Badly supported upper wall - cost to insert better support?

meanmum

We looked at a 30s semi with the 2 main reception rooms knocked through more than 20 years ago. There is a visible wooden beam in the ceiling, but no piers left in the walls, so we presume the beam is resting on a single thickness of brick. There is an internal brick wall dividing 2 bedrooms above the beam, which stops at ceiling height (no wall in loft). On one side of this wall, the bedroom floor (& ceiling below) have dropped by up to 2 inches. There is no visible cracking on the ceiling or around the beam, so it looks like there has been no recent movement.
How much of a job is this likely to be to rectify? I guess we'd need building regs & thus architects drawings, maybe piers & padstones to support a new RSJ? And then rebuild the ceilings, upstairs wall and wooden floor? Sounds expensive.......maybe even more than it would be to do the job properly in the first place?

phill99

To cost it you would need to get an engineers (NOT architects) report and schematics. This will specify what is actually needed. This will then need to be given to builders to quote.


There is no point asking random well intentioned strangers on the internet about prices as the range will be massive.

Doozergirl

As above.

It's unlikely to all need rebuilding.

Joists can be jacked up, rebedded etc. But if it isn't moving, it can also be left.

Too many variants, really, depends on necessity, budget and will.

meanmum

Thanks, good points. I suppose what I want is a likely worst case so I can see if the vendor is likely to come down by at least that much, before spending money on a full structural report......good point that it doesn't need doing straight away, but would eventually.

casper_g

I don't see anyone saying it doesn't need doing straight away - it may be very urgent. Perhaps it will fall down tomorrow! This is unlikely though if the works were done 20 years ago.

But anything that is done should be done carefully and after obtaining professional advice. Rushing into ill-considered works could make matters worse not better.

meanmum

"But if it isn't moving, it can also be left" seemed to be a suggestion that it didn't need doing straight away. It's been this way for at least 17 years, so unlikely to suddenly collapse. But I'd still want it doing!
Of course I would get professional advice, starting with a full structural report Just scoping the likely costs at this stage to see if it's even remotely viable.........before considering forking out £1000 on a structural engineer.

phill99

An engineer should cost you half of that!

Doozergirl

meanmum wrote: »

"But if it isn't moving, it can also be left" seemed to be a suggestion that it didn't need doing straight away. It's been this way for at least 17 years, so unlikely to suddenly collapse. But I'd still want it doing!
Of course I would get professional advice, starting with a full structural report Just scoping the likely costs at this stage to see if it's even remotely viable.........before considering forking out £1000 on a structural engineer.

You misunderstood.

I said 'as above' with regard to support. ie. Structural engineer for the builder to know what is necessary.

Leaving it was in relation to straightening things out. If it is isn't moving (ie. Supported) then something wonky is no longer structurally unsound and it isn't imperative to straighten things out perfectly.

How much you do depends on what is practical, afordable or how far you want to go with it. There are many variants but what you suggest would be pretty unusual.

Astructural engineer is not £1000. Are you confusing the specialist with a general buildings surveyor/survey?