Do we have any roofers/chippies that know all about roof structures? (Image heavy)

[cymruchris]

Genuinely asking for a friend, rather than 'asking for a friend'. Someone I know that lives in a traditional Welsh terraced house in the South Wales Valleys bought their current home a few years ago. Had a middle of the range survey done, but the surveyor didn't go into the loft space, and only shone a torch up through the trapdoor. (It's long past being able to claim on anything anyway I'm sure due to the time that's passed since then to now). He was up in the loft recently to have a look at his insulation and spotted that the main beam across the centre of the roof where it meets at the apex appears to be quite out of alignment with what looks to be a bodge a job attempt at putting it right. Would anyone that knows roofs and the associated supports have a quick look at these pictures to say whether this needs 'Urgent investigation/remedial work needed' - 'Could do with a bit of correction' - or 'Nothing to worry about I'd leave it as it is'. My own non-expert view is that it won't fall down tomorrow - but needs doing,

There's no obvious movement or subsidence in the house looking at any of the internal walls, and google street view goes back to 2008 showing the same roof. There is also a bit of flimsy wood attached to the hatch frame up to one of the beams above, but that couldn't have any structural integrity from what I can see. Looking at the exposed surface of the wood at the join, there doesn't appear to be any 'dirt lines' as such where it's moved repeatedly over time, but would welcome some thoughts from those that have a bit of experience poking around people's attics and looking at roofs. I'm sure when built these two beams would have been more or less aligned. Everything else appears to be in place as it should be - at the end where these beams meet the ceilings/roof edges - nothing seems untoward.

Thoughts welcome on the images below - and whether it'd be a couple of thousand/ten thousand/stupid money to get repaired.
















The rest of the structure appears in fair condition for its age:

 

[Brazo]

I’m not a roofer (oddly though I have just installed a roof!) but you don’t need to be a roofer in this instance.

It’s clearly misaligned, clearly that’s not how it should be. I’m not a mechanic either but if a wheel falls off my car I know somethings amiss

It would seem in this case that the rest of the roof support has compensated and hence why the roof holds. This could go on for eternity or fail sooner but Only real way you will know is to have it assessed properly by a competent tradesman.

 

[boogie man]

I’m not a roofer either but that’s clearly moved since it was put in. It looks like it could be put right fairly easily by drawing the misplaced timber back into line and then reinforcing it with metal brackets. However, I would be suspicious about what made it move in the first place? I’d be getting a roofer in to check it over thoroughly.

 

[lindsay]

Rather than a roofer I would engage a building surveyor for that specific issue. The repair, as Larry says, shouldn't be too big a job but probably best done with brackets and turnbuckles gradually tightened to avoid shock loads on anything.

 

[the black fox]

It looks like shrinkage/ movement caused by the heat ..and as others have said should be able to overcome it fairly easily by a proper builder .. and then held in place by metal joints and bolts

 

[FlyPhot]

I trained as a carpenter (many years ago, before I joined the military) and would suggest that those large rafters need a [triangular] metal plate either side, bolted through to pull them back to true. One of the rafters has twisted, but the roof isn't going to collapse at any minute and has clearly been like that for a number of years (the important part here is that the ridge board, between the tops of those rafters, is fully supported - but that's not to say this doesn't need fixing).

If it were me I'd get a carpenter to come and price for plating and bolting these together.

Regarding the length of 'flimsy' timber running up from the loft hatch - this is doing nothing but getting in the way, I' remove it. The rest of the structure looks absolutely fine to me from these images.

 

[dekeyboy]

I have been a chippie for 40 years, mainly in loft and roof conversions. From the photos i would say there is no need to panic, or get to a state that it needs hundreds of pounds to get it sorted. You need to contact a chippie who does more roofing than kitchen fitting. He should be able to fix this without breaking into a sweat. As previous members have said the timbers need drawing back together with the right connectors. The lighter length of timber doesn't seem to serve any more purpose, other than a grab rail for access into the loft space.

 

[Steelo]

It looks like it's just dried and twisted over the years, I've over 20 years timber frame building experience and wouldn't be a big job to fix and no immediate risk or worry, as others have said, it just wants plates and bolted to pull it all back in line.

 

[mark richards]

been in building game for many years, like said no need too panic, he could do the work himself, he could get some 3/4 ply and cut it to fit to apex, glue and bolt the two beams together
they probable moved when they done the roof( seems like new felt) the purling's that go in the wall should be cemented in to stop them from twisting or turning., use some bricks to fill them in.

 

[cymruchris]

Thanks all for taking the time to reply - I've passed your comments on to him, and told him not to panic. He's quite relieved. (Although of course with the caveat that it's just people giving opinions from seeing his photos). I don't know a lot about roofs myself - but have learnt a little from the thread. I've told him to get someone in that deals with roof structures rather than a roofer - that makes a lot of sense.