The only way to be sure is to pull out part WTF.

I’m guessing that who ever labelled it Wall Above This knew what they were doing.

cant quite get my head round the photos, but I think I’m looking at a couple of ply planks used instead of an RSJ?
Is your house falling down?

Or are they just packing and there is an RSJ or piece of timber on top?

They don’t look like there’s a lot of weight on them – I’d expect to see some defomation near the edge where they overlap the piece of timber.

Are they not just packers between that (pretty Ropey) stud work? Surely there’s an rsj across the actual opening. Get some plaster off and have a look.

Is there a structural support there and the wood just under it? An episode of Fawlty towers comes to mind

cant quite get my head round the photos, but I think I’m looking at a couple of ply planks used instead of an RSJ?

Yes. Yes you are.

It’s okay though, I’ve just discovered the over load-bearing wall is held up with, what I think is, a floorboard.

😂 Nope, a touch unconventional. Unless they’ve cut down the original opening and left whatever lintel was in originally in place. I’d suggest pulling off plasterboard and scoping it out properly. House hasn’t fallen down though…. 😉

For clarity, there is no sign of any steel. You can see here where the brickwork/original paint carries past any point where an RDJ would be any use.

Is that not a concrete lintel above it?

On the second lot of pics I mean

The original wall looks to be a fairly chunky stone type. The sort that would clearly fall down if not supported correctly. A brick wall could be bodged with some bits of 2×4 but if that massive wall has been there like that a wile and there is no cracking then the original bit should be fine. You need to uncover a bit more – maybe chip away that yellow plaster to the left and above WTF.

Edit; only saw the original pics. Is it a brick wall above? what is the construction. If it is then there is a chance that it was bodged up with wood.

I’d suggest pulling off plasterboard and scoping it out properly. House hasn’t fallen down though….

Perhaps the plasterboard is what is holding the house up.

Offset noggins?
Need more info. Is the first pic taken in the void through the little access hatch.
Looks sturdy timberwork for a stud wall, but not if its supposed to be load bearing.

I shall do some more destruction & report back.

It’s not a problem as such as I want walls removing & new steels putting in, just wondered if I was cracking up at what I’m finding?! A bit more destruction offers up some joist-type structures which is mildly more reassuring – but still doesn’t make sense as I had to get rid of (what I think is) the original plaster to uncover it.

Hey ho, at least it’s the last room – that will finally cripple me financially probably 🙂

Definitely not right. If I’m seeing it like The second photo, the plywood packer which we think might be for a steel or not is sitting on a piece of 100×50 which is fixed with a couple of screws??
You really need to find out what is holding up the wall above because there’s no way it should be supported by studwork.

Not liking those floppy-looking cables right next to what could be a hot water/heating pipe.

What’s above it? Plain wall, windows? Which way do the first floor joists and the roof rafters span?

Just thinking you might need to be careful how much destruction you do, given that it’s unconventional there could be something relatively minor that not taking direct load but stabilising something that is.

Not liking those floppy-looking cables right next to what could be a hot water/heating pipe.

Pfft, that’s nothing. You should see the dodgy junction box that’s in the landing for the (now removed) cooker and snugly nestled next to the crossroads of all the HW pipes.

I could write a book on how to not buy a house made of total bodges. Still, as I keep repeating to myself…last room. It’s the last room….money isn’t important…whoever buys this will be grateful for everything I’ve fixed (ironic LOL)

Edit:

Just thinking you might need to be careful how much destruction you do

Oh, I am!

But cheers for concern 🙂

ooo-errr I’m worried that franksinatra’s comment might actually be close to the truth

Perhaps the plasterboard is what is holding the house up.

Wall Above This

Fing.

That would have helped my rubbish joke look slightly less rubbish wouldn’t it?

What’s above it? Plain wall, windows? Which way do the first floor joists and the roof rafters span?

@greybeard Sorry, I should have answered this. It’s the original exterior 1st floor wall above, minimal windows. Joists run in same direction as the timbers/ply in photo.

Joists run in same direction as the timbers/MDF in photo

Good news there are no windows – although that might be why they thought a bodge would work! I haven’t spotted the MDF and there are a few timbers – does that mean they are at right angles to the wall, ie, the first floor load is on that wall?

the first floor load is on that wall

Yup. The rest of the house is resting on those timbers (apologies, I said MDF when I meant ply)

It’s not fallen down – so it must be okay?! Still, will make an interesting conversation when I manage to get a builder around…which is totally different problem in the current climate.

All you’ve really revealed is a stud wall built around the original masonry wall. You haven’t gotten back to the masonry. And looking back at the second set of pics that looks a lot like a concrete lintel hidden behind the studs, in the masonry wall.

Would there have been a window in the place of the opening originally?

^^^ if there was a window or doors in the original opening then there will most definitely be a lintel, probably concrete supporting the load above. The fact that there are no obvious cracks or movement inside and out indicates that this scenario is most likely. Panic over I reckon.

Seeing as you want this out and new steels in, what has the structural engineer said about it?

Seeing as you want this out and new steels in,

If he was anything like the guy that did mine….. Not alot as he won’t have seen what was there prior.

Seeing as you want this out and new steels in, what has the structural engineer said about it?

Unless he had x-ray vision how would he know what was under the plaster etc?

In that last photo, is the possible lintel that concrete looking thing directly above ply packer? If so is that the end of it we can see at the vertical end of the hole you broke out. If it is the end I think i might just rebuild that hole cos you may have removed the lintels bearing! I would have hoped for more bearing but sounds like it would be in keeping with all the other bodges. BIL unknowingly bought a house known locally as the ‘polyfilla villa’ good luck with it. IANASE

Maybe gat a few acro props in and have a bit of an investigate?

The blue engineering bricks you can see would have been used as the pad for the lintel to rest upon. It would probably be a good idea to get a big section timber and a couple of props under the opening if only to brick that back up.

UPDATE

The answer is, apparently, this was an original opening for a window & door – hence using the original wooden/PLY lintel and leaving the stupid wall in place. I’m still confused, but whatever, and I’ve no chance of getting anyone to do the work anyhow 🙂 Also from the one builder that’s come around, something something holes in flat roof/pin the house like it’s a broken leg and may as well put a pitched roof on the extension…something.

Which is all valid probably, and I quite like the idea of a pitched roof & velux, but loving the horrific scope creep already.

Anyhow.

What’s happening here?!

Moved the standalone fridge that I’ve been using for the last few years (don’t judge how my floor is, this room has been just a workstation/tool storage/dump!) and discovered that something’s leaked to not only destroy the carpet, but turn the floorboards into dust – with a swift brush of my foot it’s basically disappearing!

It’s not a problem as the whole floor is coming up, concrete infill being replaced with timber blah blah more money, but I’m not getting any joy from google as to what could have caused such a corrosive leak?

It’s mild curiosity rather than a problem to fix, as it’s getting skipped – or I’m going to use it to set fire to the house and claim on insurance.

And then move.

That’s just a bit of rot. Possibly condensation forming under the fridge.

Alien?

Those shoes need some polish.

Leftover curry has burned through the fridge and into the floor.

+1 Condensate dripping down from the underside of fridge onto the floor.

The fridge. Some leak. Others have a drip tray where the condensate eventually evaporates off. Maybe a loose pipe, crack in the bottom plate, or overworked fridge.