VC-Expanding Porch....

[MikeT]

After looking at my lot and the siting of my VC house, I realize that a good alternative for my porch entrance would be to expand it.  Below is a picture of my house as it basically now looks (more rafters, sheathing, etc since photo was taken).  As you might be able to see, the area where my porch will go has an area to span slopes away to the right.  I can get a good pier footing in if I go out 10-12 feet from the house.  

I was thinking about essentially incorporating the Little House plans and making my porch go out 12 feet from the house and going back 10 feet.   My thought is to place the (12 x 10) porch on joists that rest on a two beams running out from the house to the piers (4x12s?).   The beams would be placed such that the floor would cantilever over the sides about a foot or two.

The porch would be enclosed on the downhill side entirely and would have an entrance that runs perpendicular to the kitchen entrance you can see.  In other words, one would take five steps down to the porch and enter the house as if one is continuing downhill.  Then you would turn left to enter into the kitchen and the main part of the VC plans.  

Does this make sense?  Any concerns?

Thanks as always,
mt

[John Raabe]

Looks like the place is up in the air a bit there! :-?

Do I understand right? You are talking about a porch on the front (gable end) of the house. Is this a gable roofed porch aligned with the peak of the roof? Coming forward 12' long and having a width of 10?

Is the floor level of the porch the same as the house? or higher?

I'm not sure I have the picture of the finished project.

[MikeT]

You are correct that the envisioned porch comes out from the gable end of the house and extends 12 feet from the house.  You are also correct that it would run 10 feet wide.  But I was thinking of a shed roof at 4:12.  I could be convinced into putting on a gabled roof if you think it would look okay or even better.  I thought about that originally but then wasn't sure if the gable would want to compete or cover the windows that are on the end of the loft and to the left and right of the beam support post (two, 3030s).

The floor level would match that of the door to the kitchen which you can see cutout and framed in this picture.

Would the bearing weight of walls and a roof argue against a cantilever and for bearing directly onto the two beams, one at the corner of the house extending 12 feet out and the other back 10 feet?

Sorry for the camera angles.  I really don't have an image of the area around the entrance that doesn't look out of context.  

[John Raabe]

What if you considered doing a flat waterproof walking deck as the roof for the porch? Do you have loft access to a door at the gable end?

Otherwise, you could look at a low-slope shed roof, but I would do an overlay sketch on the photo here to see how it would look.

A gable to match the main roof would look good but restrict windows in that end wall gable.

[MikeT]

Re: the walkout deck/roof-- I sketched that up and thought about it.  But then I looked at having to cut/break up my double top plate on the gable end, and I thought that might have some structural ramifications vis, racking.  Right now, I have two 3030 windows framed in on either side of the 6x6 support post.

re: the gable option, I talked this over with an architect friend, and he thought it was too much effort for the design and it wouldn't get me that much.  That was his opinion, and as you know, much of your craft is subjective.    I liked the idea but would it be too wierd looking if the pitch of that porch were slightly less 9 or 10:12 instead of 12:12?  That way it would not interfere with the windows.

Regarding the base area, what would you think of resting the floor joists on two 4x12 beams?  Cantilever the joists upon which bearing walls rest?  If so, how much is allowable?

Thanks,
mt

[John Raabe]

You could use any of the beam and joist layouts of the Little House plans. The design loads for a porch are a bit heavier than for an interior floor (60 vs 40 psf). You should cut down the cantilever on the joists, but a foot or so would be no problem. Use PT materials if exposed to weather.

Have your architect friend review your structural layout. You have some non-standard elements there.