Any Structural Engineers Here?

[iiipopes]

I am not a structural engineer. Farthest thing from it. But I gotta tell you about my attic story: the first house I owned I purchased in 1987-8 out of my grandmother's estate - a typical early '70's 3BR ranch. Some years before I purchased it a tornado had come through and damaged the roof. Roof replaced. What nobody knew until I saw a slight sag in the roof line is that the main beam across a gable was a pair of 2X12's, one of which had a large knot in it, and it had cracked. No way to scab in a section. So I got out the old blueprints, got up in the attic, and found a main load bearing vertical column in the middle of the house where the hallways came together and just offset of the cracked beam. I then got a jack, jacked up the cracked beam, and added a jack stud or jack rafter piece of appropriate dimensional lumber between the crack and the main load bearing column. Got everything notched, placed, fastened and secured, then carefully let the jack down. One minor creak and everything knitted together -- no more roof line sag. When I sold the house, the inspector noted the repaired beam on the inspection report as "better than new."

[pgym]

I suspect that any structural engineer who values his/her license will want to see the place in person before venturing an opinion.

If you're not looking for specific advice to address a specific issue, architects generally have a wider degree of latitude than engineers to venture general advice and suggestions, including possibly the recommendation of a structural engineer (should one be necessary), though--obviously--it would still be preferable for him/her to examine the existing conditions in person.

As it happens, my brother--an architect--and his family are arriving tomorrow for Christmas. Shoot me an email or PM with pics/details, and I'll have him take a quick look at it.