# Looking for advice on beams/joists for unique roof...



## vella (May 23, 2008)

This house is pretty simple however the homeowner has a specific roof plan he wants. He saw this on another house and I am trying to match the design. Due to the size of the house (under 1,400), I am trying to keep the cost at a minimum without sacrificing structure. on one side, the roof will basically have a gable over a large open area. How would you design/build the main side gables over the living area? Unfortunately, the homeowner isn't flexible on the 'look'.

I am considering adding a stub wall between the living room / dining room and also between the dining room/kitchen. However adding these walls to hold the beam will definitely affect the interior feel. What size ceiling joists (i-joists) would would I need to handle the gable if I didn't have the beams/stub walls? Fyi, this is in the south so everything is Southern Yellow Pine. If I left out any other details, please let me know.

see attached floorplan and elevations... both very rough at this point.

Thanks in advance. :thumbup:


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## ScipioAfricanus (Sep 13, 2008)

May I suggest you contact an engineer in your area for the beam and lumber sizing?

And I know that this is not your design but the question that comes to my mind is...what were they thinking?

Andy.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Thumbs up for Scipio's answer. If you're just looking for a general idea: http://www.southernpine.com/downloadpdf.asp?filename=ref207.pdf

It's going to be a really big honking beam.


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

Or you could just give it to the truss company to figure out and install fake beams where the HO wants them.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

A big box beam could also handle it. Terrible floor plan for the roof design, or vice versa.


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## vella (May 23, 2008)

ScipioAfricanus said:


> And I know that this is not your design but the question that comes to my mind is...what were they thinking?
> 
> Andy.


If you design homes then you should know that we quite often are 'ordered' to do things that make no sense at all. :laughing:


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## ScipioAfricanus (Sep 13, 2008)

vella said:


> If you design homes then you should know that we quite often are 'ordered' to do things that make no sense at all. :laughing:


I know that only too well.

I had to design a second story addition to a u-shaped house once that made me cry it was so ugly.

Here it is.

Andy.


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## vella (May 23, 2008)

ScipioAfricanus said:


> I know that only too well.
> 
> I had to design a second story addition to a u-shaped house once that made me cry it was so ugly.
> 
> ...


nice! Is that Chief or Softplan you are using? I have been looking into using one of them to start drawing in 3D.


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## knucklehead (Mar 2, 2009)

you can draw the hell out of them,but that don't mean it will work


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## ScipioAfricanus (Sep 13, 2008)

vella said:


> nice! Is that Chief or Softplan you are using? I have been looking into using one of them to start drawing in 3D.


Chief Architect, learn it, love it, live it.

Andy.


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