How Structural Engineering Affects DIY Projects

How a house is structured makes all the difference when it comes to DIY renovation. In this video, watch us rebuild the ceiling even when the house is totally crooked!
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Produced by: Home Renovision DIY 2020
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Disclaimer:
Videos produced by Home Renovision are provided for informational purposes only. All material provided within this website is for informational, educational, & entertainment purposes only. Some of these projects, materials, and techniques may not be appropriate for all ages or skill levels. The DIY instructions used here are used to simply breakdown projects to their simplest steps. Please use a clear mind and use all safety precautions while following the tutorials provided by this site. Home Renovision does not make any claims of the safety of the projects, techniques, or resources listed on this site and will not take responsibility of what you do with the information provided by this site. Viewers must be aware by doing projects on their homes they are doing it at their own risk and Home Renovision cannot be held liable if they cause any damage to their homes. With different codes around the world and constantly changing standards, regulations and rules, it is the sole responsibility of the viewer to educate themselves on their local requirements before undertaking any sort of project. That being said Home Renovision cannot claim liability with all applicable laws, rules, codes and regulations for a project. Be safe, have fun renovating and ALWAYS stay informed with your local building code.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

If you end up tackling a huge project consider joining as a member. I have an app that you can use to call me direct for help and I guarantee to answer questions posted by our members. Cheers! Just hit the join button or check the description of the video for the link

[@WhiTiger]

Membership is so worth it! I recommend that anyone who is tackling a DIY renovation project subscribe to the membership.

[@habaneropepper4156]

Awesome DIY! I am in the middle of a home reno nightmare. Own HVAC company so plumbing and electrical no problem but have questions on structural stuff. Your videos are great!

[@saticharlie]

super video, my dad and i are not rich, but we build new cabin and renovate old appartment, your tips are super usefull

[@nick_romeo]

seriously best videos on youtube when it comes it renos amazing that you offer a way to get a hold of you!

[@seane105]

Home RenoVision DIY I need a good small contractor like you! I wish you were in nyc :-(

[@leelipinski4667]

Geoff. I Loved this video. For me, I found this video to be a "real life" video. You didn't have it all planned and edited to be perfect first time. It was real time conversion. Having the structural engineer there with his own thoughts not scripted was brilliant. It's just how jobs go in real life. Loved this and looking forward to next video. Thanks for sharing

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

LOL, we never scripty anything. But I agree the interaction was great to have. perhaps more trade pros in the future. Cheers!

[@rkalla]

100% agree

[@markharmon4963]

Plain talk.

[@animalevictionservicesllc4391]

I found this video and did the ceiling in my bedroom. Hired an engineer and did it all myself. I had to raise the floor to the level of the rest of the house because I was having moisture wick up through the ground. The ceilings were way low so I did it almost exactly the way you did this one. I had to add in all types of support like lateral braces and another top plate along with supports where the gable vent used to be as well as collar ties of course. This video gave me the motivation so I am glad I found it. Thanks

[@Thegbiggamerz]

Hey how would you evict a racoon, serious question.

[@johncocktosensen]

Funny- I’m about to do both the floor lift and the ceiling, too. Any chance you’re also a youTuber and made a video about raising your floor? cuz I could really use that 😹

[@azrahostetler571]

@@Thegbiggamerz put some apples in a trap

[@jesusc2me]

@@Thegbiggamerz strobe light

[@juanitawatson596]

That's great!

[@ChadAmI80]

LOVE! This video is so helpful with our VERY early planning to finish the attic space in our "new" 1940 house. I now feel more comfortable when we eventually have the engineer come out to discuss our options.

[@shawnlucas3330]

Wow nearly 3/4 million subscribers and you still read every comment. I’ve been binge watching your videos and I can’t believe how much knowledge you have I am in awe. Your videos are fun enough that I can watch the 1.5 - 2.5 hour ones in one sitting no problem. Learning so much!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers Shawn, Happy to help!

[@jamesfranks6819]

Love this video. My great grandpa built a cabin in the 50s that has the same style roof. He upcycled wood from a job he demolished so the wood is over 100 years old. This video is so helpful and answered many questions I had about the same issues.

[@jhagen4850]

I really love this video. I'm currently remodeling an 80 year old house doing the same thing. I really like the style here and how you talk through each problem. Having worked on several very old homes I completely agree with your advice to stick with the original technology. The conversation with the structural engineer was really helpful. Thanks for the great work!

[@bloodgt3]

11:53 dude almost went super sayan

[@holyfreakinguacamole]

😂😂😂 I repeatedly hit your time marker. Wow that was funny.

