Dodgy DIY?

[mogga]

5 and 6

Is the pole there for a reason?

[Ronald Raygun]

4 and 5 I think you mean

Dance practice, probably. It looks too flimsy to hold up the RSJ they forgot to put in when they took out the supporting wall.

[Jules Richardson]

It's too close to the stairs for that, surely? ;)

[mogga]

the only time I've seen them in a house has been on come dine with me I think... The woman taught it and had her lounge done out as a studio.

[Bodgit]

[Phil L]

Yes, it's to prevent the bedrooms falling into the open plan lounge / diner / kitchen / hallway :-)

They have taken down the dividing wall, which went up alongside the stairs, and was holding all the joist ends.

It looks like they've not been able to get the correct sized girder in and so they've used a smaller one and propped it up in the middle.

[ARWadsworth]

Nah. If you look carefully it is for chaining the wife up. The correct length chain will allow her to reach the bedroom and the kitchen.

[Peter Parry]

Are there any other handholds in the house? If the previous occupant was disabled it is possible it was put up to give them something to hold on to between the stairs and the seating.

[John Rumm]

Probably to help you pull yourself off the left hand end of the couch without hitting your head on the stairs!

[JohnW]

Nah - internal drain for condensing boiler that the previous owner got sick of freezing up :-)

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember mogga saying something like:

Stops the upper floor bouncing.

[Ericp]

12/10

ROFLMAO!

[SS]

Looks suspicious whatever the reason. Although I have to say I had a house of similar layout with open plan stairs (newly built at the time) and there was no support in that area. I suppose it would depend in what direction the joists run, if support would be required.

[michael adams]

Possibly as a sound damping measure to counter a creaking floor when people walk on the landing above. Shame about the carpet though.

Presumably they must have moved the fireplace and chimney breast as well then, along with chimney above because otherwise any supporting wall would have abutted the present chimney breast, with the fireplace being situated in the corner of the room.

The only real mystery in an open-plan 60's 70's house with fulll width windows front and back is why they didn't run the staircase from front to back at the side, rather than across the middle.

The pokey vee-shaped dog-eg garden is something else as well.

michael adams

...

[F Murtz]

Same pole different view.

[Steven Campbell]

has disappeared and a brown single chair is in its place!!! Some strange goings on.

[Skipweasel]

Are they trying to hint at a poltergeist?

[John Rumm]

Na, its a pole dance...

[Man at B&Q]

It's obvious! Picture 6 shows what happens when you take the pole away.

MBQ

[geoff]

Ah - a poletergeist then