Replacement floor joists due to woodworm damage Kitchens, doors, rails, stud, tables, chairs, stair cases, garden furniture etc... Find answers and ask questions here!

[Wil567]

Hope this is the right area.
Need to replace 2, may be 3 floor joists (timber) in sitting room due to woodworm damage. I need trades to help as only me and I couldn't lift a joist!!
Got a quote today, by phone, not in writing as I asked them to provide.
He said: you need 5.1 (assuming that's metres)long joists but 4.8 long are cheaper so we'll use them and "make them fit".
This does not sound right at all - no quoted costs for any additional supports for the shorter joists, just an amount for whole job, so what are they planning to do?
Also, do I need to treat the joist ends before they get installed and if so, what do I treat them with? I'm doing a full woodworm treatment on all wood in sitting room anyway but do joist ends need a preservative like you'd use for outside wood?
Confused as to why joists shorter than length of room would be suitable.
Anyone know if I'm over thinking or right to be concerned? (Waiting for other quotes so nothing to compare that quote to yet).

[stoneyboy]

Hi wil567,
If you have a measurement of 5.1m external wall to external wall a shorter joist will have to be fitted with extenders one or both ends.
Use treated timber plus one of the 5* wood preservatives on the ends.
Regards S

[Wil567]

Thanks - no idea why you'd use extenders when you can just buy longer joists and cut them to size - which is what the company I have chosen is doing - and they're preserving the ends and they've quoted same price.
5.1m is the internal measurement not external.
But good to know using shorter joists is an option rather than a bodge which was my original thought.

[stoneyboy]

Hi wil567,
Thanks for the response.
If your joists are built into the walls at either end then trying to fit a joist 200mm longer than the wall-to-wall size can sometimes be impossible.
Fortunately it’s not your problem.
Regards S