[@TokiSamurai]

KAME HAME HAAAA

[@stable9010]

*Grows full head of golden, spiky hair, while the air rushes all around making a whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh noise*

[@victorrodriguez5194]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@LSpalla]

im dead with this comment hahaha

[@jfkansas5508]

This old Canadian House, S1 episode 1.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

LOL, I love it! Cheers!

[@swampjoe1985]

We're gonna do this from the ooootside lol

[@ralphchurch7]

Eh?

[@jrs277]

Hey Jeff, I would like to thank you for your amazing channel. I started last year watching it and getting ready to renovate my basement. We (me and my wife) started in March, and in between work, kids and graduation, today we called it DONE!!! From demolition to new drywall, taping, mudding, sanding, and painting, we have a new basement. This including your techniques and materials suggestions. Once again, thank you!!! Now, we will get ready for the porch in the backyard next summer. And, if we are comfortable, we will renovate our washroom.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

That sounds like a solid plan. Congratulations. Cheers!

[@daveo.5479]

Watching you helps motivate me on my renovation. I am renovating a gutted 1937 Foursquare by myself and have been running out of steam.

[@DaveMillman]

11:45 Introducing the one-handed human roof jack, with optional mega-thrust off hand power nailing! That move was unreal.

[@cuttheknot4781]

paleeez!

[@jeremycash1990]

Would have been 1000 times easier if he put a screw left out an inch in the old rafter and used a flat bar to raise the new 2x4 even with the old one. The way he did it he only got x2 leverage, my method gets x10 leverage.

[@dylancooper8497]

​@@jeremycash1990 Wouldn't it be more in line with the old rafter if you were to leverage off of the floor below you? Also shouldn't he have jacked up that new rafter a little higher for the 2nd nail, looks like that would be a reason for the 2x4 to warp

[@Eric-ib9cn]

Just bought my first house built in 1893...This video was immensely useful! Most of what i have watched on this channel was all new construction, and while also helpful doesnt allow the chance to show tricks like this. Thank you! and please keep more of these coming with the old stuff, Ive got a LONG road ahead of me:)

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Hi Eric, we just finished shooting video of insulation and vapor barrier on this old beast. I am sure it will come in handy. Cheers!

[@douglasg14b]

I need more content like this, remodeling old houses, and the methods employed to do so.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

we have a series on our kitchen renovation done in this house coming soon. Cheers!

[@mandingoteck]

I couldn't agree more. This was excellent.

[@douglasg14b]

@@HomeRenoVisionDIY Awesome! You all are doing great work here.

[@mrgreenthumb5228]

@@HomeRenoVisionDIY hey need some advice on my porch its a two storie family struggling

[@brentmwil]

Thank god for you Jeff. I googled "how to vault a ceiling" and a video with some random lady popped up. She pretty much just told me to talk to an engineer (which i was obviously already going to do) and showed the end result. This video was recommended and ive watched many of your videos in the past. You have a how to for everything, you are doing a great service!

[@jharr03f]

I just have to say, I absolutely love watching your videos. I don't always learn something I'm going to use, but so many people call me now to ask for advice or to flat out do little projects for them. I'm constantly telling people I don't really know what I'm doing, but so far I haven't bitten off more than I could chew. I'm about 90% self-taught from books and KZbin; thanks for the great content!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers Ty! Nice to be Handy!

[@mjs3343]

The structural engineer can analyze various suggested solutions and then identify the details of each, which can then used to estimate costs and other impacts. I was a structural engineer, recently retired. Designing houses was always fun since we like architects and their unusual and creative building configurations.

[@oldowl4290]

Do you ever take on side work and can you stamp only in one state or several. I need an engineer for a small house I recently purchased. Its a basic rectangle with a 4/12 roof and I want to raise about 1/3 of the roof up to 12 feet with clerestory windows and a flat roof (slightly sloped for drainage). I also do CAD and 3D modeling so I can easily submit renderings and DXF or DWG files.

[@SBuchan]

I had an image of Jeff falling through the floor when he finished demonstrating the strength of the new collar tie and dropped to the floor haha great content as always!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

It is surprising that the house is a s solid as it is considering how old it is. Wet wood that can dry in a decent amount of time will always hold up well. Cheers!

[@lucash1980]

@@HomeRenoVisionDIY Especially that old growth lumber, it is tough stuff! I break lag bolts in it if I don't pre-drill and I can hear my drill bits crying when I pre-drill too. New lumber is like playdoh in comparison.

[@christiansantos7164]

You’ve made my project so much easier! I’m popping the ceiling on a 1930’s shot gun house. The structure is very similar! Not going full vault will save so much time and material!!

