"Alex" wrote in message news:pYSec.756$Rf.5@newsfe1-win...
"Sam Darby" wrote in message
om...

Whilst fitting the waste to our new bath, I noticed that one of the
joists of the bathroom floor is not supported properly at one end -
the brick it should be sitting on has fallen back into the cavity and
is supporting the joist only with its front edge. Difficult to
describe so I've taken a photo (12KB):

http://www.darboss.com/images/joist.jpg

Question is, since this joist is directly under where we are
positioning the new bath, and its a big corner bath, so potentially
quite heavy, should I repair this?

I would myself, that brick doesnt look too secure. Plus all the forces
on it are concentrated onto small corners, which wont help things
survive loading.

If I need to repair it, what would be the best way? I've already had
two suggestions:

1. Support the joist, and refit brick.

2. Don't move anything and add mortar to support the out of place
brick.


I'd feel safer knowing there was a full brick under there, not just mortar.
Proping up the joist needn't be difficult, it is held up by the floorboards
to an extent anyway. Have you got a bit of wood you could knock up
underneath the joist to give temporary support? No need to hire any props or
anything.


Thats what I'd do too. Blob of mortar option is a bodge, sooner or
later the mortar would fail and fall out again.

A length of wood just a shade longer than floor to ceiling can be put
there and banged in a bit to take the strain. Might crack the ceiling
though.


Regards, NT