[Hoppy269]

We are thinking on adding a bonus room over our existing bedroom. The electrical wiring was placed properly meaning it was ran over existing studs. I will check of course with the inspection office but I am wondering if I will have to re-run the wiring and drill holes through the joists or is notching the joists putting metal plates over the notch acceptable and not cause a problem with structural integrity. These are 2x8 joists. The number that would have to be re-ran is the concern of course with cost.

 

[Aggie67]

The IRC allows for notching to certain depths in certain scenarios. Your best bet is to call your permit office and find out which code they follow, and if there are any local code addenda that may affect your project. My town follows IRC, but we have state and local addenda that supercede the IRC. Google the words IRC, notching, studs, and 602.6. You should find some good info.

As a check, though, you'd look and sound like you knew what you were doing if you walked into the permit office and said:

"As part of this project, I want to tuck some wiring behind the new drywall. To do that, I want to notch the studs per IRC 602.6. Does the town have any local addenda that would prevent me from doing that?"

 

[Gary in WA]

NO, do not notch the tops of the 2x8 floor joists!!

You will lose the structural integrity of the future floor if not the ceiling above.

Check with your local AHJ for floor spans/loads for the conversion as well as egress (escape) in case of fire: http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...HiVdtK&sig=AHIEtbRa4Ah_IICPQ3BR1txlzU01V4JQIg

Gary:

 

[bigburb]

You could use 1x6's to fur up the floor height, leaving room underneath for the wiring to run. Or consider building around the wiring and making in a "feature" in the room.

 

[Ron6519]

You could use 1x6's to fur up the floor height, leaving room underneath for the wiring to run. Or consider building around the wiring and making in a "feature" in the room.

Such a bad idea on all levels.
Research why before you post again.

 

[bigburb]

Such a bad idea on all levels.
Research why before you post again.

I don't see any alternatives from you

Its not personally what I would do, I would rewire to get the wires out of the path of the room. However it sounds like he is looking for a different solution. I'm not an electrician or well versed in construction by any means. Now that I think about it, 1x6's would be wrong, I was simply thinking about a solution to keep the structural integrity of the joists and leave room for wires, however the floor would deflect too much.

Around here we don't have any codes, so anything goes (not that I dislike codes, but it IS nice to be able to build something without having to get permits and inspections and such)

 

[Ron6519]

I don't see any alternatives from you

You're still in the dark, aren't you.
Not a question.
The wires need to be rerouted to the center of the joist, away from fastener penetrations from above.
Putting speed bumps on the floor would be a tripping hazzard.
Doing what you suggest is against common sense and probably a few building codes.

 

[bigburb]

You're still in the dark, aren't you.
Not a question.
The wires need to be rerouted to the center of the joist, away from fastener penetrations from above.
Putting speed bumps on the floor would be a tripping hazzard.
Doing what you suggest is against common sense and probably a few building codes.

I guess you didn't see that first sentence in the second paragraph did you? "Its not personally what I would do, I would rewire to get the wires out of the path of the room." I would say this is common sense.

BTW I wasn't thinking of bumps in the floor, just depending on where the wires are located relative to the room, he might have been able to hide them under an architectural feature (similar to hiding something inside a column).