Purlins have been cut - help!

[MarcS]

Hello, 

 

if anyone could shed some light on this, I’d be very grateful. I am in the process of buying a home and have had the offer accepted. However, on a second viewing, I was given access to the loft when I noticed light coming through the roof - after taking a picture it looks like the purlins have been cut to make way for a window which was never installed (or something else?). It seems it’s been braced with other wood but does anyone know if this would need fixing/likely cost or risk? 

[joe90]

That is easily fixable but the felt looks suspect and tiles missing? Try to knock them down on price, find a local builder/roofer to give you a quote.

[MarcS]

10 minutes ago, joe90 said:

That is easily fixable but the felt looks suspect and tiles missing? Try to knock them down on price, find a local builder/roofer to give you a quote.

thanks, Joe - no tiles missing (all seem there when looking from the outside) but yes, the felt has been removed in that area and it’s been covered by a board but really have no idea what’s happened 

[MarcS]

[Mike]

It's not uncommon for purlins to be designed with struts and, from the colour of the timber, I'd not be too surprised if the strut on the left is original, with the one on the right being added when the purlin was cut. If so, and if the one the right is bearing onto something sensible, you wouldn't have a major problem and, as @joe90 says, it should be easy to fix.

[MarcS]

7 hours ago, Mike said:

It's not uncommon for purlins to be designed with struts and, from the colour of the timber, I'd not be too surprised if the strut on the left is original, with the one on the right being added when the purlin was cut. If so, and if the one the right is bearing onto something sensible, you wouldn't have a major problem and, as @joe90 says, it should be easy to fix.

thanks, Mike - that’s really helpful! Hopefully just a case of replacing the felt in that area maybe? If like you say the struts are structurally ok

[ProDave]

What does your survey say about it?

[MarcS]

8 minutes ago, ProDave said:

What does your survey say about it?

They haven’t seen it yet, have one booked in for next week so just wondered if anyone had any preliminary advice in the meantime 

[ProDave]

As it is it is not structurally sound as a roof window opening.  The surveyor should tell you what wants doing and give you an idea of how much to knock off the price to cover it.

[Mr Punter]

Funny place to have a roof window unless it was going to be converted.  If it was just for natural light they would have put a smaller rooflight between the rafters.  Leaving it as a bodge was not great.

[Iceverge]

Might there have been a chimney there at some stage that was taken down? 

 

If so it's possible it was providing some structural benefits. 

 

Whatever the case I wouldn't be overly worried about it if there's no sign of water ingress. 

 

However I would get up there with a few 2*4s, a bottle of glue, some clamps and a few screws to patch it up if it was in any way flimsy.

 

If it is allowing in water however, allow maybe £5k to get that side of the roof sorted. 

 

 

 

 

[Gus Potter]

12 hours ago, MarcS said:

They haven’t seen it yet, have one booked in for next week so just wondered if anyone had any preliminary advice in the meantime

Mention to them and ask for their views.

[DannyT]

Definitely a chimney stack taken out. If the purlin had been cut they would at least be in line but they are not. One on the right is lower.

[Temp]

I agree it's most likely an old chimney. You can see remains of the flashing at the top. 

 

 

[mjc55]

Is there any evidence of chimney in the room below?