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Loft Conversion

Name: gordon colquhoun  City: glasgow

Question: i have horizontical beams that go across my loft, can i raise them to strengthen the roof but also giving me space to work in?

Name: joe | Date: September 14, 2005, 4:32
Answer: Not normally....If this is gable roof, the horizonatl beams are usually there to provide stability to the roof system....They do this by holding the bearing walls for the roof system together and to keep the weight of the roof from pushing them out collapsing the structure....The lower these beams, the more stable the roof...If you raise them you will cause the rafters to be able to carry less structural load and effectively weaken the entire system....There may be alternative practices you could employ, but these would require architect or engineer to employ.