FWIW, I like Zikzak's solution.

If you're going to wait until spring, put a temporary beam under the unsupported joists (2 2x6x8ft nailed together should be sufficient) and two or three posts down to the concrete with wedges hammered under them until snug. Don't lift the joists, just support them. It makes me really nervous the way it is without being able to see the rim joist and how it's fastened.

Use a different inspector in the future.

There really isn't room to get a hammer drill in there to anchor the new header, nor is there any guarantee that the blocks are grouted or capped in a way that an anchor would be useful anyway. That's why I suggested taking the header all the way to the adjacent joists and tying it all together.

N. American building codes contain span and load charts for joists, headers and beams (every state and province has their own version, but they're all pretty similar). If I wasn't sure about a situation I'd open the book and see what the charts said. Generally, if the situation is described by prescriptive code you don't need an engineer. That's the point of having a prescriptive code.

The span over gregorio's window is really small and the joists are deep. Experience tells me that a doubled header of equal depth is more than fine, likely overkill. I don't need to look it up to know for sure.

A question, this may or may not be the ideal place for it.

I would like to wall mount a 50" TV in the lower level of a property. It looks to me like there are three options -- here's a shot of the area in question taken to capture both walls and the ceiling, actual placement would be a couple feet lower:



(1) The ideal placement would be a simple bracket on the brick wall. It wouldn't need to be super adjustable. I don't own a hammer drill (nor have I ever used one AFAIK) so I have no concept of just how annoying/messy it would be.

(2) A ceiling mount could be possible, either from the joist that's up against the wall or the one that's ~ 2' into the room. I've seen brackets that would be mounted on the underside, or at least one option that allows a 90 degree mount, on the side of one of the joists. Some question in my mind as to whether the measurements would allow this option to really work.

(3) I suppose an articulating arm mount would be possible, secured to the drywalled interior wall, assuming I could find the studs. Seems like the least solid option -- it's a LED, not plasma so it's not that heavy, but still.

Opinions? I've just started digging into various youtube videos etc on the subject but figured I'd ask here too before making a decision.

If you can use a regular drill you can use a hammer drill. Find a friend who owns one and borrow it. Cleanup is 5 seconds with a vacuum cleaner. You'll spend at least 10x as much time figuring out where you want the bracket and marking the holes as you will drilling them out.

eta: Try to get at least 2 of the anchors in the mortar. It's stronger than the brick.

Howdy, a screw gun n masonry bit should be fine for that brick. A cheap bit may only last a hole or two though. I haven't personally anchored to those type bricks but would be confident in use lag bolts n lag shields if after drilling and tightening the brick wasnt compromised by cracking or something. And avoid the grout

As a note a hammer drill is more to assist in something you could do with a screw gun, a roto hammer is what will take you beyond a drill n masonry bit

Thanks for the input gents. Watched a few youtube videos, they seem to be pretty evenly split between drilling into the brick or into the mortar.

Since I'm getting my whole place rewired, I'm new also getting new TV hookups that connect to an AV hub. Contractor says 5' above floor is now the standard height for TV hookups. This seems fine for bedrooms, but a little high for a living room. Thoughts?

everything i have read recommends you mount it so the center of the screen is at eye level when seated in your living room. When I mounted my TV i sat comfortably on the couch and had my wife measure eye level to the ground, then mounted the TV so the middle of the screen met that measurement. I don't believe there is any 'standard'.

Seems like at that height if you lean back and put your feet up they will be in your way.

If you put your feet up, your feet should still be lower than your waist or it would be bad for circulation.

But I think having bottom 1/3 at eye level is fine.

my electrician has a sense of humor

tiles!







mosaic will go around bathroom window

I like that mosaic

Ped lav next to the shower? What is that drain pipe sticking up near the wall? I hope all of your plumbing was redone in copper or pex. I see the galvy nipples sticking out and cringed.

There will be a vanity next to the shower. We're using starfire glass enclosure for the shower. I think the pipe on the floor goes where the rag is haging out of the wall; maybe it was removed to install the tile? Pipes are copper behind the drywall, but don't have a picture of that.

That mosaic looks expensive.

Since we're tiling. .. this is in progress, but I'm doing some stuff in our bathroom. It runs about 2.5' up the wall. Yes, that's a row of sea shells. I don't care if that's a little goofy and we are close to the beach.

Wouldn't they be awkward to clean?
Did you used to have a different avatar? I'm not sure if I'm confusing you with someone else.

Hmm, I guess we'll find out. Seems like a big wet sponge ought to be good enough.

I had this avatar first and switch once in a while, but most of the time I have a spinning poker chip with a superman logo.

Ok thanks. You are the person I was thinking of.

Ok, that pipe is just sitting on the floor? I'm glad there is copper in the wall. I have seen great finishes over crap plumbing too many times to count. I would have redone the drains in pvc also while it was down to studs. The tile looks good though.

So I bought a hanging 4x4 storage platform for my garage. It is raised and lowered via hand crank and pulleys. I had two of them I installed in my last house and they are great for items that don't get used often like Christmas **** and some bulkier tools. I loved them at the last place.

Anyway I began installing the new one yesterday. When pre-drilling into the joists for the lag bolts my drillbit punched through after about 2.5 inches or so which puzzled me. It happened on all of them. It was late so I decided to sleep on it and tried to figure out what was going on. At first I thought maybe it was a drop ceiling or else there were 2x blocked on their sides and the joists were running the other direction, but that seemed pretty odd. This morning I decided to cut a hole and look. Turns out it is engineered i beams, not 2x.

My question is will it be safe to hang the storage platform with up to 250lbs from these beams?

Hopefully the code wonks will chime in, but I thought drilling through engineered beams was a no-no.

TJI penetrations are size and location dependent. I've been able to run drain lines through the web up to 2.5" diameter.

For your racks, I would run 2x6 or 2x8 blocking between the joists and lag into those.



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I don't know if you have the same brand of joist, but this may be helpful. You may lag into engineered joists and support pullout.

(the link below may automatically start a download)

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...42059868,d.cGc

As far as holes through the sides of engineered joists go:

http://www.ahjengineers.com/wp-conte...t-products.pdf