Joists Cut in Loft

[alexkingsley]

Hey

Unfortunately my dad passed away recently, and we are inheriting his house.
We have moved in, but there are a load of cracks in the plasterwork.

Having cleared out the loft, it seems as if the original joists have literally just been cut half way across, and then the joists are running the wrong direction after this. I assume the joists were so the ceiling could be lowered, and provide access to a further roof, where the house has been extended.

I think a strut has also been removed from the underpurlin, as the roof visibly sags on that side.
There seems to be one joist running the entire length.

Would the best thing to do be to lay some new joists, bolting them to the existing ones, and run to the other side of the roof? Or would the singular joist be adequate?
I think a strut has
Hopefully the attached picture explains it a bit better!

Loft

• alexkingsley
• 27 Oct 2016

Joists cut

 

[vinn]

Why do the cut joists stop there - is there a bearing wall below?
Bolt-ons might be the answer but they must be done over a bearing wall that gives some support from below. The total span would otherwise be too much and sag might occur.

The large expanse of plaster board(?) appears to be free floating in the field/centre?

If you fix a post(s) to prop the purlin then the post will have to come off a supporting wall.

Photos of the eaves/wall plate areas on either side of the loft might help.

 

[endecotp]

Just looking at the photos, my guess would have been that the "half joists" in the top/right/back of the picture were added more recently to support the storage floor above the level of the insulation. But who knows! Are the ceiling levels underneath different?

 

[alexkingsley]

Went back into the loft yesterday to have another look.
Where the joists stop is a load bearing wall below.
The ceiling is higher where the joists are higher. The joists to the left of the photo are lower and running the opposite direction.

The joists arent actually attached to the rafters, they just go straight into the wall, so actually being cut half way across wont have made any difference. Unfortunately, what is actually holding the roof in place if they arent joined to the joists at all?!