Star bolts prices

[phillysleuth]

I just got a quote from a highly recommended masonry guy on Angies List for, among other things, starbolts. The bottom of my front wall definitely has problems, and apparently the 4 starbolts that a previous contractor installed were done incorrectly (did not go into the joists). The bottom of my wall seems to be some kind of masonry applied to either brick or brownstone (he says brownstone, but I can see some brick at the top section), and it's separating. I don't see an obvious bulge but there must have been something going on for the first guy to put in star bolts about 10 years ago.

He's going to repair the wall damage, but he also wants to replace the existing 4 starbolts with 3 on the bottom and one on the second level. I have asked for clarification on the latter. Here's the estimate and specs: Is it reasonable? I've read somewhere that interior damage can be caused installing them-- that wouldn't be an issue at the basement level, but certainly could be upstairs. This contractor does a lot of work here and elsewhere and is doing similar work across the street. I'm just trying to see how much is really necessary, given that I don't see a problem on the second level. Thanks.

"Install new star bolts one on each floor level and three on bottom stone level using ¾” x6’ all thread steel rods drilled through three floor joists with nuts and washers. Torque each star to 50 lbs. giving each star bolt 3000 lbs. of pressure. $950.00 each star "

[MERKIN]

sounds about right. the funny thing is that each bolt and rod costs maybe $70-$100. i do these on the hourly for my friends. they are fun to do and take probably an hour to to do if there is no ceilings. i wish that i got paid that much for a days work.

[phillysleuth]

sounds about right. the funny thing is that each bolt and rod costs maybe $70-$100. i do these on the hourly for my friends. they are fun to do and take probably an hour to to do if there is no ceilings. i wish that i got paid that much for a days work.

What's the deal with ceilings? Nothing was mentioned about them in the estimate. Why are they so expensive to put in if the material prices is so low?

[Titus]

What's the deal with ceilings? Nothing was mentioned about them in the estimate. Why are they so expensive to put in if the material prices is so low?

If the bolts go through the ceiling joists they have to cut lots of holes in the ceilings or go through the floors above - it gets expensive to patch everything.

[MERKIN]

i dont believe the patching is included. besides, most of the bolts are going into the basement joists where the basement is accessible.

not sure why its so expensive. i put in 6 bolts for a friend into a side wall wall which is more time consuming because or extra framing in the joist bays, it cost him probably $1,300 for everything. its not rocket science. look around you will probably find some better prices. its the same with any house repair, but the bolts have always fascinated me in regards to price/labor.

[HomeInspectorBC]

Hello and Happy Sunday,

Hiring an engineer for an evaluation of the structure and a report to determine a scope of work or if any work is necessary is a pretty good way to go and may save you time and money by avoiding unnessary work and would probably cost $400-$600. I highly recommend Greg Baker of Penn Valley Engineering at 856 829-8636.

When performing structural work permits are required by the city and a reputable contractor that stands by his work that is both licensed and insured is probably a safer bet then hiring a pushcart handyperson/contractor who will be nowhere to be found if an issue arises such as faulty work/structural failure or L & I comes knocking. It is always a good consumer practice to get at least three estimates from licensed and insured contractors prior to making a commitment. Remember on this blog you are dealing with complete strangers that have their own agendas, most maybe well meaning with good intentions but some are not and others do not have the necessary skills/training/ability to deliver what their mouth promises. Proceed with caution and become an educated consumer to protect your interest. Star bolts installed by our structural repair business typically can range from $600-$1000 each depending on degree of difficulty, the extent and location of the bulging.

I completely understand the desire to save money and maybe cut corners when it comes to hiring someone to work on your house, but as someone that evaluates and repairs homes for a living my experience is that cutting corners and trying to save a buck usually ends up costing more. The old adage that we do not have time to do it right the first time but always find time to do it again is very true and can be very expensive. Apparently the work was not done right the first time, get it right this time or you may have to found out if the third time is always the charm when it comes to home improvement/remodeling contractors.

If you are comfortable with the angies list contactor try to negotiate with them or make a counteroffer or ask them of any discounts/specials they may have to see if he is willing to come down in price and/or ask him how did they arrive at the price. A lot of contractors and it is a good business practice for contractors do not want to piggy back on work performed by third parties particularly if the work is shoddy because they then may have to assume the liability of that work and therefore want to start from scratch. If we can be of futher service or you would like us to look at your particularly situation please feel free to contact us at 215 380-4431.

