Joist hangers not great.

[John2000]

Hello, the builder here has gone a bit well… I don’t know without being rude. 

He’s done a really good job throughout but let us down on these bits which are the joist hangers. One is a car crash which he said he let his labourer loose and is going to change. The other 3 are partially nailed. (One folded down at top but on a double for stair opening. The others on a single but just down one side or holes omitted. My BCO suggested extra nailing from joist direct to ledger but really should I be getting him to cut off bolts and re fit where I can? (The car crash one he will) the one with hanger bent down at top could be enhanced nailed direct into ledger? - although it’s on a double for stairs. The one that is only down one side is also not great but only on a single, as his the partially, they’re both nailed in top though so I thought the one jumping the patted plate is ok. The half side only - I don’t know. Any practical suggestions to get these fixed please? 

[ProDave]

Pictures?

 

Doesn't building regs say to nail in every hole?

[John2000]

28 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Pictures?

 

Doesn't building regs say to nail in every hole?

 

[John2000]

Theirs a nailing schedule on the hanger. I.e 20 for face fix only. 8 for face and 4 top. The schedule doesn’t give a mix though although their are others ways around apparently without hangers but needed to know the best alternatives 

[Russell griffiths]

The car crash one is an important one as it’s a double joist. 
get him to install a bolt in the wall in the right bloody location 🤦🏻‍♂️

then sink the nuts in on the wonky ones so they are flush, then re fit the joist hangers correctly 

Fark me it’s not that hard. 
 

why are the bolts at a stupid angle. 

[John2000]

I assume he let the labourer loose. I wasn’t impressed. He’s back next week to sort them out. I didn’t think about recessing the nuts in. Theirs another that’s nailed one side that’s again (near the pipework) some wierd F’ing situation that could’ve been avoided but it is partially nailed on top though. It’s just annoying and lucky I’m on top of the checks before I dragged BCO out only to fail it. Rest of the work is spot on or even overkill. Doesn’t add up. 3/4 money held back though until sorted. 

[Super_Paulie]

Count yourself lucky. I found this beauty on the entrance to my new upstairs bedroom.

[torre]

9 hours ago, John2000 said:

another that’s nailed one side that’s again (near the pipework)

There's nothing in that last picture to indicate how the ledger board is bolted to the wall at that point. The last fixing could be some distance away on the right leaving that corner poorly supported. Do you have a design showing how this is supposed to be installed? I wonder if the ledger has been cut around the pipework. 

 

22 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

why are the bolts at a stupid angle. 

I guess this is because they knocked a hole in the wall to install a padstone and the wall next to it wasn't intact enough to fix into.

 

The washers used on those wall bolts don't look that large or substantial to me. If you tighten a bolt with a socket does the bolt and washer pull through into the timber? If so then I don't think it's doing it's job

[Mr Punter]

12 hours ago, John2000 said:

I didn’t think about recessing the nuts in.

 

I think that will be a struggle now the joists are fitted.  You would need to unbolt and remove the ledger which may not be practical.

[Nickfromwales]

4 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

 

I think that will be a struggle now the joists are fitted.  You would need to unbolt and remove the ledger which may not be practical.

Just drill new bolts a couple of inches away, and grind off the ones in the way. 

 

No need to remove the ledger if it’s level and other fixings are kosher?

 

Plus one on the washers being too small. They have just been wound into the treated wood which is soft and won’t give much purchase. Should be big square washers afaik.

[Roger440]

The big square washers was my understanding (and what i used).

 

Obviously to prevent the nut being pulled into the wood, either by overtightening, or to stop it becoming detached. 

 

 

 

 

[Roger440]

20 hours ago, Super_Paulie said:

Count yourself lucky. I found this beauty on the entrance to my new upstairs bedroom.

 

Outstanding. Outstandingly crap!

[Super_Paulie]

14 hours ago, Roger440 said:

 

Outstanding. Outstandingly crap!

easily sorted, but you know, i shouldnt have had to do it. Crap workmanship. 