[@anthonygoodrich6487]

Awesome. Second vid I've watched today on this house (1st was insulation) and this perfect with what I was telling my wife the other day I want to do in our upstairs. Thanks

[@c31979839]

Great video. Really enjoyed watching all of the problem solving you had to go through to get you to the end result! Can't wait for the next video!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers , we thought folks might enjoy seeing some of the creative process we are going through.

[@wormfighter1]

I wish you would have had some before and after shots of this space. I love your videos, they are very informative and by watching a lot of your videos you helped me remodel my bathroom and kitchen. I did them myself and I was able to save a lot of money in contractor costs. I kept looking at the wall paper thinking, that wall paper is all over the studs and outside wall was there no insulation ??

[@johnjames5020]

Such a pleasure to watch and very informative. Especially like the tips about thinking the entire project through to save on labor and material. 9ft vs 9.5ft.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

looking ahead can definitely save a lot of money. Cjeers!

[@57guitar1]

Just went through this on a 1870 home. We did put in a lam beam, metal plates, hurricane clips, and ties under the beam to tie it all together. Major overkill but it will never move even with snow load. Some areas we ignored level because it made it look awful. The drywall process was a nightmare but final product looks pretty straight. Fun stuff!

[@harveyhudspeth6824]

I’ve had to straighten a 2 story house that the homeowner removed all the collar ties for headroom in his attic , also balloon framed , the exterior walls on 2nd floor had kicked out about 5” @ 6’ , I had to cut the nails and pull studs in with cables while jacking the ridge beam up all from the attic , most people don’t realize you need the extra support before removing those ties !

[@impactodelsurenterprise2440]

Is it possible to straighten brick walls though?

[@harveyhudspeth6824]

@@impactodelsurenterprise2440 I would think so , it’s nothing I would attempt

[@bertrandducouedic8621]

Great job as always. I wish we could have seen an "introduction" with you of the house and roof...???

[@imranh5395]

A priceless conversation with the engineer. Thank you for sharing!

[@jamesgallagher4655]

Great thought process regarding the material dimensions with the loss of only 6 inch of headroom. Love it Jeff thankyou.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

always consider the whole cost of a project to determine ROI! Cheers!

[@billsmith9249]

I always thumb's up your video's before I even watch them just because I know you know what you're doing and talking about. :)

[@thepastorvan]

Why not leave the old collar ties in place while you install the new ones to ensure that you don't cause any extra bow in the roof due to lack of support?

[@zteaxon7787]

Big point

[@firealva41]

That’s what I was thinking

[@SEaudiofan]

And you could leave the horizontal 2x4 support on one side, and still placed the ties up, imo. And I wouldn't use electrical boxes that are that shallow, I'd use deeper boxes fastened to the sides of the ties. But that's just me

[@andrewcavanagh3463]

Great video! My home is 135 years old and this provided a lot of needed information for my attic area!

[@lakecityransom]

11:25 it is cool figuring out all the little tricks of using different types and combinations of leverage to get things done much easier. Pry bars, vice grips and even a humble piece of scrap wood are great tools.

[@user-sk2bs1of6x]

Roof vent baffles was supposed to be installed between each rafter before the insulation and plastic so the roof can breath from the eaves to the ridge cap Or it is not necessary???? Im not a builder but i have heard its necessary for air circulation under the roof deck to eliminate Roof overheat / prevent mold build up/helps ice melt down /roof shingles lasts even more But you are the expert sir Just a question !

[@ncooty]

@4:50: Seems like you could put a metal-cutting blade in your reciprocating saw, slip the blade between the stud and other structures, and just cut the nails.

[@TheRebelmanone]

@Michael Fresh Not necessarily, i use the saw and can cut the nails without cutting the wood siding. You need to know how to angle and also use the right length blade. You just don't have enough experience with a sawsall if you don't think it can be done.

[@tomhollins9266]

I like how you explained the WHY of the decisions and options. I like the hacks of re-aligning the compromised roof.

[@teddahrable]

Yeah ... HACKS. I know my handle is misleading here, but I'm a journeyman carpenter, a journeyman plumber, hold a third year electrical apprenticeship, and a second year HVAC apprenticeship. I got all of that so I could ACTUALLY do complete renovations, safely, properly. I've done Reno's for over 30 years and there is NO WAY IN HELL I would leave compromised framing members in a wall and just scab on a few feet of 2x4 (AND constantly refer to them as 2x2s). Also, I don't think I've seen anyone on a job site wear their aprons in the front in 20 years. I know I haven't since I was 17. Gets in the way when framing, roofing, even siding if you're bending. I'll give him kudos for siding and tile work, though, except when he through the trash he cut out his mirror opening into the wall cavity. That's exactly what I want a contractor doing.

