# Need help keeping nice lady in a bathtub from crashing into the dining room below...



## music9704 (Nov 4, 2009)

The only other way I know other, than sister joist, is if you could beam under the joist and drop the ceiling. The problem with that is it's lot of work plus I like high ceilings. Also you may not be able to get positive bearing to floor. Trades will kill you if you don't have good ones.


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## Cjeff (Dec 14, 2009)

Not sure if it would work for you. You can run a strap/cable from the top at one end under the bottom and up to the top at the other end.
I'm thinking that would only work if the notches were near the middle of the span.


Seen a guy do it once with a garage addition. That way no posts were needed. He ran a cable on each side from the top, to a steel rod under the middle and then back to the top on the other end. Put turn buckles on both ends.


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## SAH (May 6, 2010)

Cjeff, the strap or cable would stretch to the point that the joist would just collapse. Really the only solution is to sister the joist with another one the same depth. We've gotten away with ripping 3/4 ply glued and screwed in some load conditions but being that there is a tub and most likely tiles, the weight is considerably more, so I would sister the entire length.

I still say building a bulkhead is most likely the best solution as you really do not want to run down an exterior wall.


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## Panzer5 (Oct 21, 2008)

Thanks to suggestions from the forum (KillerToiletSpider, kevjob, et.al.), I'm going to propose a tray ceiling to the client. That would allow me to repair the damaged joists by sistering them (glued & screwed), then drop the plumbing below the level of the floor joists & hide behind the lowered portion of the ceiling. 

By doing a tray ceiling I think we add visual appeal that allows me to meet code and looks like a deliberate design feature; and one that doesn't detract from the benefit of having a high-ceilinged dining room.

My initial idea of dropping the drain down an outside wall & insulating the heck out of the cavity won't work anyway. The drain centers between joists which terminate at the wall above a large window. 

Gonna see if I can turn this pile of manure into a rose garden. Just hope the client is willing to pay for the additional improvements. (I'm not charging her anything for my time to repair the mess.)


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## SAH (May 6, 2010)

Tray ceiling is an excellent idea, hides it but gives the room more appeal.


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## Cjeff (Dec 14, 2009)

Lemonade from lemons


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## MarcD (Sep 18, 2009)

Wow that is ugly looking, Why not go right down the wall ?? 

Is that plywood over the concrete floor also ?

I would redo the plumbing down wall to the right of the trap, tear out the rest of that portion of dining room ceiling and sister the whole span of joists. also add some more studs in the dining room wall to help with the sisters.

That plumber just created a future problem for her.


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