My drafter/engineer unsure about Room in attic
My drafter/engineer unsure about Room in attic
(OP)
My drafter/engineer just informed me that He thinks the house we are designing cannot support the room in attic.
It is going to have a gambrel style roof with a reverse gambrel on it. So only the 4 corners are really affected by the slope. He believes that we would need to create load bearing walls on the 2nd floor to bear the load of the attic room with would be a large plus sign 42 feet long and 32 feet wide. I was thinking if we posted around the four corners of the stairs and strung girders to them and tied of those we wouldn't have to create load bearing walls. He is not sure....
Any other options?
Thanks, Holly
It is going to have a gambrel style roof with a reverse gambrel on it. So only the 4 corners are really affected by the slope. He believes that we would need to create load bearing walls on the 2nd floor to bear the load of the attic room with would be a large plus sign 42 feet long and 32 feet wide. I was thinking if we posted around the four corners of the stairs and strung girders to them and tied of those we wouldn't have to create load bearing walls. He is not sure....
Any other options?
Thanks, Holly





RE: My drafter/engineer unsure about Room in attic
RE: My drafter/engineer unsure about Room in attic
RE: My drafter/engineer unsure about Room in attic
Also, did anyone check if the 2nd floor will be strong enough to support the new attic load from the new bearing walls or columns? I wouldn't trust engineering advice from the local building center.
RE: My drafter/engineer unsure about Room in attic
RE: My drafter/engineer unsure about Room in attic
You could look in the Yellow Pages under Engineers, then under Structural Engineers. You probably would want an engineer who is self employed or who works for a smaller firm. Large firms usually are not too interested in small residential projects.
Do you need to get a building permit? If so, you may need to submit plans sealed by a licensed engineer.
RE: My drafter/engineer unsure about Room in attic
Even if using the attic space as living or bedroom quarters was an afterthought, how was your engineer/drafter intending to support the attic floor other than at the perimeter walls anyway? The attic floor would still need support from load bearing walls or posts even if it were being designed for the attic floor loads only. Get yourself an engineer or at the very least a drafter with sound construction experience and then have the drawings reviewed and stamped by a lisenced engineer.