Broken cross tie - is this handyman work?

Question

(a good handyman)  See attached...

Barbara G. · Answer

Sounds like Bob Mason has figured this whole thing out.  Why don't you follow his advice.  Ask for some money and then hire Bob and then have him review the repair for you.

Bill Gulley · Answer

Cross ties?

That looks like a mess, stand back and get a pic of the attic framing so we can see the ends of that lumber, what they are tied into at the rafters. If those were collar ties you have other structural issues.

Can't say if it's a DIY, probably not, depends on your skills of framing and engineering.

New construction, even 100 years ago doesn't have braces running up at angles like those, looks like someone did a lot of quick fixes to weakened rafters. What is the ridge line and decking  look like?

I think I better suggest you get a pro to look at it. Good luck :)

Bob Mason · Answer

That looks like a former homeowner took out some of the chords of the roof trusses to make room for the attic ladder opening and/or a platform for storage. I did an inspection on a house last year with that same type of mess. For the record, it is not safe, nor is it code-compliant. Get a good structural engineer to look at it. You'll need recommendations to repair it. If you haven't bought the house yet, get the seller to pay for the repairs. If you own it, then get an engineer to give you repair recommendations. Fortunately, the repairs are usually not too time-consuming or difficult. Usually it involves sistering 2x4's and/or plywood to connection points in the roof trusses. But getting access to perform the repairs is the hardest part.

Nicholas B. · Answer

@Bill Gulley is probably right about this being a patch job. DIYers often don't realize that roof structures are engineered in a specific way to distribute load. What happens if you change the way that weight is distributed in a way it wasn't intended? BAM! all kids of bad things can happen - including snapped structural members like you're seeing here. Take a look at the connections of the other lumber up there. If you see the joints separating or signs that they're shifting around, it means a bad repair.

If you can get a wider picture, we may be able to determine if that cross brace should be there, if it should be scabbed or removed and if your can fix this yourself or should hire a structural engineer.

Broken cross tie - is this handyman work?

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