Raising PART of garage ceiling - Help!

[Cjwhite116]

Apologies if I’m posting this in the wrong category.

I’m turning my garage into a gym. It’s a newbuild detached garage containing two garages (our garage and our neighbours garage).

I’ve got hold of a cable machine that is 15cm too tall for the garage ceiling. Cost a fortune and I can’t send it back. (Stupid I know)

The ceiling is double boarded for fire regs, with trusses immediately above the boards.

I want to put a hole in the ceiling (this would break fire regs apparently) between trusses to fit the narrow cable machine in. I’d then look to have the ceiling reboarded above the machine in that small area.

Can anyone tell me - is this actually feasible?

Am I going to encounter any major problems?

How the hell do I find out where the trusses are?

Any other advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Chris

[dhutch]

As long as you don't chop a truss, and reinstated a fireproof barrier, I can't see any issues although I'm not an expert.

I'm supprised a detached garage has fire boarding to be honest, unless the dividing wall doesn't go to the roofline.

[bennno]

Nobody on here can guide you, just get a local builder or handyman in to look at it.

Can you get access in to space above to check for services etc in void.

If it’s leasehold then it’s more complicated as you need the freeholders permission.

[Cjwhite116]

dhutch said:

As long as you don't chop a truss, and reinstated a fireproof barrier, I can't see any issues although I'm not an expert.

I'm supprised a detached garage has fire boarding to be honest, unless the dividing wall doesn't go to the roofline.

Your last point is the reason mate. The wall stops at ceiling height hence the need for fireproof boarding.

Thanks for the reply. Just need to find the trusses and not cut through any wiring!

[Cjwhite116]

bennno said:

Nobody on here can guide you, just get a local builder or handyman in to look at it.

Can you get access in to space above to check for services etc in void.

If it’s leasehold then it’s more complicated as you need the freeholders permission.

It’s freehold fortunately.

It’s completely sealed at the moment, so would need to try to find the trusses without making a mess.

Hoping that I can make a hole pretty easily and get a professional in later to raise that area.

[shtu]

Cjwhite116 said:

try to find the trusses without making a mess.

Use a strong magnet to find the nails\screws holding the boards up, mark the position of each one.

It'll soon be obvious where the trusses are.

[Cjwhite116]

shtu said:

Cjwhite116 said:

try to find the trusses without making a mess.

Use a strong magnet to find the nails\screws holding the boards up, mark the position of each one.

It'll soon be obvious where the trusses are.

Thanks. I’ve seen this mentioned a few times in my research. Will give it a go.

[dhutch]

Alternatively, can you see the ends of the trusses at the eaves, behind the gutters? If exposed, tape measure, should get close enough to cut an initial hole.

[KnackeredOldBanger]

You and your neighbour could share the cost of extending the fire break upwards so that you can drop your ceilings and gain the storage space above.

[C-J]

Cjwhite116 said:

shtu said:

Cjwhite116 said:

try to find the trusses without making a mess.

Use a strong magnet to find the nails\screws holding the boards up, mark the position of each one.

It'll soon be obvious where the trusses are.

Thanks. I’ve seen this mentioned a few times in my research. Will give it a go.

Agree that manual methods above will probably work - however another option...

?..You could also search for 'joist finders'. A few years ago I bought a cheap one that was seemed to locate beam edges accurately (as in the edges it indicated were the right width, and pitch seemed logical) on about 10 different properties that I tried it on. Colleagues thought that they were inaccurate though and preferred to poke numerous spikes into the ceiling in a 'hit and hope' approach.