Room Additions in Panorama City
Panorama City room additions using engineered beams sized by the engineer, so an old wall can open into the new room without a post mid-floor.
A laminated veneer beam can span a wide opening where a plain length of lumber would sag. On a Panorama City addition that engineered material is what lets an old exterior wall open into the new room without a post in the middle of the floor. Its strength is predictable, the engineer sizes it from tested values, and it resists the long-term bending that lets a ceiling dip over the years.
Sizing a beam for the opening
What rests on the beam is counted from the top down: roof, ceiling, wall, perhaps a floor. The engineer totals that load and picks a depth and width that keep deflection tiny. At each end the beam lands on a post, and the post lands on a footing sized for the point load. The plans show the whole chain, because a beam is only as good as the support under it. Temporary shoring holds the structure while the old wall comes out.
Where the old wall goes
Before a bearing wall is removed, temporary walls take its load. The wall comes out in sections, the beam is lifted into place, and posts are set before the shoring is released. Dust control and floor protection keep the rest of the home usable. LADBS reviews the beam size and post footings on the plans, so an inspection follows the installation before the opening is finished. The finished opening is wrapped in drywall and trimmed so the beam disappears into the ceiling line.
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Room Additions in Panorama City: questions
It depends on the footing and the soil under it. A pit exposes the footing so its size can be measured, and the engineer compares that with the combined weight of the added floor, walls and roof. If the footing has room, framing goes on as drawn. If not, extra concrete or support posts are built first.
Bolts, straps and a ledger join the new floor to the old, while roof rafters overlap and are fastened where the plans show. Metal flashing bridges the roofs and a layer of waterproof membrane laps the walls. Only the siding and roofing in the connection zone is removed, and the inspector sees the joint open.
Yes, it pays to ask. The engineer can look at anchor bolts, short walls under the floor and the garage opening while the addition is being designed. Fixes can share the same permit, and they appear as separate items in the quote so they can be accepted one by one.
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Describe the house and what it needs. We look at the structure first and send the quote in writing.