Good luck with your project,

[phillysleuth]

If the bolts go through the ceiling joists they have to cut lots of holes in the ceilings or go through the floors above - it gets expensive to patch everything.

He wants to put in one bolt in the second floor to stabilize the wall while working on the part that is defective on the ground floor/basement window level. He will repair any ceiling damage, but I'm going to want that written in the estimate.

[phillysleuth]

Hello and Happy Sunday,

Hiring an engineer for an evaluation of the structure and a report to determine a scope of work or if any work is necessary is a pretty good way to go and may save you time and money by avoiding unnessary work and would probably cost $400-$600. I highly recommend Greg Baker of Penn Valley Engineering at 856 829-8636.

When performing structural work permits are required by the city and a reputable contractor that stands by his work that is both licensed and insured is probably a safer bet then hiring a pushcart handyperson/contractor who will be nowhere to be found if an issue arises such as faulty work/structural failure or L & I comes knocking. It is always a good consumer practice to get at least three estimates from licensed and insured contractors prior to making a commitment. Remember on this blog you are dealing with complete strangers that have their own agendas, most maybe well meaning with good intentions but some are not and others do not have the necessary skills/training/ability to deliver what their mouth promises. Proceed with caution and become an educated consumer to protect your interest. Star bolts installed by our structural repair business typically can range from $600-$1000 each depending on degree of difficulty, the extent and location of the bulging.

I completely understand the desire to save money and maybe cut corners when it comes to hiring someone to work on your house, but as someone that evaluates and repairs homes for a living my experience is that cutting corners and trying to save a buck usually ends up costing more. The old adage that we do not have time to do it right the first time but always find time to do it again is very true and can be very expensive. Apparently the work was not done right the first time, get it right this time or you may have to found out if the third time is always the charm when it comes to home improvement/remodeling contractors.

If you are comfortable with the angies list contactor try to negotiate with them or make a counteroffer or ask them of any discounts/specials they may have to see if he is willing to come down in price and/or ask him how did they arrive at the price. A lot of contractors and it is a good business practice for contractors do not want to piggy back on work performed by third parties particularly if the work is shoddy because they then may have to assume the liability of that work and therefore want to start from scratch. If we can be of futher service or you would like us to look at your particularly situation please feel free to contact us at 215 380-4431.

Good luck with your project,

I'm satisfied with his expertise, just not his prices. I did have a structural engineer here in the recent past, another Angies List guy, who did not pick up the wall problems,but I hadn't brought him in for that. My plumber, who I've used for decades, discovered the bottom wall was hollowed out (sections had had separated from the brownstone) and alerted me. It wasn't a surprise because I can see a separation crack if I look underneath the front masonry, and there has been cold air coming in thru that wall and under the window sills into the living room for a while. I will probably take your advice and get a second opinion from a different engineer or masonry person.

It's not just this wall project that is at issue but paying $950 per star bolt (with 4 specified) plus about $5k for the masonry work, we're talking about a lot of money just for this. I need to have all my window/door caulk inspected and redone where cracked. A window contractor alerted me to this last year... my exterior caulking is dried and at least cracked around the bathroom, if not elsewhere. Water came in under the sill during the bad rain storms recently and I can see the crack. The masonry guy wants to charge $2K to deal with all the caulking issues. He says it's because I don't want him to caulk on top of caulk, which according to everything I've ever read, should not be done. So I can see that it's not just a small job even on a two story house, but it's a lot of money just for caulking. He would reduce the price if he didn't have to take out the old caulk. Should I even consider doing it that way after all the admonitions not to?

And finally, he was going to:

Repair cracks in stucco rear and side walls of house using super bond and hydraulic cement. Apply elastomeric sealer any color will dry to a rubber type sealer. $6200.00

My house has some hairline cracks (yes I know they can get worse and are potentially a source of leaks) but nothing that someone not looking for them would notice. The stucco does appear to absorb rain in several locations, so having it sealed would be ideal. I just don't have any comparison basis for this level of price for this amount of work. If I approved everything he is recommending, the total is headed for $15+K (roughly.. don't have my calculator handy). That's a lot of money for a retired single woman. He says he's already given me a 10$% discount.

Since I am inclined to believe he knows his trade (and is licensed, and has done a lot of work in the area) I'm leaning towards just doing the front wall since he felt it was serious. I find it hard to believe there isn't someone else... a painter or other general contractor.. who couldn't handle the caulk problem for less than $2K. I have no idea about the stucco work, particularly the sealer. I think it must be the sealer proess that is jacking the cost up, but I really don't know which component is the culprit.

