What is the proper way to frame in a room? [solved]

Question

lsiunsuex2813 Asked 12 years ago

What is the proper way to frame in a room? [solved]

I'm looking to frame in this room (photo 2) to utilize the space for a 1st floor bathroom / 1st floor laundry room / storage.

I think I have the process down having seen my uncles and brothers houses being built from the ground up. On the 2 interior walls, use 2x8's around the perimeter; the 2 exterior walls, build a 2x4 wall from the concrete slab to the bottom of the 2x8 height of the interior wall. Floor joist across the span, 3/4 plywood over and build the remaining 2x4 wall to the ceiling (all of this after the demo of course)

The brick pillars you see in photo 2 are structural, so I won't be touching those. Photo 4 - the bathroom would be to the right of it and the laundry space to the left. trying to leave the sky light in place.

My problem comes in with the concrete steps in photo 1. I don't want to have to take them out as to not disturb the foundation. I think I can frame around them. If my measurements are correct, I think i can simply fill in the void of the top step (just outside the door) to equal the floor in the house inside the door (which has already been refinished with 18 inch porcelain tile)

I will loose the big interior window (connected to the dining room) but will remove the door and make that the entrance into the room. Photo 2, eventually the window on the right edge of the photo will be taken out and converted into a french door or sliding door to access a new patio (some day)

Is that a suitable plan?

-Mario

Photo 1

photo 1 http://jandmcreative.com/room/photo1.JPG

Photo 2

photo 2 http://jandmcreative.com/room/photo2.JPG

Photo 3

photo 3 http://jandmcreative.com/room/photo3.JPG

Photo 4

photo 4 http://jandmcreative.com/room/photo4.JPG

103

12

couldn't post the rest of the photos - just change the 2 to 1, 3, or 4 in the url... - lsiunsuex 12 years ago

@Mario - you can include your photos inline within the question if you would like. Just look for the insert image button in the toolbar when editing the question. - Jeff Widmer 12 years ago

@Jeff: you can't post images or more than 1 hyperlink until you have 10 rep: diy.stackexchange.com/privileges/new-user - Niall C. 12 years ago

@Mario: I added the images to the post. If you want to move them around, I think you can edit the post and it will keep them. - Niall C. 12 years ago

and now you have 10 rep. - cbrulak 12 years ago

are those steps concrete? I mean, I know its your house and all so you would know best, but they sure look like wooden ones from the photo. - cbrulak 12 years ago

Make sure you check with your local government before starting this project, you may have a few issues with your proposed project. My first concern would be is the concrete slab sufficient to carry the load of the addition. Second it looks like your pretty close to the property line, this might be an issue with adding an addition. Third they will probably consider this an addition, so you will have to follow all local codes accordingly. - Tester101 12 years ago

(this is the back of the house) in photo 2, the part of the house to the right of what i want to work on was an addition also - i once found a photo of the house from years ago and the entire back was a open patio. the steps are concrete (unfortunately in this case) we bought the house last year and the survey said everything was fine with the property line. good point of the concrete supporting the new floor - especially with a washer and dryer on it... just the bathroom i may not be concerned. i'll have to see if the same concrete slab is under the current addition. - lsiunsuex 12 years ago

Are you planning on removing both windows? How about the fireplace? Will this space be heated? Will you maintain insulation between this space and the rest of the house (eg, still having an exterior door in place) or will this really be "part" of the house? Are you planning on making the floor the same level as the floor in the rest of the house (sounds like it, just want to be sure)? Will this room have a new door to the outside? - gregmac 12 years ago

The fireplace, as much as i love it, will be demo'd out. Its not structural either. I will loose both windows - the smaller of the 2 is an Anderson crank, so i will reuse it, in the laundry room. The bigger window will go and be dry-walled over. All 4 walls will be insulated and i'll get rid of the door. A new door will be added in the old addition to allow access to the backyard. The goal yes would be for the floor heights to line up. When we remodeled the kitchen last year, the kitchen floor had a 1.5 inch slope; theres a small step into the dining room. want to avoid this as much as possibl - lsiunsuex 12 years ago

we've done alot of work to this house now - every room as its done gets new doors / windows / electrical / plumbing (if needed) / vapor barrier (6 mil), insulation / mildew resistant drywall / and if appropriate cat5e network (hate wireless) and rg6 cable. as much as the wife and i have cell phones, i run 2 cat5e because cat5e can be re-purposed for land line telephone (never know what a future buyer wants). everything to this point has been demo / remodel - this is our first addition to the house. - lsiunsuex 12 years ago

@Mario: I mentioned the property line because in my area you cannot build within a certain distance from the property line, this was a recent addition to the laws so any previous structure was grandfathered in. But all new construction must follow the new laws. - Tester101 12 years ago

2 Answers Found

Patricia1170 Answered 1 week ago

How To Cut & Install Timber Frame Rafters For A Screen Room

0

Answer this question

Share this Page

Click "Copy this Link" to copy page link to clipboard

score 68 · Accepted Answer

You are going to need to pull permits unless you live somewhere that doesn't have any requirements for them. Since that is probably visible from the road, there is almost no way that code enforcement or one of your neighbors isn't going to see it and report you.

The stairs look like the precast concrete kind and probably are hollow and not attached to your foundation.

The method you are proposing sounds more like building a deck than building correctly for a house. Most likely, to be legal, you'll need to remove the slab and dig down beneath the frost line and build up with poured concrete or with cinder blocks.

If the slab happens go down around the edges far enough to support the weight, fine, but most likely it doesn't. Assuming you don't care about being legal, you could build up a cinder block wall to the height level with the bricks on the existing part of the house, setting them back so that you could brick the new parts at a later date. The bricks from the first place might be enough to recycle. Then build your new walls on top of the cinder block walls.

The nice thing about doing everything legal is that it will let you remove that fire place and any of the columns. That fireplace almost definitely wouldn't be legal for inside use.