Edited Monday at 10:33 by Super_Paulie

[ProDave]

On 06/12/2025 at 23:55, Super_Paulie said:

Count yourself lucky. I found this beauty on the entrance to my new upstairs bedroom.

Was that really new work done recently?

 

It's a LONG time since I have seen joists fitted without joist hangers.  Not since I was a boy playing on building sites at weekends (as you did then before elf and safety) and I remember thinking even then, gosh is 3 nails banged into the end grain all that is supporting that joist.  And back then, it was.

[Super_Paulie]

48 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Was that really new work done recently?

 

It's a LONG time since I have seen joists fitted without joist hangers.  Not since I was a boy playing on building sites at weekends (as you did then before elf and safety) and I remember thinking even then, gosh is 3 nails banged into the end grain all that is supporting that joist.  And back then, it was.

builders "finished" in 2023. Then i spent a good 6 months working through the snags they left behind. Most joists are in pockets but there were a few like in the photo.

[Crofter]

"An amateur does the best job they can; a professional does the worst job they can get away with".

[ProDave]

59 minutes ago, Crofter said:

"An amateur does the best job they can; a professional does the worst job they can get away with".

Quote of the year.

[SteamyTea]

16 hours ago, Crofter said:

professional does the worst job they can get away with".

And charged too much

[saveasteading]

16 hours ago, Crofter said:

professional does the worst job they can get away with".

That's amusing but unfair. A skilled  professional often makes it look simple.

[Adrian Walker]

19 hours ago, Crofter said:

"An amateur does the best job they can; a professional does the worst job they can get away with".

I think that's a bit harsh, especially as we have several professionals on Build Hub. 

[Nickfromwales]

7 minutes ago, Adrian Walker said:

I think that's a bit harsh, especially as we have several professionals on Build Hub. 

Yea. Let’s ban him!!!  

 

20 hours ago, Crofter said:

"An amateur does the best job they can; a professional does the worst job they can get away with".

Shocking sir, call yourself a professional? 🤣

[Crofter]

7 hours ago, Adrian Walker said:

I think that's a bit harsh, especially as we have several professionals on Build Hub. 

I think the ones who take the effort to engage with us plebs on the forum hey a free pass.

 

The comment was somewhat in jest, but at the heart of it is the distinction that amateurs, generally, have both the luxury of time and the need to live with the finished product forever more. Whereas professionals must be cheap and fast if they are to stay in business.

 

At the end of the day professionals who don't cut corners are likely to be priced out by their competitors. There aren't enough punters willing to pay more for quality workmanship.

[Nickfromwales]

35 minutes ago, Crofter said:

At the end of the day professionals who don't cut corners are likely to be priced out by their competitors. There aren't enough punters willing to pay more for quality workmanship.

Amen.

[Adrian Walker]

51 minutes ago, Crofter said:

I think the ones who take the effort to engage with us plebs on the forum hey a free pass.

 

The comment was somewhat in jest, but at the heart of it is the distinction that amateurs, generally, have both the luxury of time and the need to live with the finished product forever more. Whereas professionals must be cheap and fast if they are to stay in business.

 

At the end of the day professionals who don't cut corners are likely to be priced out by their competitors. There aren't enough punters willing to pay more for quality workmanship.

I understand that it was in jest, based on the comments 🙂  However, you should never engage any professional based solely on price.

[saveasteading]

2 hours ago, Adrian Walker said:

never engage any professional based solely on price.

One of the nicest things a client said to me ...we were a subcontractor to them but with design input, they being  a bigger contractor, was..... "you are not always the best price but always the best value."

He retired. His successor use someone cheaper and handed on some of my suggestions. They went bust.

 

Sometimes expertise is doing simple things well. 

 

Such relationships are more difficult  to find  on self build, because you don't know each other. 

Fundamentally though the real expert may not have to charge more, because it's easy for them.