We have been planning to tile over the veranda for quite some time now. As it has stood for the last year and a half, it is basically a pergola with a tile floor below. Though it is visually appealing to have gorgeous wooden beams exposed, it has proven to be utterly impractical. In order to actually make use of the space on a regular basis we have surmised that we definitely do need there to ba a full covering over our heads to protect us from the rays of the sun.
Alas, when the contractor arrived this morning, he informed us that the major beam that supports the entire overhead configuration may not be strong enough to support a full tile roof’s weight. This was the first we had heard of this from him, and found the timing of his disclosure to be absurd, and foreseeably majorly problematic.
In sum, he stated that over time we might want to keep an eye on that beam, and maybe test its height to confirm that it has not begun to sag. Then he had the gall to tell us that it is only natural for this to take place. This left my head reeling, as I could not understand if he meant natural for wood to bend under too much weight, or natural for this to take place and for people to remain calm and unprotected against it.
As for solutions, he came up with the wait and see approach, this was clearly his preference. Otherwise we could insert additional wooden strips of beams onto the outside of the already existing beam to provide more support. However, he was quick to point out that this might not even help. On top of it al, my husband is not one to handle split decision making in a dignified manner, and pushed the responsibility of making a decision onto me. Oh and this was followed by an instruction that it needed to be decided now. Urrrgggghhhh! Such is the world of home repairs.