[HomeInspectorBC]

Well that was a mouthful and it sounds like you have some immediate areas that need to be addressed along with some deferred maintenance that needs to be shored up in other areas; without more information such as the size of the house and size/extent of areas that are in need of repairs it is impossible to comment on those figures but nothing seems outrageous except maybe the window caulking and can't really tell about that either without knowing the size and number of windows but to remove and recaulk a standard window is typically $25-$40 with oversized windows a little more.

Stucco does absorb moisture and then dry out so that is not uncommon, the key is to make sure water damage is not occuring underneath the stucco. One of the keys when working with masonry in older houses is to use the same style cement that is already in place to help prevent further issues with the structure. A more historic lime based cement typical in houses built around and before the turn of the 1900's such as a "brownstone house" is soft and allows the house to breathe(pourous), and a portland cement is much harder and water tight(non-pourous). If there are no water/moisture penetration issues with the stucco, you maybe able to save money by only repairing the exterior stucco cracks and passing on the masonry sealer which can be expensive and having another party recaulk the windows for a more manageable price. If the stucco finish has several hairline cracks running throughout the exterior then replacement of the stucco maybe warranted instead of coating with a sealant. Another thing to be aware of is once a sealant is applied to the masonry walls it is paramount to maintain/repair cracks/gaps/openings in the masonry walls as they occur as the structure/wall cannot breath/dry out and water/moisture can become trapped behind the masonry wall causing wet rot/mold growth over time as the same sealant installed to keep water/moisture out of the structure will now also trap water/moisture behind the masonry wall. It may even be necessary to install weep screeds at the base of the masonry walls to help any water/moisture/condensation accumulation behind the masonry wall to dry out.

If you go the sealant route on masonry walls and notice a condensation/humidity issue within your house such as condensation forming on the interior of the windows or basement framing/metal pipes it is probably because the house cannot breath/ventilate and moisture that naturally occurs within the building envelope such as cooking/showering/breathing and/or not so naturally by wet/damp basements cannot escape the building envelope and becomes trapped in the house as the same sealant used to keep water/moisture out also traps water/moisture in and it maybe necessary to install dehumidifers to help manage the moistue levels within the building envelope or even heat recovery ventilators depending on the severity of the issue as to not adversely effect indoor air quality.

Here's a good consumer tip, have another contractor come out without letting on about the previous contractor and his findings/prices, show and tell the second contractor the same things you told the first contractor. If both contractors basically say the same thing then you know you are on the right track, but if both are vastly different in their opinions for solutions to your house then you know you need to do more research before hiring someone to do the work, if both say basically the same thing and only the prices differ vastly then you have a decision to make or can bring in a third contractor with the same scope of work and see who's price the third contractor is more in line with to help determine which party to hire. My experience is 5 different contractors/inspectors will have 8 different opinions and prices. So become your own educated consumer advocate as it is a lot easier chasing your money while it's still in your pocket then chasing down a contractor when your money is in their pocket.

Thank you for your time,

[phillysleuth]

Well, so much for that project. As I have been "educated" to do, from reading, watching Holmes on Homes, & online forums, I have been asking this masonry contractor for clarifications and specifics on his general emailed proposal (the prices were specific but the work was described in broad strokes from my perspective). I had to learn from other sources that the star bolts would necessitate some damage to my living room ceiling and opening up my living room oak floor. The patching of the ceiling he did agree he would handle. By the time we got to the floor, that was the limit of his tolerance for my questions and he said that he had given out too many contracts recently and couldn't handle my business. I don't believe him for a second; he just wanted me to go on his reputation from Angies List and trust him to take care of the details. I am incapable of doing this anymore.

He has also told me that my wall is dangerous and needs to be fixed as soon as possible. So now I'm in a great position of having chosen a top rated guy, who doesn't like to detail his proposals, and I don't know who to turn to.

There was other work to be done to the exterior: replace/repair all exterior caulk, patch stucco cracks, possibly put waterproof coating on stucco. He gave me prices on each, and when I asked for clarification of the caulk pricing ($2k-- a job he said he wouldn't have done without the wall work) , he said it would be cheaper if he didn't have to replace it. I countered with my understanding that you shouldn't caulk on top of old caulk and asked if I was misinformed. He said it was important in the long run to get out as much old caulk as possible (but doesn't that contradict his apparent offer to reduce the price if he didn't have to do that?).

