In my loft conversion, builders have set the steels a little on the low side. And bottom of joists and beams are not flush - see pic. To avoid losing me any more headroom on first floor, they have suggested fixing plasterboards between beams (flush with joists), painting beams with intumescent paint and then meshing, and, finally, skimming over everything.
Apart from whether building control will allow it, my main concern is the likelihood of the skim cracking at the joints with the plasterboards. The architect thinks it'll be ok, but a friend (who happens to be an architect too) thinks there's a good chance of cracking and that, ideally, they should plasterboard across the beams, with spacers fixed to joists. But, obviously, that will cost me head height. I'm already under 2.3m!
What do you guys think?
Apart from whether building control will allow it, my main concern is the likelihood of the skim cracking at the joints with the plasterboards. The architect thinks it'll be ok, but a friend (who happens to be an architect too) thinks there's a good chance of cracking and that, ideally, they should plasterboard across the beams, with spacers fixed to joists. But, obviously, that will cost me head height. I'm already under 2.3m!
What do you guys think?