I think the structu...
 

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[Closed] I think the structual engineer made a mistake with my loft....

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In the process of getting the loft converted into a room that complies with the local building regs.

It was delayed a week as the steel manufacturing place took a bit longer to deliver the order as it wasn't standard beams been used...

[img] ?t=1306148687[/img]

Yes, that is a standard bic biro pen.

[img] ?t=1306148861[/img]


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:08 am
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I don't quite understand...

But then again, I am [i]quite[/i] stupid, so this could well be the reason...


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:10 am
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why do you think its a mistake?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:10 am
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What do you think the mistake is?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:11 am
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That velux type window seems to high to use as a means of escape unless youre building a step underneath it.


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:12 am
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It does look quite chunky! Decimal point in the wrong place somewhere, do you think?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:12 am
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They are large enough to put a 3rd story on top of, bloody massive.

The normal size is about 2/3rds of that on an overbuilt project.

The Veelux is at the right hight, it's just the size of the beams throwing all perspective out.


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:12 am
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That is a disgraceful piece of workmanship.
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A real structural engineer would use an HB pencil.


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:13 am
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Steel bean jointed? Velux window behind the roof supports?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:13 am
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please explain what you believe the mistake is. size of beam? connection detail? colour of beam?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:14 am
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whats the span?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:15 am
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It may have been cheaper to have larger sections of steel, possibly offcuts or spares?

In my previous life as a structural engineer that was quite common although the size of that beam is rather excessive.

Did you state you were going to be storing large quantities of lead in that space?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:15 am
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I ain't a structural engineer but the large plate on the top of the beam probably will not be adding a lot of strength and the side and bottom plates seem an afterthought.


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:18 am
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is it for a bedroom? is your mrs on the large side?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:18 am
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http://www.headington.org.uk/shark/

That's your house that is.


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:19 am
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ain't a structural engineer but the large plate on the top of the beam probably will not be adding a lot of strength and the side and bottom plates seem an afterthought

I think there's a reason you're not a structural engineer....

That's a splice detail to enable the beam to be lifted in more than one length.


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:21 am
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Not lead, no. It's going to be used as an occasional guest bedroom now with have another kid. Span is 6.2m, as I said it took the steel place an extra week to sort the order out as it was so unusual (split into 3 to get them into the loft.

trying to upload a more recent photo.


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:23 am
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to put it bluntly, he's vastly over engineered it so that he doesn't need to carry insurance

he has to by law, but in a few years time he'll forget to re-new it - safe in the knowledge that the joint will never fail


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:24 am
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I am assuming that when you saying that it wasnt standard beams that the engineer probably called up a UKB ?. Usually the first thing you do as a fabrication company is get the engineer to change UKB's to a standard UB or UC section.(try to suggest one that you have a nice big offcut of). Would be interested to find out what beam size is specced as that web splice plate just looks wrong !
As mentioned above, span/ loads etc will play a part in beam selection.
How many splice joints does it have ?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:25 am
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Holy shit! What's going on the roof? A helipad?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:28 am
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beam split into 3..... presumably sat on padstones each end...trust me theres **** all unusual about that !!
4 hours work including painting tops !!
did you go directly to steel fabricator or did the builder add his usual 100% margin to the price ?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:29 am
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I think there's a reason you're not a structural engineer....

That's a splice detail to enable the beam to be lifted in more than one length.

I did appreciate that, my point is that the side and bottom plates would not add a lot of strength.Assuming there is not a supporting wall under the joint it looks a bit feeble on the bottom and side plates in comparison to the monster on top.


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:30 am
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well the plate on the web is smaller than I usually see,but if he's calculated it out there's no issue
You could check with the Building Control Inspector to see if they have the details and have agreed them.

There is no longer a requirement for an "escape window" in loft conversions in England,Wales,Northern Island.Don't know the Scottish regs


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:31 am
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I have no idea what I UKB is - I'm in ireland btw, things might not be the same.

it has 2 splice joints for a span of 6.2m - 2 big plates top and bottom (with that one being the only one with a bolt missing) another on the side at each splice, roof is a bog standard tile thing.

[img] ?t=1306150255[/img]

[img] ?t=1306150294[/img]


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:32 am
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Saccades - very similar conversion done in my loft a few yrs ago. A guy at work did the design stuff and I trust him - my steelwork is similar sized to yours - it is carrying roof loads and the new floor.


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:36 am
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UKB is a new beam section that is generally a pain in the arse to get hold of (seeing as most steel comes from China these days)
At the end of the day its over engineered but at least the room looks nice and it isnt gonna fall down.Peace of mind = priceless
Why didnt they get the last bolt in ?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:42 am
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Better safe than sorry I guess....


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:46 am
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Sorry, I'm sure it's right but I don't get the patching. Is it only load-bearing between ends and joins, or something?


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:47 am
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Why didnt they get the last bolt in ?

looks like theres a timber under that hole preventing access to bolt it up


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:56 am
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the "patching" is actually splices...the beam has to be cut into 3 to physically get it into the roof. The plates shown join the beam together so that it is 1 piece


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 11:57 am
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Why didnt they get the last bolt in ?

looks like theres a timber under that hole preventing access to bolt it up

Could of at least cut the end of a bolt off and no more nails it in place to make it look like it was in *

*not that ive ever seen that done before of course


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 12:00 pm
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The engineer has been reading too many "the front of my house fell off" threads...so he's taking no chances with STW types.


 
Posted : 23/05/2011 12:09 pm