[@windyloweryking1826]

So thankful for all the new videos to watch while I'm recovering from wisdom teeth removal. Keeps my mind active and I love learning new things!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers Windy, I hope you have a speedy recovery without any complications. Take care!

[@cuttheknot4781]

Who has to "recover" from having wisdom teeth removed? Are you a Loony liberal? You know; a precious snowflake...give me a break.

[@windyloweryking1826]

@@cuttheknot4781 as someone with EDS, yes, I needed to recover because it's different for me than others. Troll somewhere else, your hatefulness is just a waste of time. KAG 2020

[@beeonthyme5760]

I had all 4 pulled at once. It does take time to recover. There was no KZbin in those days. I read 2 entire books in one day. Because you can't jostle around or your sockets bleed!!! I'm old now and just love watching these videos. I have an old house, and wish I was young enough to do all the stuff he does.

[@pizzawarlord9232]

“You should not be able to rip apart your house with your bare hands folks” He sounded like Red Green 😂😂

[@BrianLChristopher]

I thought the same thing. “Remember, if women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.”

[@Bansheekilr]

“You should not be able to rip your house apart with your bare hands” Struggles and doesn’t actually rip off the piece.

[@lucash1980]

@@Bansheekilr My thoughts exactly. He couldn't even move it with his "big tool" demolition hammer. That wood may look ugly, but that old growth seasoned wood is skookum as frig. Just make sure the leak is fixed, patch it up, sister in a few new pieces and keep it dry and happy for the next 80 years. It will outlive you for damn sure.

[@vorant77]

My OCD kicked in and I can't focus on anything other than all that deteriorating wood that should be replaced...

[@Kinghavs]

Thats what im thinking.. but i guess this isnt anywhere near ny and they prob have diff standards

[@arthurheine6522]

I do the back of the hammer trick. if a swing takes out a chunk, she has to go. if she leaves a dent and isnt moldy, good! lol

[@philmoore71]

this was so great, esp to include the engineer discussion. well explained and demo'd I had a shock when you said you were going to cut out all those cross pieces ... but then you individually measured them :)

[@mikedavidson7470]

I needed this 3 years ago when redoing my kitchen or 2 months doing any room. Still working on it and my redo it, the right way! Thanks!!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Glad it was helpful!

[@murraymetcalf-CA]

14:08 "Depends on the engineer. Depends on where you live. And sometimes just depends on on how the sun was shining that day!"" GREAT LINE!

[@exnjute]

Also depends on if he had a fight with his wife last night.

[@colleenlassie2600]

You are the one that is Awesome!! ha did you just raise your roof with one hand.. lol leverage.. it's a good thing.. love your channel.. thanks for all the great videos !!

[@adamizerentertainment6632]

U taught me a thing or two!! Thank u!Got a 80 plus yr old house I’m working on with 2*4 rafters that are busted.. I got a great how to now!

[@lornes7526]

I bought one of these balloon frames houses an hour east of Ottawa. 3 years, 6 20 ton Jack's, lally columns, cases of construction adhesive, and a few cases of nails, I leveled the foundation, replaced the sill plate, sistered the bottom 2 feet of the wall studs, replaced and levelled all floor joists on both floors and attic trusses, replaced main and upper floor beams, made the main floor open floor plan. Relocated and replaced stairs, windows, subfloor and flooring. It was the most brutal and frustrating project I've undertaken, but the ROI was really good.

[@kaycox5555]

You are a hard working man - who's an excellent teacher - thanks!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers!

[@CuddaBrown]

That's a high ceiling.. gonna be a sight to see

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Just got the new windows in and it looks awesome.Cheers!

[@riatimmermans5177]

That's my favorite word when I start to renovate WOW 😂🤣 great job

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers!

[@MeltingRubberZ28]

Definitely always appreciate watching your videos. Solid content!

[@wendy833]

I think I saw your head do a full 360 when your level in the rafter registered. Blew your mind. Lol

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

It happens more than you think. Cheers Wendy!

[@davidpalmer4134]

Are you supposed to pre-drill holes for lag bolts (screws)? This is why I love GRK fasteners. Great work Jeff!

[@Ender3D]

Thanks for this video. So I'm in the process of buying a small house where the 2 upstairs bedrooms have a ceiling height of 6 feet. I think it's very likely that I'll be doing something like this. I also really like the idea of putting in a dormer in each room to gain the additional floor space.

