Loft boarding disaster

[Mtina]

Can anyone please help

I hired a building company to install 2 velux windows, insulate and board my loft

they removed the purlin braces and tried to say it was ok as not structural

They sister joisted the floor in 3x7 battens

They’ve taken the roof load down to the ceiling joists via new verticals by building an Asher wall which is sitting on the joists

This in time will overload ceiling joists

They said they’d put the purlin braces back but the weight has changed with what they’ve done

Please can someone advise me on what to do
I don’t want them near it now but need advice on how to fix this

Someone suggested putting steel frames in which needs to go through building regs

Someone else said bolt the rafters and put 6 x 2 timbers in place of the 3 x 7

 

[Wayners]

Not my area. But.
My father in law bolt and nailed roofs like that and there was a basic design but they made it up as they went along. I've propped up saging ceilings and strengthened with timbers and added supports using thoughtful logic.
As a light storage area and with all that timber its hard to if it will move. Looks substantial to me with even spread..
Our loft looked the same ( replaced now) and the plasterboard ceiling was fitted before walls were blocked up, which had caused the house ceiling to be 50mm lower in the centre as ceiling sagged before being held up with concrete block walls.

You could look at creating some supports off the internal walls and timbers off that.
Did you not consider putting a floating floor in? Like with loft conversions.
I've seen a few lofts with velux windows but I don't understand why people fit them? Unless it's a loft conversion which would require regs. Steels. Floating floor ect.
Rooms can become loaded with too much weight. I've seen plenty of those.

 

[Mtina]

I am speaking to a syructudal
Engineer to find a solution as I didn’t ask for these to be removed and means I’m left with a bigger bill that could have been avoided
I had already spoken to plan I no and it would have come in as permitted development

 

[cdbe]

Looks good, like a proper loft conversion without all that messy structural support!

You'll probably get away with 2 steels in the area of the dwarf walls to hang the joists off and support the rafters, if your engineer agrees then ask him to size them for you.

I don't know what the "plan" was, but on your "builders" FB page it's proudly described as a full loft conversion and certainly seems far more than usual for a storage board out?

Even if you sort the structure it will never be a loft conversion without a building regulations "regularisation". Search a few of the other threads on DIY loft conversions and make a decision how you want to move forward.

 

[Mtina]

yes it is a loft storage not a loft conversion. The builder called me angry as I’d spoken about removal of structural elements telling me to get over myself as it’s not a loft conversion but then posts on his page that it is.
Glad someone else saw this too before they take it off

 

[frankie2023]

Your instinct and inclination to get a structural engineer is not wrong. The builder should not have changed structural elements of the roof without structural engineers calcs and without making clear this is the approach that is going to be taken.

I'm confused as to why it was even necessary to mess with the purlins or build a wall as it looks like there is plenty of space for storage up there due to there being no W shaped trusses. Unless you're storing particularly heavy items boarding the loft would seem to be sufficient.

With the work they've done the roof and floor / ceiling might be absolutely fine but you're quite right to not want to take that risk. Being a year into planning a loft conversion ourselves it seems there are far too many sketchy works going on in lofts.

 

[Mtina]

Yes, I’m wondering where I stand now as they are saying I’d have banged my head going into the loft
I’ve been going in for years and never been an issue.
I have sceeenshots asking why they took them out but they just say they know what they are doing and it’s not structural

I’ve said I will pay the engineer to check and if it is structural I will deduct from what I owe them and they would need to rectify it but if it isn’t then I will swallow that cost

 

[Dereekoo]

The purlin would have been put in position in the first place because the roof rafters span exceed their permitted span for the timber used. Looking at the pictures it looks like the purlin has been placed off centre of the rafters so presumably the top length of the rafter is the max distance that the size of rafter was allowed to span and the bottom span of the rafter is whatever was left. The purlin itself was to long to support the rafters in one span and hence support strut(s) put in place to bring the purlin sections into acceptable lengths (presumably the stuts were supported off underlying load bearing walls) So what they have done is remove the support offered by the purlin and struts and replaced these with individual support struts to each rafter which are then supported off the sistered ceiling joists which may well be able to take the load structurally and deflection wise (or not) but needs to be confirmed by structural calcs. Putting the original purlin and struts back would just put things back to how they were before albeit with the roof loads distributed slightly differently due to the ashlar type wall, As previously stated you need SE input to advise you on the best course of action.

 

[Mtina]

are there any structural engineers here who can help me?
I had builders remove the trusse braces in my attic and it’s been a nightmare to rectify what they have done. I’ve had so much conflicting advice from ppl who build loft conversions.

Options I’ve had are:

1. leave Asher wall where it is but take up floor with 2 x2 joist then install 6x2 joists to run alongside Asher wall

2. Reinstall Asher wall onto hanger (dark wood that sits under the purlin) sorry if wrong name
Then redo floor in 6 x2 timbers

3. Take Asher wall out and redo floor in 6x2 then put Asher wall back

4. Leave Asher wall where it is then redo floor alongside it in 6x2 joists

5.
You need two steels fitted beneath the existing purlins and supported one end by the party wall and the other by the end gable wall with the steels supported on concrete pads.
The timbers currently forming the small dwarf walls should be reused off a timber plate on the top of the new steels to support the underside of the existing purlins.
The existing ceiling joists should be strapped and hung off the new timber plates on top of the new steels and new joists fitted from steel to steel at 400mm centres with a suitable sheet flooring fixed in place.

Has anyone ever had his issue and rectified? I don’t want a quick fix, I want it done properly so it will last