Another reframing or offset situation

[jcycler]

Similar to timfromohio's question a couple days ago, my Hearthstone Bennington installation was stalled when the installers discovered that my second floor joists and rafters were not lined up. They suggested two options: reframe (house is Cape Cod style built 1960 so I assume don't have trusses because of style) or offset. Offset won't be so pretty because it is a corner installation and would be offset a couple feet parallel to one wall. But even with the offset, a rafter would have to be cut. But this rafter would be under a dormer, which they said is not a structural rafter (or at least not as crucial). And then the stack would go up directly in front of the dormer so not be so pretty from the outside (if our municipality even lets us do that) but would not be too visible because of trees. They said carpenters do reframing all the time for skylights, for example. Any comments?

 

[Corey]

So if I have this straight, you could offset, have an ugly installation downstairs and still have to reframe, and have the flue come up in front of a window - or- you could simply have a straight run, reframe and have a neat installation both downstairs and away from a window? I'd go for the straight run - for the same reasons i mentioned in the last post. Cutting a single joist or rafter usually isn't much of an issue when proper headers are used. You'll thank yourself a dozen time over when it comes time to clean the pipe and it is a straight run. Plus the code issues and aesthetics if you ran the pipe by the window.

 

[jcycler]

Corey, you basically have it straight. The only thing I would add is that I was told that reframing a structural rafter is more involved than a nonstructural one, and we would probably have to bring in an outside contractor to augment the work of the wood stove installers who generally don't do that kind of structural work. This could add considerably to the price. We're waiting for more info on that.