Browse Forums Owner Builder Forum 1 May 28, 2014 4:05 am Hello All, Need to lower my wet areas(bath , laundry , toilet)at the rear of proposed extension. I will be using bearer and joist on brick piers ,with platform flooring on the main deck and wet areas . Wet area floor level R/L , is 200 mm lower. so- Q. Would it be simply a matter of increasing last bearer size to 200 deep and reducing pier heights as required across the wet areas? The main deck bearers are 90 x 63 H2 lvl, joists are 90 x 45 H2 lvl and same for wet areas. Also will i need a double, 200 mm bearer at the step down or just increase width to help with rotational forces if any, possibly use blocking and straps and frame anchors for support and fixing Any thoughts or info ? Ty wobbly1 Design from top down to ground , build from ground up Re: Reduced Level, RL's 3May 28, 2014 10:39 am Hi Stewie D, Its a skillion extension (which i thought would be easier for me to build). 1.5 degree roof wiith a 7.5metres run or lenght of roof and a fall 196mm. So by stepping down the wet areas 200mm retains a wall height of 2400 on outer wall. So its kinda like a split level , but just a step down Design from top down to ground , build from ground up Re: Reduced Level, RL's 4May 28, 2014 3:22 pm Personally I'd want to keep it all the same floor level. Split level homes can be a pain ( I've lived in a couple ) unless the site is sloping which is a different ball game entirely. Without seeing your floorplan or elevations, is there any way you can get a pitched roof on the new part ? They really are pretty easy to build if it is as rectangular or square extension. Stewie Re: Reduced Level, RL's 5May 28, 2014 4:21 pm Ty Stewie D, Agree with what your saying. But as the plans are in to council for the da application, its too late to change too trusses and pitched roof. Unless of course they knock it back. Perhaps then i will redesign for a pitched roof. Initially as i am a first time owner builder i felt more confident of constructing a skillion roof (colourbond) and cutting it into the existing tiles. This of course has left me with a clearance issue because of the fall in the roof. So i now need a split level although not much and is the bearer method an acceptable method ? Is it possible to email the plans and elevations to you , if so and you have the time it would be much appreciated. Ty wobbly Design from top down to ground , build from ground up Re: Reduced Level, RL's 6May 28, 2014 4:28 pm Sure. I'll send you a PM. I'd just use 100 x 75 F11 or whatever the LVL equivalent is for the bearers. What does the engineers drawing say ? There must be a couple of sections showing where the old meets new etc. Stewie Re: Reduced Level, RL's 7May 28, 2014 6:04 pm the draughtsmans drawings are lacking detail, seems it got too hard for him as well. maybe i'm just being overly worried and need a chill pill, but don't want to make a big dollar mistake if ya get me drift Design from top down to ground , build from ground up Re: Reduced Level, RL's 8May 29, 2014 11:35 am I had a look at your plans this morning, I can't make out much detail as they are in a pretty low-rez format but I can make out some of the sections, elevations and piering/footing plan. Getting back to your opening question I'd say where the stepdown in height occurs you'd just run the brick pier through at the lower height and pack the bearer as necessary seeing as the bearers run left to right. This line of piers would have two bearers resting on it - one at the lower level and the other packed up 200mm ( unless you build two separate piers next to each other ). All the bearers for the lower wet area would be at this height and all the others for the top area would be at the higher level. Hope that makes sense. The joists could be used to tie the sub-floor framing together. As long as you respect the tie-downs and ant-capping when you do it. Stewie Re: Reduced Level, RL's 9May 29, 2014 1:24 pm Something like this... 100 x 50 joists over 100 x 75mm bearers. Ant caps and tie-downs not shown. