floor joist... need help - InspectionNews

Anthony Alderman · #1 (**permalink**) 06-06-2008, 06:58 PM

All right guys I need some help. I was in this 1920's 2story yesterday. The owner had tried to fix the structural problems to sell it. You can see in the photos that the help she got didn't help. My question is this is there a minimum that a joist can be cut before being placed on a ledger strip. Even with a joist hanger? The photos can explain it better than I.
Thanks
Tony

Steve Frederickson · #2 (**permalink**) 06-06-2008, 07:05 PM

The joists without the hangers are no good because the notching is excessive.

The joists with the hangers are no good because the hangers aren't the right ones for that depth joist and they are too low to use all of the nail holes in the flanges. The rot (termites?) in the beam is also a problem, and the brick pier looks deteriorated.

Jerry Peck · #3 (**permalink**) 06-06-2008, 07:10 PM

Tony,

The biggest mistake they made (and it defeats anything and everything else they did) was to *not* replace that beam/girder and try to add new wood to the sides of it.

If nailed or lag bolted to the old beam/girder, what are the nails going into? Decayed/termite damaged wood?

If they tried to through bolt from new wood to new wood, the old would in the center defeats much or most of the strength they were trying to add with the new wood. Those two new wood peices need substantial and stable support between them, and that old decayed/termite damaged wood will not provide that.

Hopefully, Brandon Chew will comment further (and, hopefully, not shoot my thinking full of holes

).

Ron Bibler · #4 (**permalink**) 06-06-2008, 07:26 PM

Tony all the above post are correct. If she is selling the home and is low on cash. sell the place as is and let the new owner deal with this condition.

If she has the cash. Then remove and replace the damage materials with correct construction. Contact a local termite inspector for a complete inspection report.

Best

Ron

Anthony Alderman · #5 (**permalink**) 06-06-2008, 07:43 PM

Well it seem that my guts were telling me the right things. Thanks. I was inspecting for a buyer. They had been told the the floor system had been worked on and was now fixed. So thats what they wanted me to look at first. Thats as far as the inspection went, they pulled the plug.

Jerry McCarthy · #6 (**permalink**) 06-07-2008, 09:05 AM

Personally I fail to see any problems in those photos because that beefy brick pier is capable of supporting any load imposed and that kiln-dried original girder has little or no weight left in it.