# perpendicular floor joists. main floor at 90° to the Second floor?



## Stump-Bucket (Apr 20, 2021)

In a nutshell I am presently re-designing a house where is the floor joists are running front to back. And a part of the house, the garage, has a perpendicular roof line and the ridge flows from front to back. So the attic Space being a room should travel perpendicular to the ridge line outside to outside bearing wall? If the first floor joists run front to back would it be unheard of, not done that way or illegal, against code? I can make the first floor joists go in the other direction it has not been built yet. The garage addition is 28' x 28' so there is some flexibility. This house is located in the Northeast, as close to tear down and rebuild as you can get. The only existing construction being used will be the foundation. Walk out basement is good. 
Thank you all for the interest


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Ceiling joists / rafter ties are what need to be perpendicular to the ridge. Floor doesn't matter.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Not so much with floor joists, but part of the function of ceiling joists is to keep the down & out pressure of the roof system from bowing the exterior walls. That's why they are normally at 90° to the ridge and exterior walls.


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## wallmaxx (Jun 18, 2007)

Have you walked through a bunch of structures during the framing stage? I can almost 100% guarantee that joists don’t always run the same direction from floor to floor unless you’re talking about a multiunit structure where everything is a cookie-cutter pattern of the floorplan above and below. 

your post might have better results in our sister site, DIY Home Improvement Forum


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## ScipioAfricanus (Sep 13, 2008)

Drawings?


Andy.


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## G&Co. (Jul 29, 2020)

Doesn't a job like that require an architect or engineer's stamp on the drawings and permit?


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

This can all be done prescriptive.


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## ScipioAfricanus (Sep 13, 2008)

How can any of you guys assume that you understand, with any accuracy what the OP is describing?

Andy.


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## G&Co. (Jul 29, 2020)

hdavis said:


> This can all be done prescriptive.


In my state prescriptive has nothing to do with it. Any framing, never mind "redesigning a house" as the OP put it, requires stamped plans.
Does your state allow this without plans, or are you saying the plans don't need a stamp?


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Assuming is easy.....

I've seen new home builders freak out figuring out a Reno where the first floor framing was turned.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

G&Co. said:


> In my state prescriptive has nothing to do with it. Any framing, never mind "redesigning a house" as the OP put it, requires stamped plans.
> Does your state allow this without plans, or are you saying the plns don't need a stamp?


Prescriptive plans generally don't need a stamp. 100% the case up here.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Prescriptive applies here too, though most municipalities want some sort of drawings to review before issuing a permit. Usually just a tad better than pencil on napkin.


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## Xbuilder69 (Apr 7, 2021)

Most of the time the cj span the short distance between the walls the roof line follows the arch. design, the engineer makes that detail work one way or the other.


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## m2akita (May 18, 2012)

Tinstaafl said:


> Prescriptive applies here too, though most municipalities want some sort of drawings to review before issuing a permit. Usually just a tad better than pencil on napkin.



Yeah. Usually when we are turning something in for permits we will use a pen on the napkin!!

😆 😅 😂


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## Stump-Bucket (Apr 20, 2021)

ScipioAfricanus said:


> Drawings?
> 
> 
> Andy.


Not exactly drawings per se, but I can produce a screenshot perspective. I'm a one armed sketch up guy with high hopes and marginal building skills. Walk out basement 38' x 38' main floor TGI 9" with the perpendicular second floor 10" bottom chord Truss.


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## Stump-Bucket (Apr 20, 2021)

wallmaxx said:


> Have you walked through a bunch of structures during the framing stage? I can almost 100% guarantee that joists don’t always run the same direction from floor to floor unless you’re talking about a multiunit structure where everything is a cookie-cutter pattern of the floorplan above and below.
> 
> your post might have better results in our sister site, DIY Home Improvement Forum


Walk-through and and even had the opportunity to build a few. In my late teens and early 20s I was the thumb sucking sun-0-General contractor and did my best to learn how to contract tradesmen to makes' me look good$. Mostly remodeling stuff that my pop had built Bill 20 years earlier, but some new. Started driving a Computer around 27 and haven't looked back. Since my retirement stroke 5yrs ago lots of jumbled stuff in my thinker  also I might add I have never drawn anything with roof trusses before. The idea is to take some of the weight off design and throw it at engineering. Even though I am no sketch up guru you can, with some planning, put together a nice set of drawings. I have had drawings pass PnZ however, this is a foundation up rebuild when it's all said and done so I'll hire someone to stamp it. Not to mention I'll live in it!
Thanks for your thoughts


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Looks like a building to me.


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