Thread: Attic beams - curved and misplaced - How Serious is this?

We had an inspection done on a house we are looking to buy. Of the beams that support the roof in the attic, the one at 45 degrees that goes from the bottom left of the photo up to the top was curved.

The vertical beam near the center-left of the photo was not fully below the beam above it and perpendicular to it which it supports. Half of the vertical beam supported the beam above it and half did not. See the arrow pointing downwards.

My inspector was unfortunately not very clear on how serious this was or how much it would cost to repair it despite persistent questioning. Can you tell me how serious are these issues?

Thanks!



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Sorry Jason, (is this a Bourne Conspiracy?) , but there is not enough clear information to draw any conclusion whatsoever.
If the inspector cannot say what he means, you may need someone else to take a peak at that peak. Someone that can describe a problem if they see a problem.

I see no problem, maybe because of those arrows getting in the way???

If the "beams" you are talking about are the 2x4's that the arrows are pointing to, then it's a non issue. IMO, they appear to be temporary bracing/support that was used during construction and never removed. Structurally speaking, they are not helping or hurting.

Jason,

I would have been easier to view the photo if you had simply attached it as an attachment instead of putting in your post, however ...

The diagonal brace looks to me as it is a diagonal brace for the gable end where the gable end vent is. If you are in a high wind area then that diagonal brace should be required (and most likely some additional bracing may be required), and if you are not in a high wind area then that diagonal brace should still be there for the same reason - to resist wind pressure against the gable end, and, if the diagonal brace were securely held in place with more than just a few nails at each end and the bottom was properly attached to a horizontal brace which distributes the load to 4 or more ceiling joists, the it would also resist the negative pressures which try to suck the gable end off houses (mostly a high wind area phenomenon, but the effect is present everywhere the wind blows at any speed).

Under normal conditions and all other construction factors being proper, my guess would also be that the two boards are there for wind bracing. The gable roof end looks pretty substantial in square footage.
However that bracing could also be there to reduce leaning load from the gable end roof area against the primary roof. Depending on how and when sheathing was installed and what the other end wall is (gable or straight up wall) the bracing could have been installed to stop racking of the primary roof due to the lean load of the gable end. I would want to look at the primary roof rafters to see if they appear to be leaning with the direction of the gable. It may also be possible to see from the outside.
If the wall on the other end is straight vertical you could check it with a level. Also what are the rafter, ridge and wall plate connections like? Are the even and closed, even separation or gap on one side but not the other?

Jason,

There is not a problem with the structure. The bowing issue is typical and non-critical. The supports are installed during construction process as bracing and are typically not removed. Bottom line - do not worry about. Your inspector was not a builder or he would have told you that.
Dean