It seemed to be my question on who would repair the 6" x 6" holes in my floor, him or someone I would need to contract with separately that was the last straw for him. Is that, or any of my questions really so inappropriate when dealing with a project of any dimension, let alone one which was going to cost $9K?

I don't know what to do and am really at a loss as to how to deal with contractors.

jo

[StrangeTanks]

Wow...sounds like this is really on your mind.

First of all, I think its more than likely that your front wall isn't in eminent danger of collapsing at any moment. Second, you can do some very simply diagnosing yourself.

Putting stars and rods into the basement level won't do anything to stabilize your front wall. If I'm reading things correctly.

Back in the day, there was no such thing as portland cement, which is the very hard cement used by masons today. They used lime putty, or lime mortar. Its much softer and doesn't stick to the brick as well. So when a wall goes out of plumb the lime mortar will allow it to move and bulge. The stars are there to hold it back against the house.

First thing I would check, is the floor along the front wall. See if it looks like its pulled away. This may have been hidden by trim or carpeting, but some investigation should reveal an obvious problem. If it all looks original and your interior looks good, it could be that your front layer of brick had broken away from the interior layer of brick. You can usually see this in repairs or gaps around window frames. Its caused by water getting in there and breaking the soldier course of bricks. No amount of stars will fix this, as crap fills up the gap and keeps the 2 courses separated.

As far as your contractor. Its pretty devious that he didn't tell you he would need to cut holes. If he said he needed to cut holes in the floor as opposed to the ceilings I would dump him. But don't freak out and think this is something that needs to be taken care of in the next week. Your house has been here for 100 years, it will be here for a few more, take your time and find someone that your comfy with.

I've always had some luck finding contractors at good supply houses. They usually have good relationships with busy reputable folks. And honestly, installing a bunch of stars is a small job. If your in a bind, message me, I have a good drywall guy that can fix your ceilings good as new.

[Eastcoast]

Wow...sounds like this is really on your mind.

First of all, I think its more than likely that your front wall isn't in eminent danger of collapsing at any moment. Second, you can do some very simply diagnosing yourself.

Putting stars and rods into the basement level won't do anything to stabilize your front wall. If I'm reading things correctly.

Back in the day, there was no such thing as portland cement, which is the very hard cement used by masons today. They used lime putty, or lime mortar. Its much softer and doesn't stick to the brick as well. So when a wall goes out of plumb the lime mortar will allow it to move and bulge. The stars are there to hold it back against the house.

First thing I would check, is the floor along the front wall. See if it looks like its pulled away. This may have been hidden by trim or carpeting, but some investigation should reveal an obvious problem. If it all looks original and your interior looks good, it could be that your front layer of brick had broken away from the interior layer of brick. You can usually see this in repairs or gaps around window frames. Its caused by water getting in there and breaking the soldier course of bricks. No amount of stars will fix this, as crap fills up the gap and keeps the 2 courses separated.

As far as your contractor. Its pretty devious that he didn't tell you he would need to cut holes. If he said he needed to cut holes in the floor as opposed to the ceilings I would dump him. But don't freak out and think this is something that needs to be taken care of in the next week. Your house has been here for 100 years, it will be here for a few more, take your time and find someone that your comfy with.

I've always had some luck finding contractors at good supply houses. They usually have good relationships with busy reputable folks. And honestly, installing a bunch of stars is a small job. If your in a bind, message me, I have a good drywall guy that can fix your ceilings good as new.

Flat-out awesome advice!

[johnnie]

I just got a quote from a highly recommended masonry guy on Angies List for, among other things, starbolts. The bottom of my front wall definitely has problems, and apparently the 4 starbolts that a previous contractor installed were done incorrectly (did not go into the joists). The bottom of my wall seems to be some kind of masonry applied to either brick or brownstone (he says brownstone, but I can see some brick at the top section), and it's separating. I don't see an obvious bulge but there must have been something going on for the first guy to put in star bolts about 10 years ago.

You really need to get a professional out there to see what is going on with the front wall. A structural engineer should be able to identify the cause of the problems and give you a game plan on what to do for a few hundred bucks (About $100 bucks an hour on the high end for site visit and quick report. Probably $400 to $500 total. Much cheaper then if the facade fails and collapses). You don't want to "repair" something only to have to do it correctly a few years or months later. I am a Professional Engineer but I am not shilling for work. We are so busy currently we can't keep up. Look on Angies list for one (I assume they list them?). Also, it is hard to picture the issues without some pics.

