I sent a post the other day about installing a shower tray by myself.  I 
haven't installed it yet due to the following discovery.
I have made a stand for the tray using 6" x 2" timbers and a base of 3/4" 
exterior ply as I have done many times in the past.  I could not get the 
base stable so it was not 'bouncing' slightly.  I decided to look under the 
floor by removing a screwed down section of chipboard floor.  Looking at the 
joists I think the householder may have a problem!
The three floor joists I can see running under the shower area overlap 
(parallel) the existing house joists by approx 6" and are 'secured' by a No. 
10 screw which cannot be any longer than 4" as it doesn't protrude out of 
the other side.  This floor was laid when Wyatt Earp and his gang converted 
part of the loft space (its an old house with lots of sloping ceilings in 
bedrooms etc) into a shower and toilet room, the original shower 
installation itself was a right bodge job.  What is the best way to fix this 
problem or should he get somebody in who knows buildings?  If the three 
joists I can see are like this the chances are the others will be the same. 
I was thinking of using 4" (8mm Dia) coach screws, but wasn't sure if I am 
best leaving it alone and let the householder get the 'professionals in. If 
it helps the room is approx 10 feet by 6 feet with the joists spanning the 6 
foot.

Thanks for any help and advice.

John

"John"  wrote in message
news:dbqetj$2sr$1@nwrdmz02.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...

> I sent a post the other day about installing a shower tray by myself.  I
> haven't installed it yet due to the following discovery.
> I have made a stand for the tray using 6" x 2" timbers and a base of 3/4"
> exterior ply as I have done many times in the past.  I could not get the
> base stable so it was not 'bouncing' slightly.  I decided to look under
the
> floor by removing a screwed down section of chipboard floor.  Looking at
the
> joists I think the householder may have a problem!
> The three floor joists I can see running under the shower area overlap
> (parallel) the existing house joists by approx 6" and are 'secured' by a
No.
> 10 screw which cannot be any longer than 4" as it doesn't protrude out of
> the other side.  This floor was laid when Wyatt Earp and his gang
converted
> part of the loft space (its an old house with lots of sloping ceilings in
> bedrooms etc) into a shower and toilet room, the original shower
> installation itself was a right bodge job.  What is the best way to fix
this
> problem or should he get somebody in who knows buildings?  If the three
> joists I can see are like this the chances are the others will be the
same.
> I was thinking of using 4" (8mm Dia) coach screws, but wasn't sure if I am
> best leaving it alone and let the householder get the 'professionals in.
If
> it helps the room is approx 10 feet by 6 feet with the joists spanning the
6
> foot.
>
> Thanks for any help and advice.
>
> John
>


I think you'd be best to advise the owner of the problem, and then have them
check if this is really fault.  If you get involved, then the builder could
say it wasn't them but you when were installing the new shower tray.  So get
the owner of the house to check it out before you go any further.

If it looks wrong to someone like you, who knows a bit about this sort of
thing, then it's probably wrong and needs sorted.