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Russellville, Tn
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Support beam over front door
[#2] Posted: 06/21/2011 - 4:16:13 PM |  |  |
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I have no idea what the header is over the opening but it appears to be a new door set with side lights, so one would assume the header is solid. Unless the door was sticking or you saw actual deflection there would be nothing to report. Unless, you made a comment about checking for permits for the renovation, which you should have done.
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Victoria, British Columbia
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 Support beam over front door
[#3] Posted: 06/21/2011 - 4:33:36 PM | | |
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I personally would not accept it in my own house. I would prefer to see a beam on either side of the door frame.
We don't know what is behind the drywall. It could be a steel I beam, but I will bet it is not. Also, a 1" drop in the middle of a floor is more than I could live with. So it would go into my report as something that might not be built to reasonable standards, could become a problem. How I word it would depend on what else I saw there.
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Lafayette, Louisiana
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Support beam over front door
[#4] Posted: 06/21/2011 - 4:45:40 PM | | |
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From the dimensions of the room, can you guess whether the 2nd story floor joists are parallel to or perpendicular to this beam over the front door?
Marc
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Support beam over front door
[#5] Posted: 06/21/2011 - 4:49:21 PM | | |
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| Quote: Inspected this 2 story masonary constructed home Masonary is not a real word.
Quote: The issues I have are with the sagging floors on the second floor. The floors have sagged mainly in the center about an inch, which i consider to be normal for this age house. A suspended wood floor structure sagging to the center of its span is very rarely an issue. When that period home was built, lumber was not usually sized to eliminate deflection.
Quote: The problem is with the support beam that carrys the load for the 2 floor that ends over the front door in the living room, is this acceptable?? If there is nothing visible from the exterior, then you are correct to be concerned about the support over that hideous door assembly. Unless there is proof that the opening was not enlarged for the installation or a design professional was involved with the remodel, there needs to be some invasive evaluation.
John wrote:Quote: Finally, a 1 " drop in the middle of a floor is more than I could live with. So it would go into my report as something that might not be built to reasonable standards, could be a problem. I don't think I've ever seen a suspended wood-structure floor NOT sagging in a building built 90 years ago or more. Only one inch is damn close to perfectly level in my world.
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| Bill Kibbel, Historic & Commercial Building Inspections - Old House Resources |
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Lexington, KY
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Support beam over front door
[#6] Posted: 06/21/2011 - 5:44:18 PM | | |
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That is one ugly-ass door.
I don't think the age of the house is important RE the sagging floors, 'cause the beam was installed post-construction. Someone has done something stupid, and I'd recommend finding out what that something was.
Who's ever seen an exposed, original beam installed above the front door of a 90-year-old house?
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indy, IN
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Support beam over front door
[#7] Posted: 06/21/2011 - 7:07:06 PM | | |
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It looks to me like a wall was removed during the recent remodel or "flip" because it wasn't pleasing to the designer.
Was the door there before?
Does the masonry look "cut" around the door?
Does the masonry look reworked?
Is the "beam" below the joists or are the joists hung on the beam? If the joists are on the "beam" I'd be concerned that it's only 6-8" (?) tall.
What is the beam made of ? 2x6,8,10,12 ? LVL? Steel ?
How much load is that beam carrying?
Are there permits on file?
How long ago was the work done?
These are all questions that ran through my mind when I saw the pictures.
I agree with the invasive investigation approach on this one.
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Chicago, IL
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Little Rock, AR
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Support beam over front door
[#9] Posted: 06/21/2011 - 7:24:30 PM | | |
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Your 1st pic seems to show an enclosed "column" that interrupts -- and possibly supports -- the beam with the end which ultimately rests over the front door. It would be good to know what the distance is between that supporting "structure" (encased in drywall) and the front door header. If it's pretty short, you may not have an issue at all.
And I'd agree that a 1" deflection across anything approaching the full length of a floor of a home that age is nothing to worry about.
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Kevin
"Politicians are interested in people. Not that it is always a virtue; fleas are interested in dogs." P.J. O'Rourke
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Victoria, British Columbia
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Gaston, Oregon
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Support beam over front door
[#11] Posted: 06/21/2011 - 7:54:20 PM | | |
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Interesting range of opinions about sagging floors. I see lots of homes from the teens & twenties. Those in the City of Portland, where I'm doing most of my inspecting these days, never have any significant sag. They feel as solid - sometimes more so - than modern homes.
Drive out to the boonies, though, and the story is different. The second floors there feel like trampolines and look like something you'd see at the skateboard park.
Dare I guess that Russellville, TN qualifies as the boonies?
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Jim Katen, Oregon
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Chicago, IL
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Support beam over front door
[#12] Posted: 06/21/2011 - 7:58:39 PM | | |
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The times I've been in Portland, I've always been amazed @ the quality of the lumber. Tight vertical grain old growth material.
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Kurt in Chicago
"If I smell it, it goes in the report".............Phillip Smith...2012
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