The costs seems a bit high for each star bolt. Also, why are they cutting your living room floors? Why not go in through the basement ceiling or is that not accessible?

[phillysleuth]

Wow...sounds like this is really on your mind.

First of all, I think its more than likely that your front wall isn't in eminent danger of collapsing at any moment. Second, you can do some very simply diagnosing yourself.

Putting stars and rods into the basement level won't do anything to stabilize your front wall. If I'm reading things correctly.

Back in the day, there was no such thing as portland cement, which is the very hard cement used by masons today. They used lime putty, or lime mortar. Its much softer and doesn't stick to the brick as well. So when a wall goes out of plumb the lime mortar will allow it to move and bulge. The stars are there to hold it back against the house.

First thing I would check, is the floor along the front wall. See if it looks like its pulled away. This may have been hidden by trim or carpeting, but some investigation should reveal an obvious problem. If it all looks original and your interior looks good, it could be that your front layer of brick had broken away from the interior layer of brick. You can usually see this in repairs or gaps around window frames. Its caused by water getting in there and breaking the soldier course of bricks. No amount of stars will fix this, as crap fills up the gap and keeps the 2 courses separated.

As far as your contractor. Its pretty devious that he didn't tell you he would need to cut holes. If he said he needed to cut holes in the floor as opposed to the ceilings I would dump him. But don't freak out and think this is something that needs to be taken care of in the next week. Your house has been here for 100 years, it will be here for a few more, take your time and find someone that your comfy with.

I've always had some luck finding contractors at good supply houses. They usually have good relationships with busy reputable folks. And honestly, installing a bunch of stars is a small job. If your in a bind, message me, I have a good drywall guy that can fix your ceilings good as new.

It sure is on my mind! If someone who has a top Angies List reputation and is known around town for being The Starbolt Guy tells you your wall needs to be fixed as soon as possible and then abandons you when you asked for specifics, it's very upsetting. My mistake was to try to handle it in email. I should have asked him to come back so we could talk about it all.

Maybe I misled you about the "basement level" star bolts. I really meant first floor. An earlier contractor had previously installed 4, but this one says they were nonfunctional (I assume they didn't go thru the beams or enough beams). I don't know why you don't think the cuts in the floor are unnecessary; they cut open the ceiling for the upper floor(s) and the floor for the first level. I don't know what the cuts are for; maybe that's how they get access to the beams/joists (whatever they are).

There is no interior sign that anything is wrong with the front, but the wall is very cold in winter, and a draft comes thru under the sills. Since I have new windows and sills, I suspect the draft is coming up thru the masonry, and the contractor seemed to agree. Damage to the ceiling is not something that freaks me out--- I've had other renovations done to the house that involved dry wall. Damage to the floors would also not make me freak out if I knew how and who was supposed to fix it. All I wanted was to know what fixing the wall involved, in detail.

I don't know if I have two layers of brick on the bottom part of the wall. He seemed to indicate it was crumbling brownstone and supporting the wall of brick above it. I just checked inthe basement and see mostly a masonry surface but I do see a few bricks close to the ceiling so the interior masonry may have been applied over brick. However I also was able to poke my fingers into spaces in the wall at the level of the basement windows, and it is definitely crumbling. Don't know if the crumble is brick or brownstone, but it's bad. You may remember from my original post about how this was going to be fixed that he wasn't just going to put in star bolts; it involved concrete block, masonry, stucco & more masonry. The upper level starbolt was only to stabilize the wall while it was being rebuilt below, although he felt it was a good idea to leave it in. I can see some possible issues with the pointing close to the second floor windows, so there may be issues higher up.

I appreciate your response. I'll try not to freak out but it's hard when you think you have an expert around to take care of things and he disappears. While just the installation of starbolts may be a small job, repairing a crumbling wall properly is not for just anyone. FYI, he told the woman across the street that her wall was not critical and that she needed her downspout and roof taken care of first, so he doesn't just tell everyone the same story.

[johnnie]

Maybe I misled you about the "basement level" star bolts. I really meant first floor. An earlier contractor had previously installed 4, but this one says they were nonfunctional (I assume they didn't go thru the beams or enough beams). I don't know why you don't think the cuts in the floor are unnecessary; they cut open the ceiling for the upper floor(s) and the floor for the first level. I don't know what the cuts are for; maybe that's how they get access to the beams/joists (whatever they are).

