Surveyor or structural engineer

[Transylvania]

I've got concerns about our floorboards loosening themselves up, and whether it's related to an RSJ that was installed last year for a knockthrough. SE did the calcs and were approved by building control.

There was an initial crack in the upstairs wall, but according to most folk this was to be expected, and I can't detect any other masonry movement since then.

The floorboards seem to be getting progressively worse over the last few months though, so I'm concerned that it's joist related.

So to get someone to check it over to make sure it's nothing serious, would that be a structural engineer or a building surveyor? Do SE's care about wood or is it all masonry and beams?

 

[noseall]

Half the houses in the UK have loose floor boards. I find it difficult to attribute the problem to a recent beam installation, unless the joists were not packed properly onto the beam.

Is there any movement in the joists?

 

[Transylvania]

Half the houses in the UK have loose floor boards. I find it difficult to attribute the problem to a recent beam installation, unless the joists were not packed properly onto the beam.

It's that it seems to be getting progressively worse (over a dozen loose and see-sawing boards), and I don't have the experience to know whether they just need screwing back down again or it's a symptom of something more serious.

Is there any movement in the joists?

I don't know - who would help me identify this, a surveyor or a structural engineer?

 

[noseall]

Can you not establish whether it is just seasonal adjustment of the timber rather than spend money on an expensive survey?

 

[Transylvania]

Can you not establish whether it is just seasonal adjustment of the timber rather than spend money on an expensive survey?

No because I don't know how to establish that - who would help me establish that?

I don't recall any loosening of floorboards last winter, and this year there's enough that I'm worried, and the only thing that's changed is the knockthrough. The joists run parallel with the beam and the loose boards are radiating out from that area. It could be a case of just screwing them back down, but I don't want to get stuck with a more expensive repair further down the line.

So if I wanted someone to take a look, is that a surveyor or structural engineer?

 

[noseall]

So if I wanted someone to take a look, is that a surveyor or structural engineer?

Out of the two I would say a building surveyor.

 

[Transylvania]

In case anyone comes across this thread in a search, I got a joiner to take a look and he reckoned that one or more noggings had been removed when the beam was installed, meaning some of the joists were free to move rotationally (very slightly) which would explain the boards loosening and the slight 'humpy' feel of the floor. I don't know about the noggings, but I do know that some cross-bracing was removed that used to box around the removed chimney breast, so this would probably have the same effect.

Will look to re-noggingise the joists and hope that solves the problem.