[@chutneythechut]

This video - has been super helpful. The chuckling is working for me. It seems a helpful attitude to have while doing your best with what you've got.

[@NAB622]

This guy reminds me so much of Red Green... His mannerisms and his choice of words.

[@bovellois]

It's the Canadian way

[@androopr]

100%, love him

[@cinders302]

Lol. Minus the duct tape

[@roweboat]

This is great info. Doing this kind of work to an old dog kennel building from the 1940s! And in the midwest US, you know time hasnt been kind to the wood structure!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

As long as we can keep these old things dry they will last a long time. cheers!

[@neitzelm1]

You wouldn't happen to be in Michigan? I've been watching a new business renovated all old pet store building.

[@roweboat]

@@neitzelm1 nope sorry! Milwaukee

[@sylalbert5216]

Love your video the look on your face when u were trying to level the 2×4 is the look I give my wife everytime I work on my old old crooked nightmare of a century home

[@Mehdi-zy4nh]

Great episode as always Jeff! Looking forward to the insulation video!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

going to be a good one for sure. Cheers!

[@markdavisphoto]

Always enjoy watching your videos from Muscle Shoals, Alabama USA.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Thanks mark, cheers to Alabama!

[@engineerjosh794]

I'm a structural engineer too. Just a quick comment about collar ties. I know this video was in Canada, so I apologize for any discrepancies in terminology. By definition (see APA's Wood Frame Construction Manual or the Canadian equivalent), a collar tie is a structural framing member located in the upper third of the attic space that ties rafters together to resist roof suction loads at the ridge. That's why most building codes allow strapping over the ridge instead of collar ties. In many old houses, the collar ties function as tension members that keep the ridge from sagging merely because there were no ceiling joists installed. However, the higher the collar tie, the greater the tension force it has to resist to keep the ridge from sagging. As a result, the additional point load created on the rafter at its connection with the collar tie could cause the rafter to fail. That's why the engineer's first choice was to install a ridge beam and columns. It's the easiest way (on paper) to accommodate the gravity loads on the roof. The other side of the coin was ease of construction. Since the ridge beam was difficult to accomplish in the field, the engineer had to make sure there was enough strength in the rafters and collar ties to accommodate the gravity loads they would encounter at the installed height.

[@holyfreakinguacamole]

(Aspiring engineer here.) Does the engineer have to measure and count every piece of framing within the existing structure to later draw up his plans in the office?

[@nofurtherwest3474]

My house is 100 years old and does not have collar ties. It just has joists/studs in a triangle shape. Nothing else; wide open in the attic. Is this ok?

[@clashofphish]

There is something magical about the solution to a challenging problem being to just throw more wood at it. Never really thought about that. Usually I'm watching new construction videos and everything is so meticulous, and materials are used minimally. Glad I found this channel about reno'ing an old ass house, because I just bought myself an old ass house that needs some reno.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Welcome to the club. Cheers!

[@redone6590]

Thank you for your time - you are the best!

[@thefrank5446]

"...it offends the mind." - Best line ever.

[@warrenfipp1856]

Jeff, I'm about ready to do the same thing on a 1930 attic. Question about insulation. What about closed cell spray foam instead of glass? Also, if you use spray foam, would you spray it directly to the roof or box it out one inch so you have an air channel to the peak from the soffits. Thanks

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

I would install soffit baffles. looks like an egg crate and then spray!

[@rickweist2463]

Closed cell no need for air flow or vapor barrier. Just go 1¹/2 on the closed cell and fill the rest with glass

[@jamesalexander8368]

You need an air flow under the boards to cool the roof shingles, why we vent. I nailed a 2x2 in the corners and covered with 1/4” OSB....sprayed foam over the OSB. 12yrs now and no curling on the shingles

[@davidshettlesworth1442]

Very helpful video. Helps give me the courage to tackle some tough home projects. Thanks

[@cymoonrbacpro9426]

Excellent, this video is teaching us how to think structurally, love this video! I just subscribed to it thanks!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers!

[@mattd5719]

As a Canadian, I appreciate this video.

[@emailfilters]

As an American, I like this video!

[@pierre-claudemeriot6562]

Interesting eh?

[@seelphedvr]

I mean, never built anything in my life and you are making me interested into changing career...

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

This business is 30% training and 120||% integrity! Cheers|!

[@PhilipHousel]

Really enjoy your videos. The little remarks and quips are very funny. Your methods seem very practical. Thanks!

