Correct support for attic room?

[Rickard Dwiggery]

Hi

We bought home last year with attic room conversion that was at least 15 years old. Our survey said that it couldn't ascertain if it was correctly supported, however (it said) there was no visible signs of there being anything wrong.

Now I've been here a while I am quite familiar with the house structure as I've lifted most floorboards and I cannot see any particular strengthening of the original roof joists.

There is a RSJ support for the staircase going up on one side of the house and the rest of the joists seem to be just resting on a breeze block partition wall below.

The ceilings of the rooms below are original lath and plaster with a few cracks but nothing that would indicate severe movement from above.

We want to sell up in August and wonder if another survey or other buyers may insist on a full 'boards up' investigation.

My questions: Is it quite common for attic rooms to be built like this, or should there be a RSJ running the whole length the room.

Can I cover it by boarding up the outside bits of the loft space so a surveyor can't easily see the size of the joists.

Am I worrying about nothing as the room seems to be fine after 15+ years?

Thanks

Rick

[Alex]

Attic floors can be either a floating floor supported on RSJ either side or in suitable locations the joints can be laminated to increase their size and strength,ie if 4x2 then glue and screw 2x2 to make 6x2 it may still be neccesary to add additional support,best bet is to use a structural engineer to be sure.Do you hace any BR certificates for the work that has been done.

[Dave Plowman]

It would depend on whether the original joists were adequate or not to carry the new loading. Why not measure their size, span and spacing and post again?

Why would you want to do that? Anything a proper surveyor is unsure about because he can't inspect it will get a negative report.

I'd get a structural surveyor in to check things to put my mind at rest.

[Rickard Dwiggery]

Thanks for replies.

It seems that some joists are strengthened by additional wooden beams screwed either side of the original. I wondered if that was actually a valid way - it seems from Alex's post that it may be so.

The only way I found this out was quite extensive pulling apart of boards when the carpet was up.

I reckon most people will say that they are happy with the attic room because of the its age, and the fact that there is a proper staircase and no sign of any damage. To insist on carpet and boards to be lifted would be a bit extreme in this case.

Regards

Rick

[N. Thornton]

true, but they rarely are. Correction, they usually can, but only with sagging occurring.

Even though nothings sagged?

Regards, NT

[Dave Plowman]

I'd think it unlikely too, but you never know if it was a one off build.

The OP seemed concerned about whether the job had been well done or not. And presumably doesn't have the building regs approval the job should have had.

[N. Thornton]

If theres no noticeable sag that says a fair bit, though I accept not everything.

Perspective matters though: the majority of today's housing stock doesnt meet build regs, and that in itself isn't a reason to get a surveyor in. Approximately none of our huge stock of Victoriana complies, most Edwardians dont, even a lot of 70s places dont. Even royal palaces dont necessarily meet build regs.

Regards, NT

[Dave Plowman]

But the loft conversion was done about 15 years ago - after mine - and I had to have building regs approval.

[N. Thornton]

hehe :)

Regards, NT