Why it's the Casa de Cowboy

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Why it's the Casa de Cowboy

neb

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#281070 28-Jan-2021 09:40

This is the, uhh, lintel over the French doors:

Note also the wiring to the left of the photo, and how it's been put in.

"Replace weatherboard" has now turned into "rebuild half the wall".

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#2643387 28-Jan-2021 09:42

It doesn't look pretty but can you explain what issues would arise from this?

Amanon

neb

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#2643388 28-Jan-2021 09:47

Dulouz:
It doesn't look pretty but can you explain what issues would arise from this?

The lintel is a load-bearing structural element that supports the roof over the 5m span. In this case the load is being supported by the aluminium frame around the French doors, if at all.

Dingbatt

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#2643394 28-Jan-2021 09:57

Was it originally opening into a conservatory? Just looking at the notches in the blocking above the window to bear at the same level as the blocking above the French door. Meaning the door was added later. Very dodgy.

Going to be a decent bit of engineering involved to span 5m with a beam (probably).

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

neb

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#2643402 28-Jan-2021 10:15

Dingbatt:
Was it originally opening into a conservatory? Just looking at the notches in the blocking above the window to bear at the same level as the blocking above the French door. Meaning the door was added later. Very dodgy.

It opens out onto the deck in front of the house, looking at the neightbours' house it would have been a ranch slider at some point that they widened out into French doors, presumably retaining the original short beam off the ranch slider and patching the rest up with 2x4s. The gib over the top is original 1970s stuff, the stuff covering the studs at the side of the French doors is much newer.

Dear God, please let them have put in double studs and not just a single one running up the middle... can't tell until we pull back more cladding whether the notched stud to the centre of the photo is a king stud or just a cripple like the ones next to it.

Builder has asked if he can submit a photo to the builders equivalent of the DailyWT/F.

Bung

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#2643404 28-Jan-2021 10:22

How much do you need to replace? Is there a trimmer stud at the left of the doors that could support a longer (than the useless added 4x2s) lintel?

SATTV

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#2643405 28-Jan-2021 10:24

That is going to be fun.

You might be lucky to get away with LVL but I think the engineer will specify steel.

Best of luck.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

neb

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#2643422 28-Jan-2021 10:47

Bung: How much do you need to replace? Is there a trimmer stud at the left of the doors that could support a longer (than the useless added 4x2s) lintel?

I've left it to the builder to sort out, he seriously engineers everything he does so it'll be not just up to but well beyond spec.

In any case since it's been like this for around thirty-odd years without falling down, and it was supporting the weight of the (now-removed) verandah as well, it's not likely to fail overnight.

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mulac

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#2643435 28-Jan-2021 11:13

I know this feeling so well. People who complain about council inspection requirements haven't been through buying a house like this. Best of luck with the rest of the wall!

neb

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#2643504 28-Jan-2021 12:14

How it should have been in the first place. Double studs at the sides so all OK there.

Bung

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#2643512 28-Jan-2021 12:23

The 5m that you mention is that just the french doors or the entire wall?

I'm going to replace a 2.4m wide window that was put in an addition c 1985. From photos the then owner took during the build the top plate is just doubled over the window. This must have been acceptable then. Even though it's been there 35 years I'll have some height to do something better in case an asteroid hits the roof.

neb

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#2643527 28-Jan-2021 12:48

Bung: The 5m that you mention is that just the french doors or the entire wall?

I'm going to replace a 2.4m wide window that was put in an addition c 1985. From photos the then owner took during the build the top plate is just doubled over the window. This must have been acceptable then. Even though it's been there 35 years I'll have some height to do something better in case an asteroid hits the roof.

It's a single window, double stud, French doors, double stud, and another single window. The largest span is maybe 2.5m over the French doors, about 5m total width.

Not sure if it was acceptable even then... nailed-up 2x4 segments replaced with a 250mm beam and half a ton of batten screws.

gbwelly

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#2643556 28-Jan-2021 13:25

So can that wee dude at the bottom holding it all up have a rest now?

neb

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#2643568 28-Jan-2021 13:32

gbwelly:
So can that wee dude at the bottom holding it all up have a rest now?

He gets a toilet break every six hours, what more do you want?

neb

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#2643848 28-Jan-2021 22:31

mulac:
I know this feeling so well. People who complain about council inspection requirements haven't been through buying a house like this.

Found out earlier on from the neighbour that the construction work was done by a former co-worker of hers' mother and her partner. She suspects they weren't licensed builders. I asked what gave her that idea...

mulac

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#2643864 28-Jan-2021 23:01

Haha brilliant. At least your lintel(s) went the whole way. This was our discovery where somebody had replaced a window. Beautiful work

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