[@barbiedesoto7054]

Great video! I’m trying to plan out doing this in my hair salon that the first owners converted from the original garage on my 1959 house. I want to turn it into an ADU for my mom, since it’s at ground level and would be nice for my mom or grandpa to stay in and have their own space but no stairs. I want a loft in it for storage if we ever rent it, or if my kids want to spend the night in Grammy’s apartment. This is encouraging and really helpful to know the value of a structural engineer and what questions to ask. Thanks for your great videos.

[@joshtargo6834]

raising the collar tie will increase the tension on it, but the weak point will be the rafter. the rafter would snap at the connection from the bending moment before a tie would break from tension. More bolts in the rafter just makes the rafter weaker where it needs to be strongest.

[@Carlo.Ggy.]

The engineer did increase the collar tie to 2x8 so that increases the tension resistance. For the rafter, he probably has engineered and determined that the existing rafter would hold under bending moment. I would have sistered those rafters though and would not rely on those existing 70 yr old rafters to hold for another 50 yrs.

[@therealdonchelios]

I noticed you didn't pre drill holes for the lag bolts. Doesn't that risk splitting the wood?

[@GregoryKarambelas]

I noticed the same thing! Didn’t ‘burn’ them in either. Curious if one of those screw-prep methods is still recommended or for some reason it isn’t required for this application?

[@moneymakingmikeg.9555]

You're a freakin Beast Jeff!!! Great video. Excited to keep seeing the house come along. Hope all is well, Dirty Jersey out!!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Hi Mike, this house is coming along great. the kitchen will be done next week and all those videos are on the way. Cheers!

[@Terry-Kleetus-Kleeblatt]

Jeff, great video and as usual an excellent job explaining the little tips and tricks. Thanks to your deck building video, I took on the job of building a 20' by 20' deck on the back of my house. First time I've ever built anything and it looks great.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Way to go. Feel free to send us photos or video so we can share with our audience. Cheers!

[@Terry-Kleetus-Kleeblatt]

@@HomeRenoVisionDIY Sure, I'll send some pics. Where should I send the photo's?

[@Terry-Kleetus-Kleeblatt]

@@HomeRenoVisionDIY Jeff, Here's the useless shed we moved from the back yard kup to the house. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWjNZ2N6gLyXprs Next is the actual deck build. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3fKaIakfLSXrsU Please excuse the music.

[@fordrac1ng81]

This was good information. My house was built in 1947 with rough sawn 2x8 rafters but rough sawn 2x4 collar ties every other rafter. I'm doing some work up in the attic so I think I'll just add in some collar ties on the rafters missing them after seeing how important they are to the engineer and how much he wanted you to do just to move them up a few feet. I had always been taught that as long as it was in the upper 1/3 and your joists below ran parallel to the rafters that the height of placement wasn't an issue but I have since changed my mind.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

never hurts to double up when it is that cheap. Cheers!

[@Spencerbuildsit]

You're right. Code is no higher than 2/3 of the verticle rise of the rafter. Nailing schedule is important. Ask your building official or get a code book

[@mohiuddinarifah]

Finally first one to comment, Man GREAT video as always. Any person can tell you were born to do this, and man is it a delight to see your face light up, its like a kid in a candy store. Keep it up

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Thank you, I do love what I do!

[@benchavis1624]

The best building show on KZbin. I always learn something new.

[@paulkeyes7859]

I'm looking to tackle a similar project! My 70 yr old house has ceiling joists and roof rafters... we are wanting to demo the the joists and replace them with collar ties. Doing so will (on paper) kill 2 birds with one stone. It'll allow us to demo a wall that is currently supporting the joists, and it'll open up the space with a much taller ceiling! Seeing your progress gets me excited to start!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

I hope you had professional advice beforte tackling that. Cheers!

[@mjs3343]

Collar ties are the simplest and cheapest way to brace your roof structure. My entire house roof does not have collar ties or a ridge beam, and NO columns. My attic is totally open. The roof rafters are laterally supported by the floor joists of the attic. So the roof structure is just a bigger triangle with larger rafters than if collar ties were used. Also, all the roof dead weight and snow live load on the roof is supported by the side walls of the house, which is about double the load when compared to using a ridge beam with posts. House structural design is kinda fun.

[@jeffbrown1925]

MJS, What you explained is actually how it should be done. The ceiling joists form the bottom leg of the triangle . The larger triangle is far stronger than the smaller triangle installed in the video. In the video, the rafter is free to deflect just below the collar tie down to the top plate. Placing a 2x6 in place of a 2x4 does not benefit you. The loads on the collar tie are in tension. The tie is not seeing a downward load along its length so deflection is not the concern. Tensile loads are the concern. Additionally, when attaching a collar tie, increasing the fastener size does not equate to a stronger connection. It’s typically better to use more nails to distribute the load. Mending plates use this principle. Lots of spikes. The magazine, Journal of Light Construction, has excellent articles on just this topic. And local building codes also spec out the number and size of fasteners for a collar tie connection.

