

Didn't I say that? ; )

[Bob Morrison]

Didn't I say that? ; )

Yes and very well too. I'm just trying to reinforce the point.

[Michael Bulatovich]

Yeah, well, I was just being a smartass as usual ; )

[AustinScoobee]

Sorry everyone, I suppose I mis-spoke (mis-posted?) The "Dreaded" part is about telling my friends what I already knew, they would need and engineer, and would need to pay to REALLY find out.

Thanks again

Bob Morris>

[Steve]

Use an engineer before your only option would be to call an "L word" lawyer.