(PHOTO: $1,765 of pure homeowner pleasure.)
Most home owners who have renovated have tales of unscheduled expenses, so we'd thought we'd show you one of ours. We are the proud owners of a new 5/8'' x 9' steel flitched beam that has (since) been installed in the kitchen ceiling. This beam will sit across our kitchen ceiling and keep our kids from caving into the kitchen island when the house is complete. When we removed the kitchen ceiling, the existing wood beams were going in the "other" direction, necessitating the addition of the beam.
(PHOTO: MyRye.com House weekly meeting: Ron Pascione and Craig Simandl of BHK Builders, Judy Martin of Green Home Consulting and architect John Scarlato of JJL Properties. Meeting chairwoman Lauren Rosen has her back the the camera.)
We also added a 4" french drain system in the new playroom tied in to the new sump pump. We have not had water problems, but this being Rye, we decided it was a good hedge.
(PHOTO: A bit of the french drain is viewable in lower right as it descends into sump pump in corner. The older exterior door is in the process of being walled-in.)
It’s cheap money Jay. The flitch plate and other steel fabrications provide long term peace of mind about structural issues. When in doubt – add steel.