[@joonaknuutinen5540]

i have seen this engineer before. has he been on other youtubers videos? E: nevermind. he was on your older video.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers, !

[@squeekhobby4571]

You are awesome sir! This stuff helps many who can’t afford a new home

[@richardtherien5162]

@11:53 my favorite part. Man turns into beast mode! Love it haha

[@WhiTiger]

I totally want to borrow, "It offends the mind." Thank you for another video that is not only educational but fun. Keep up the good work! Quick question: We just learned that the valve/mixer that we bought for the shower is a 3 way, even though I was certain we had picked up the 2 way valve. Is it possible to cap it and still use it? Also it is all copper and we wanted to use PEX is there a copper to PEX adapter that we can use? Thank you!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Yes you can solder on a female copper to 1/22 inch pex. Cheers to ChocolateRx!!!!

[@pb7379-j2k]

Really great video but it sure looked to my eye that you were spinning those lag screws in that old wood. Or were they in fact binding up all nice and snug?

[@user-nm9vh7lf2t]

Paul Bruneau I noticed the same thing. Mildly concerning

[@cgrobe21]

Nope. He sent them all the way home through the new wood. You are seeing correctly.

[@angelitamartinez5639]

Sorry probably silly question, very green at this, what do you mean or what did you notice? Thanks!

[@pb7379-j2k]

@@angelitamartinez5639 well it looked like even after the bolts were fully imbedded in the wood that he kept spinning them after that, which would mean the wood might be torn up surrounding the threads, harming the strength

[@jackbrainard490]

Jeff, I am a P.E. that loves architecture, just finished making room over garages in condos by laminating trusses, and eliminating the cross webs. We moved all the HVAC units and water tanks, adding them over the garage and adding storage. This made room for office or bedroom adding value to the patio homes. This is great video to demonstrate fixing the weak structure.(may I suggest you use a house jack before you have a heart attack? :-)

[@neilf.7222]

Reminds me of the 2 houses I've worked on. Nothing square... it does mess with your head. Great videos my good man.

[@Chmln66]

Helpful like always thanks!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers Happy to help!

[@DaddyBear3000]

I’m a pretty decent tiler, tiling in old properties is a pain in the neck for exactly the same reason. Nothing square, nothing level, nothing flat. Small tiles allow you to compensate a little, big tiles are something else.

[@DaddyBear3000]

@@davegordon6943 much faster but harder to lay well if the walls are all over the shop. Seen some horrific work, barely bonded. One bathroom I did a few years ago, which had been skimmed by a cowboy, was about 2 1/2 inches further out at the top than the bottom, bowed in the middle and had wavering angles. Needed to be replastered again, but the client didn’t have the budget 😏

[@salomi311]

I don't own a house nor I ever did handy work, but you make it so interesting!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers!

[@carmenrojas4469]

This is awesome. Wish I would have found this channel before moms house rehab 😒 oh well for my next project

[@Frank_the_contractor]

Here in Tn, we do r-30 in the ceilings.

[@bpdp379]

49 in MT unless you have exterior continuous.

[@Wanderer_52]

just curious why not use spray foam insulation great r-value, and also so would tighten up everything on an old building.

[@Nsingh11]

Spray foam needs poly barrier a company did it at the temple and their well known. It is much more warmer but if you sit close to thr wall underneath the wall and carpet you can feel a breeze.

[@jamesarthur6109]

New to your channel but I love how thorough your videos are!!

[@kristopherhasenbuhler5393]

8:49. Your going above and beyond. This laminated design is far superior to what was there before. Other than the fact that your using a low grain count pine compared to the existing structure. I would definitely give this my stamp.

[@annettesurfer]

You're reading the level wrong on your "temporary brace." One has to keep the level either horizontal or vertical, not at the angle it was being used. I'd suggest using some mason string and a line level. The string isn't perfect in horizontal situations because of gravity, especially in long runs, but you could've corrected the roof-line sag, strengthened the structure, provided depth for more r-value insulation, and a nice level ceiling surface. Those long strips added to the rafters for depth just added more weight to the sag. One would have to do the math to see what depth would be needed for the r-value required, including the air space between the insulation and roof sheathing to determine whether 2x8's or another size would suffice sistered to the old rafters but that's the way I would've gone. At least you're trying but it appears you have thousands of people following and probably also doing it wrong. Admittedly...it's easy to be a critic. Sorry.

