you could always use a couple of posts and run a beam perpindicular to the
floor joists, right under the shower and to the wall side of the drain. it
will support that short cut length of the floor joist and take some weight
off the other side. or maybe just put a post under each cut end of the
joist.

also, you can probably still go around it, even if it means using some scaps
as spacers. like this as viewed from top or bottom:


new drain through cut joist
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx O xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx cut joist
xxxxx xxxxxxxx 2x8 spacers
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx new suupport

i cant see exactly what you got, but maybe you dont necessarily need to cut
the pipes, you could just notch the new support and slip it in around the
pipes. sure its not as good as an uncut beam, but its better than
nothing...

lastly, if im reading this right, you're installing a shower stall type deal
where a tub used to be which is why the hole doesnt line up. they make
floor pans just for this purpose with the drain off to the side in the
standard tub location. you might look into this to avoid cutting the joist
in the first place.

randy

"Nick" wrote in message
news
Hi,

My plumber tells me it's OK to take out any one floor joist, is this
true?

The floor right now is 16" on center, span 8'6" joists 2"x8".

He's removing an iron bath and fitting a shower and the drain lands in
a different place.

If I understand right he wants to cut out about 18" from the center of
one joist and add doubled 2"x8" braces before and after to the
neighbouring joists.
I'd have expected to double up the 2 neighbours but he says this isn't
needed. Possibly as it would be a pain in the ass to do as 2 water
pipes pass thru both which I assume would have to be cut and re
sweated.

Thanks

Nick..