Hi DIYers... I just bought a new (built in 2007) home that is two stories. The whole first floor is solid concrete walls and slab, and the second floor is stick built. There is a "fake" third floor, no stairs or anything going up to it (just a pull-down ladder) ... but there's a large double-window dormer right in front of the house. It's a Kansas City style "shirtwaist" / Craftsman style home with a super awesome front porch.
When I went into the attic, there's literally two real windows in the attic that they just spray painted the windows black. There's a LOT of room up there, and the dormer is quite large. Aside from the fact that I'd need to shore up the floor... there is at least one truss that runs directly down the center of the dormer. Basically imagine that they built the roof and then literally just dropped a dormer on top of it, and then shingled the entire thing. In a situation like this... can I cut that truss and shore it up with brackets and tie it to the other two trusses that are next to it? Are there some guides to structural load that I can look at to make sure I do this properly? Looking to do it all myself (as with everything I do).
Thanks!
When I went into the attic, there's literally two real windows in the attic that they just spray painted the windows black. There's a LOT of room up there, and the dormer is quite large. Aside from the fact that I'd need to shore up the floor... there is at least one truss that runs directly down the center of the dormer. Basically imagine that they built the roof and then literally just dropped a dormer on top of it, and then shingled the entire thing. In a situation like this... can I cut that truss and shore it up with brackets and tie it to the other two trusses that are next to it? Are there some guides to structural load that I can look at to make sure I do this properly? Looking to do it all myself (as with everything I do).
Thanks!