Hi there Quick question.. my builder has installed an rsj to support the upstairs after we had a wall knocked down. The beam is short of the wall about 30cm and he has had a plate attatched to the bottom. He has then installed two pieces of wood to the wall and has rested the plate on this. The plate goes all the way back to the outside wall. My concern is that the plate is bending. He says that this is because its under stress and is normal. I was wondering what you guys think?
No, no and no, on so many levels. Extending a RSJ with just a flat plate under it, NO Sitting the RSJ on timber upstands, NO If you need to extend a RSJ you need to weld on the extra length of RSJ required, then you need to brace this with plates drilled and bolted in the web of the RSJ, a plate on either side.
A BCO would have a fit seeing that. Easier to install a new rsj at the correct length, than trying to correct all the errors.
Get an acrow under that, maybe 2. Your builder is completely wrong, I assume this is being done under inspection. Wow, get another properly measured Joist on site and refit.
If it was your builder that is so incompetent that he measured a beam too short, how would you trust them regarding the structure above your family's head? You should be seeing a splice detail like this (only horizontal, not vertical) :
Not good...not good!! Probably forgot to add on extra for bearing either side when he measured it and now he's putting you at risk by trying to bodge his way out of it. An extremely dangerous bodge too, all because he wont hold his hands up and say 'I messed up guys, but I'll rectify at my expense'.
Unfortunately i cant get hold of him... not really suprising really. I have no idea what im going to do
Immediately go back to the structural engineer whom specified the RSJ. He will be the best person to help you straight away and tell you how to brace it to make it safe
There may be an option to bolt a PFC vertically under the beam, however it is unclear how short the beam is. -it'll be a deep PFC! Best to contact the SE who spec'd the beam in the first instance as sospans comment.
Grant, I presume you're local BCO comes out now and then to inspect the work? Phone him/her up right away and ask them to come out - they need to know what this 'builder' is like so they'll keep an eye on them.
Seriously though there has to be a means to bring the builder to account and get the OP home back to a safe state. It must be a huge worry especially if the cowboy has disappeared over the hills with the money.
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