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Installing 2 winger steps at the bottom of an existing basement staircase because insulating a wall in the basement is not leaving a 36" landing at the bottom.
However, doing so will require me to "create" headroom to achieve the 80" required on these bottom two steps.
The first floor joists that are "in the way" are beneath a tiny closet that is inside the box that is created by the sistered floor joists used to create the stair opening.
1) Can I reduce the two existing floor joists to 2x4's with hangers legally since the span of these 2x4's is so short? I'm guessing the answer is no.
2) Do I have to lose the closet entirely and just open up the rest of the opening?
3) Or, do I just have to give up the bottom of the closet on the first floor by adding some kind of 2x8 "deck" above the floor to keep LL intact?
This is finishing a basement in MA. Can add pictures/dimensions, just not sure what the best grandfathered play is.
However, doing so will require me to "create" headroom to achieve the 80" required on these bottom two steps.
The first floor joists that are "in the way" are beneath a tiny closet that is inside the box that is created by the sistered floor joists used to create the stair opening.
1) Can I reduce the two existing floor joists to 2x4's with hangers legally since the span of these 2x4's is so short? I'm guessing the answer is no.
2) Do I have to lose the closet entirely and just open up the rest of the opening?
3) Or, do I just have to give up the bottom of the closet on the first floor by adding some kind of 2x8 "deck" above the floor to keep LL intact?
This is finishing a basement in MA. Can add pictures/dimensions, just not sure what the best grandfathered play is.