[@lousassol3]

And the no predrill for the lags, with no backing washer (Exactly why structural screws exist). Or the incorrectly used pan box with an open knockout right up against wood. Or not understanding that all the nails he put into the kneewall are in shear with the grain of the wood which is useless. Or the hilariously bad framing on it in the first place. Or the ice damming and condensation issues that will come from the incorrectly insulated roof. Or the laminated 2x4 on the kneewall that is doing nothing, but he thinks somehow strengthened it. Or... This is a perfect representation of DIY guys pretending to be contractors.

[@Dilborg]

@@lousassol3 I thought he addressed that just before adding the nails - in consideration for movement/flexibility and what is the existing structure and material -> don't go creating a super perfect and inflexible addition to a building that isn't perfect and inflexible. "on budget" is never a contractor-friendly expression. Present a contractor with a 15-year-old car that has a dent and they say, "oh we need to gut the inside and redo everything" so it can run like a BMW. The advice and work done here no doubt comes from years of experience working on old beaters, which is what most of us are dealing with at home. Having said that, always go with what the structural engineer has to say - that's the message I learned today.

[@ohiofarmer5918]

My God. No break or lap on the double top plates that are joined at a half rotten plate. Eyeball guess at the heel of the rafter reinforcement. Why not just take your carpenter pencil and scribe a fit to the top plate. WTF you could have done that in the time you took explaining why you did not need to. Why in the heck you don't use a rotating laser to at least give you a chance at a level collar tie line is beyond me. Ridiculous

[@kittyfruitloop8264]

Awesome!!! Thanks for posting structural engineering topics! Would love to hear about the topic of how to underpin in a crawlspace to basement conversation. My husband and I are contemplating such an endeavor, family is growing and we feel we need the space.

[@cbinder46]

Unless you are willing to shell out some serious $$$$, looking for a home that fits what you need might be a better idea and way less of a headache. I am a structural engineer, and although I have personally never designed a conversion from a crawlspace to a basement, I can tell you that anytime you deal with the foundation, the smallest mistake can cost tens of thousands of dollars in damage. I have designed several foundation repairs and I can tell you right now, they are always a nightmare for the homeowner and they usually require engineering and permits to get done.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

I think that type of endeavor requires living in a house that can support the investment it takes to do such a thing. Where do you live?

[@kittyfruitloop8264]

@@HomeRenoVisionDIY We live in rural North Georgia, beautiful homestead on 5 acres. Don't want to sell bc It's kind of a dream home, we can do without a full basement, but at minimum need some sort of cellar, (I can't eat commercial food due to bad food allergies) storm shelter would be nice. Would love to move the water heater by moving it underneath. Tankless makes sense if you have propane, but not if you don't kill o watt wise. Not really a good location to dig a root cellar due to powerline easement, septic tank and pasture locations.

[@kittyfruitloop8264]

Of course, now that I think about it... It seems too grandiose rather than practical. We could really use a garage and that would alleviate some storage issues like gardening supplies. We have yard space for that. It would be cool though to have a video on foundations in general, how they are supposed to be built, what can go wrong and why, stories on the topic whether successful or unsuccessful. I just love learning and love your videos! Plus I love Canadians bc I lived in Ontario for a few years in the 90's. ❤️

[@nickrichardson2994]

I’d like to see how you insulate the ceiling. Thanks for your videos their always great!

[@brianstanton423]

Amazing video, thanks so much!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Cheers Brian, happy to help!

[@brendonbasiga]

One your best vids yet. Novice (and likely a very stupid question): you used nails and screws on this project - when should you use a screw and when should you use a nail; and why?

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

nails for shear strength if carrying load, screws for convenience and allows you to make modifications later much easier. Cheers!

[@Nathaniel_Peterson]

@@HomeRenoVisionDIY Don't forget, screws have better tensile strength than nails. Different tools for different jobs.

[@brendonbasiga]

@@HomeRenoVisionDIY Got it. Thanks!!

[@allencolvin656]

I would just fir out the rafters and leave the origional collar ties exposed, which would avoid any major structural elements...

[@lasalleman]

I agree. Structural engineers are awesome. Couldn't live without 'em!

[@ericparent7794]

I've been a full time home inspector for 22 years and when I have clients who ask for DIY tips I often refer Jeff's videos. Unbeknownst to me that Jeff is local from right here in Ottawa! I just found out now when he mentioned Merivale Road in a siding video... Now that's a small world! Eric Parent, Ottawahomeinspector.ca

[@joshuareinhart7915]

Please don't in future. He is referring to stud wall columns as beams, rafter ties as collar ties and insulating a roof to r-20 when the current Ontario building code calls for r-60...