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ 100 x 100mm blocking for the top bearer and run a bolt through the lower joist up through the top bearer to tie it together. Stewie Re: Reduced Level, RL's 10May 29, 2014 2:47 pm Ty Stewie D Is that the traditional method, as it seems a little busy with the extra bearer, blocking and bolts you suggest. If i was replace the two bearers with one 200mm deep and use joist framing brackets for the lower deck seems more simplistic. And would require less bolts, although longer ones to get through the bottom wall plate 45mm / 20 mm yellow tongue 90mm joist and the 200 bearer under it. Could use all thread bar though. So this is what i am wanting to do. Does your solution add anymore strenght rigidity or is what the inspectors want to see? ty for havin a go at it , wobbly Design from top down to ground , build from ground up Re: Reduced Level, RL's 11May 29, 2014 8:57 pm With sub-floor frames I always liked a joist or a bearer sitting on top of the plate/pier/wall and not relying on brackets or anything else. More personal choice than anything. With the bolts I'd only bolt every second or third one so across that bearer you'd only use maybe six at the most. The inspectors and I assume engineer as well like things like tie-downs/hold-downs, bracing etc. Either way I'd imagine would be acceptable. You could even get rid of the top bearer and cut a block for every joist off the bottom bearer, nailed to the side of the bottom joists. It would still achieve the same result. Stewie Re: Reduced Level, RL's 12May 30, 2014 2:33 am Again Stewie D, a big ty. i think i will get some sketches together and post up do you think more detail should have been provided by the designer. ty wobbly Design from top down to ground , build from ground up Re: Reduced Level, RL's 13May 30, 2014 8:06 am I don't know which council or state ( I'm guessing Vic. ) you are in but here when I submit a DA ( apart from all the elevations, site plan etc ) all I have to do is provide a few sections through showing the general method of construction. After the DA is approved when we apply for the CC we also have to have engineers drawings that show all the detailed stuff so he is the guy who provides that. Your designer has already provided quite a bit of detail from what I can see. More the better though and for the average professional builder who has experience he/she would just build it as per the standard way so wouldn't need any more details shown. Stewie Re: Reduced Level, RL's 14Jun 21, 2014 6:30 pm Ty for all replies, Finally got decent brickie out to take a look at the job. He was helpful and listened to what i was needing to achieve with the reduced levels. He offered solutions and alternatives. And as suggested by you Stewie , he will do piers with step in them , giving support to lower the bearer runs by 2 or 3 three brick courses. ty wobbly Design from top down to ground , build from ground up Re: Reduced Level, RL's 15Jun 21, 2014 6:44 pm Have you considered reducing the ceiling height at the eaves to say 2200mm to eliminate the step down. The NCC/BCA does allow ceilings to drop below 2400mm (down to 2100mm) provided it is only over a small area i.e. less than 20% & the average must be 2400mm or greater so you would need a raking ceiling starting higher than 2400mm. You may also get dispensations if it is not a "habitable room". Toilets, laundries & bathrooms are not considered "habitable" rooms and you may be able to have 2200mm ceilings in these areas. T Re: Reduced Level, RL's 16Jun 22, 2014 7:01 am Ty Beetaloo. If only the bloke who drew up the plans had any idea of this at the start of planning, It would have been so much easier and less stress. As its planned now, is to block up on above top plates of existing exterior wall approx 150mm, run out 5 meters, 1.5 degree roof pitch , giving a fall of 130mm. This way keeping the 2400mm in the living areas. So I see what you are implying with the 20% roof/ceiling ruling and may be able to increase my fall to 200mm, giving a roof pitch of approx 2 degrees. Ty wobbly Design from top down to ground , build from ground up Re: Reduced Level, RL's 17Jul 12, 2014 2:46 am think i have the pics ready for upload, showing the step down for the reduced levels. Q Does it look like a normal building practice method doing it this way? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ and Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Design from top down to ground , build from ground up First time building 2 storey home, is under construction (in Framing stage) in NSW. I have 3 toilets and need bidet spray in… 0 16848 isn't a garage level with the rest of the house a given? pretty sure they 'came around' long time ago. if you have a flat block, the garage is usually level with the rest… 1 17511 they can, it's a fairly standard solution when the slab isn't recessed. the falls need to be in the main floor, if it hasn't been done then you need to ask them to redo… 4 6579 |