Big help needed with deteriorating structure...advice needed!

[kc2hqv]

Hi gang-

I'm pretty new to the Journal but over the past couple of years have seen some great advice given through this board. I am a relatively young (27) homeowner who bought his house 3 years ago with the hopes of completely remodeling it. After a hurricane, tropical storm (im in Northern NJ) and loosing my job due to mental illness, the funds just aren't really there for that. I work as a paramedic and am going to school "full time", so I have the time for repairs- just not a lot of $. I'm pretty handy, have a full set of tools for carpentry/construction and can create/read basic CAD drawings.

Sorry for the back story but I figure it could help when offering advice.

As with most of the members on this board my saving grace is my garage. The one space where I can relax and tinker. When I purchased the house I knew that it would eventually need to be replaced and accepted the challenge. It's big enough to have my tools, some shelving and a workbench and also fit a small car in. The garage door recently feel down so I made some quick "barn doors". It has a flat roof with a hot-applied coating, and is built with 2x4" wall construction (2x6" ceiling joists).

As you can tell in the pictures it is adjacent to my house and also contains the electrical panel and a small midget sized door for basement access. The foundation is in poor shape but strong, and I have good access all the way around the structure.

The main problem is that the roof leaks and it is flat, so water ice and snow pond in the many soft areas of the roof.

I replaced one window after the hurricane with a smaller one to allow more clearance with the roof, but haven't done the other one (egress).

Looking for some advice on how to best fix the roof problem and strengthen the structure, while saving as much $ as I can.

Any and all suggestions appreciated!

Ryan

 

[deter]

hard to tell from the picture. if the roof is sagging at the house in the center, maybe try to lift up those channel beams and lag them to the studs to help push/hold the roof back up

 

[NUTTSGT]

If it were mine, I'd lose those windows on the side of the house or put smaller ones in. Pull the siding, put up a ledger board and some rafters for a pitched roof.

 

[CNGsaves]

If it were mine, I'd lose those windows on the side of the house or put smaller ones in. Pull the siding, put up a ledger board and some rafters for a pitched roof.

+1 for ^^^^ This.

Replace that larger window above garage, so you could lag screw in a 2x8 to house which would let you build a "False Roof" over the lean-to garage and get steeper runoff of rain/snow - - - thus new 2x6 rafters over to outer wall of lean-to after you stripped off the original roof of lean-to. If that lean-to garage had a steel roof your rain/leak worries would be gone for good. Proper metal flashing at house at lagged 2x8 support would eliminate any chance for leaks.

 

[bczygan]

I see 2 problems.
1. Insufficient seal at wall to roof junction.
2. Roof leaking and causing damage to roof structure.

Solutions:

Temporary
Good quality one piece tarp on the roof and up the wall, tucked behind the siding.

Good permanent solution:
Strip roof and replace damaged sheeting and framing.
Install proper flashing and counter flashing along wall, high enough so snow and water won't penetrate. Install good quality flat roof system such as a single piece glue down rubber roof. Properly seal and flash and use drip edge at fascias.

Better permanent solution:
Remove existing roofing and sheathing, leaving existing rafters to act as joists. Install new roof rafters, sloped down from the existing roof and sheathe and install shingle roof to match existing.

 

[kc2hqv]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys- I'll be sure to update when I put these ideas to use.

 

[Lippyp]

Another point on those windows above the garage roof is they are a perfect entry point for a burglar so make sure you keep that in mind, fit some window locks and use them.

 

[TommyK]

I thought the larger window had to stay for bedroom egress? If that is the case strip down to joist/rafter, fix the rot, re-sheath, and go with a commercial grade flat roof. A flashing pan should be made to go under the window and the roof attached to it.

It would help to figure out a way to get some kind of pitch on the roof away from the window, even if it is only 1/4" per foot.

You need to be a bear on gutter maintenance above the window.

 

[jonahbones]

I understand your point of view about dollars for material just not going to happen but lots of free labour yourself ! I am in a similar situation.
The starting point is what can you scrounge. Metal is a good DIY solution for a roof, round here it would be span deck or corrugated often available next to nothing 2nd hand.
11 degree would be min. pitch can skip the ply under deck and use battens foil sarking then roof. looks like c section used as existing ledger, that could be raised to increase pitch and beams fitted into the profile rather than sitting on top.
lots of info on the web about spans and connection details so you may have an unorthodox solution based on what you can reuse and scrounge but still stay well structured.

so start with what simply has to happen, roof pitch flashing, work out what can be reused, then scrounge and barter for what you need , only my opinion

 

[jtrace]

If the larger window is for a bedroom,in NJ its the law to have an egress window(as far as I know). Because after we had a house fire in 1989 we had to add those to the bedrooms upstairs to meet code. they have to be large enough for a fireman with gear on to enter the window.

John

 

[larry4406]

Maintaining egress window for bedroom is a valid concern. They do make wider less tall egress windows which may work here.