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bay window - cantilevered joists; nasty floor hump

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Smyrna, TN
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[#1] Posted: 02/11/2012 - 3:54:06 PM
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Hi - We bought our house new in 2001, and since day 1 there has been a pretty large hump in our kitchen floor. A 4' level over the peak leaves a good 1.5" of relief at either end.

A look under the house clearly shows a standard issue with cantilevered joists lifting the problem joist about 1.5" off the footing. The bay window indeed is not a bay wall -- it leaves about 3' between the bottom and the ground.

Question: I can imagine that jacking this thing up and then supporting at some point under the house will ruffle some feathers and mess up the drywall good etc. Would anyone here recommend going this route? How bad does it typically get? I just have no idea what kind of mess i'm going to make if I take the plunge and start gradually jacking it up. To be clear again, this isn't an issue that's grown worse over the years; it's been stable and finishing trim was installed while it was already messed up.

And yes, I was a huge pansy for not being more forceful about getting it fixed before we closed on the house. Was 24 years old and dumb as a wash rag.

Thanks for any advice. I'm new here so hope I'm not breaking any forum norms by posting here etc.!

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Comer, GA
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bay window - cantilevered joists; nasty floor hump
[#2] Posted: 02/11/2012 - 5:12:26 PM
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structural engineer needs to look...too hard to see what you describe.
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Chicago, IL
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bay window - cantilevered joists; nasty floor hump
[#3] Posted: 02/11/2012 - 5:56:57 PM
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Can't say much for sure without seeing good pictures, but you can be reasonably sure that trying to jack it back into position would only bust up the windows, the framing, and everything around it.

Folks think you can jack structures back into place like you're changing a tire......wrong. It just busts up stuff.

Call an engineer if you want, but you don't need an engineer......you need a really good carpenter that can provide useful ideas about how to fix it and what it might cost.


Kurt in Chicago

"If I smell it, it goes in the report".............Phillip Smith...2012


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Lafayette, Louisiana
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bay window - cantilevered joists; nasty floor hump
[#4] Posted: 02/11/2012 - 6:31:32 PM
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Agreed. An engineer will end up being more about taking your money than providing practical options.

Are these engineered joists or sawn lumber? Is there room enough to bring in some additional joists?

Marc

"If Guam gets too overpopulated, it might tip over."
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Denver, CO
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bay window - cantilevered joists; nasty floor hump
[#5] Posted: 02/11/2012 - 9:23:33 PM
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Quote: Originally posted by kelway

Hi - We bought our house new in 2001, and since day 1...


New construction in 2001, or older house but new to you then?

Either way, there's now way to tell from your description. Hire a competent local inspector or framing carpenter.

Garet Denise
www.Cornerstone-Inspection.com

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Victoria, British Columbia
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bay window - cantilevered joists; nasty floor hump
[#6] Posted: 02/12/2012 - 12:04:37 PM
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Are there any cracks caused by the cantilevered area sagging? If so, post some pics.
If not, and you did say the hump was there in 2001, can we assume the floor is stable, not moving? If that is the case, you may simply want to lower the hump and lay down some new flooring. But without more details, it is impossible to be sure. It would be helpful if there was a hole where you could get a camera in for a look at the ends of those cantilevers.

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victoria, bc
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bay window - cantilevered joists; nasty floor hump
[#7] Posted: 02/14/2012 - 08:22:06 AM
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Kurt is right "Folks think you can jack structures back into place like you're changing a tire......wrong. It just busts up stuff." It can be lifted very easily but. You should be removing the drywall and having a look before and after. It's not uncommon for nails to stop the structure from going back to its original location, leaving a space between the framing that will then cause more failure. If possible sheet interior with plywood on the inside to hold it together. The question is why did it sag? was it an addition? over stressing an original cantilever? tie the joists to the sill plate. Good luck

Toronto, Ontario
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bay window - cantilevered joists; nasty floor hump
[#8] Posted: 04/10/2012 - 8:48:35 PM
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cheap and dirty.
1.remove flooring.
2.cut up strips of 1/8", 3/16", 1/2" etc from plywood. Use a level and/or a long straight edge. Glue and screw.
3.Install new hardwood

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bay window - cantilevered joists; nasty floor hump
[#9] Posted: 04/11/2012 - 10:24:33 PM
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Quote: Originally posted by leeboy

Kurt is right "Folks think you can jack structures back into place like you're changing a tire......wrong. It just busts up stuff." It can be lifted very easily but. You should be removing the drywall and having a look before and after. It's not uncommon for nails to stop the structure from going back to its original location, leaving a space between the framing that will then cause more failure. If possible sheet interior with plywood on the inside to hold it together. The question is why did it sag? was it an addition? over stressing an original cantilever? tie the joists to the sill plate. Good luck



When I lived up in the mountains in a 100 year old log cabin, I heard of a fellow that used to replace rotted logs in a cabin by the simply using a few pieces of dry-stacked masonry, as a fulcrum, thereby raising the entire structure enough so slip out and replace the affected log.

I've seen some pretty wicked humps in flooring due to stuff hanging on cantilevered joists.

As far as lifting things back into original position, we did it now and then, but it was always a slow process - a few turns of a screw-jack and then wait for a few weeks before doing it again.

It took time for it to get where it is, and like Kurt said, if you make all of the required adjustment at once - oh yeah, you're going to bust stuff up.

"This above all: to thine own self be true." - William Shakespeare
   
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