A star bolt is basically a plate on the outside facade with a long bolt that ties into the floor structure (floor joists. Typically 3 joists with blocking between each joist at the star bolt). The floor structure and floor diaphragm action (i.e. the sheathing of the floor transfers the load to the side walls of the building) prevents the exterior facade from pulling away from the building.

[phillysleuth]

You really need to get a professional out there to see what is going on with the front wall. A structural engineer should be able to identify the cause of the problems and give you a game plan on what to do for a few hundred bucks (About $100 bucks an hour on the high end for site visit and quick report. Probably $400 to $500 total. Much cheaper then if the facade fails and collapses). You don't want to "repair" something only to have to do it correctly a few years or months later. I am a Professional Engineer but I am not shilling for work. We are so busy currently we can't keep up. Look on Angies list for one (I assume they list them?). Also, it is hard to picture the issues without some pics.

The costs seems a bit high for each star bolt. Also, why are they cutting your living room floors? Why not go in through the basement ceiling or is that not accessible?

I had a structural engineer here from Angies List a year ago May. I didn't call him out for the front because I didn't know it was a problem.I can't remember if he said anything about the front because we were mainly dealing with moisture problems and structural issues I have with my back shed, but he definitely didn't focus on it enough to know that it was pulling away. He would charge another $525 (fixed fee) to come back just for this issue because it's been more than a year. If I could find a different guy who would work on an hourly basis (it's not a multi hour evaluation effort, I'm sure), I would prefer a different person. He was a little frosty; an older gentleman who I think had been doing this for too long and was ready to retire. I'd love to have a personal reference to someone who can tell me the reality of this project, so shill away!

Sorry for no pictures; taken from the front you wouldn't see anything. There is no bulge that I detect. Taken from the inside would be very difficult to tell you much either because so much insulation has been stuffed around the windows and other "holes". He simply tapped the entire width of wall and said that sections of it were hollow, which echoed what my plumber had told me when he installed the outside spigot recently. As for the cuts on the floor, I dunno. The basement ceiling is accessible. Since he seems to confuse the houses that he sees (he referred to my third floor when I don't have one), maybe he didn't remember. That's part of the problem: I wanted clarifications and I think it made him nuts.

Price of the star bolts: are all star bolts created equal? He gave a price of $750 to the woman across the street. Now would he be using different kinds on different types of construction (one side of this street is 3 story, one side 2, not built at the same time), or did he just pick me out as an easy mark? I have no idea since I don't know this trade. It makes me vulnerable.

[phillysleuth]

A star bolt is basically a plate on the outside facade with a long bolt that ties into the floor structure (floor joists. Typically 3 joists with blocking between each joist at the star bolt). The floor structure and floor diaphragm action (i.e. the sheathing of the floor transfers the load to the side walls of the building) prevents the exterior facade from pulling away from the building.

I thought that's what I had already, and I understand the function, but this contractor says the ones previously installed were not done correctly. He was going to use much larger external plates than I have and go thru 3 joists. I don't know why ceilings and floors have to be opened up. Nothing was opened up for what I have now.

[phillysleuth]

Guys, I'm sorry if I've been terse in any of my replies to you. It's been a stressful year, and very stressful summer. Not only do I have house problems but a dying car, several chronic health problems, and 4 foster cats who are now adolescents who I haven't found homes for yet. If my tone was anything but factual (or not, as is more likely) and kinda desperate, I apologize. I have chronic pain from spine problems and problems that might not upset others can really rattle me. Sorry.

[johnnie]

I thought that's what I had already, and I understand the function, but this contractor says the ones previously installed were not done correctly. He was going to use much larger external plates than I have and go thru 3 joists. I don't know why ceilings and floors have to be opened up. Nothing was opened up for what I have now.

The long threaded rod/bolt has to attach to the last joist with a plate and nut. This gives the threaded rod/bolt an anchoring point. You need to get access to the joist with a cut in the floor or typically ceiling to do the attachment.

Your other post about the other engineer sounds fishy. Why have a fixed fee for a small residential job? We do mostly high end single family residential in the burbs or commercial or industrial but we do some of these smaller jobs occasionally. Honestly, we are swamped and couldn't come out for at least a week or two. Ask some friends or check Angies list again for another option. I really dont want to shill for work. Just trying to give you some helpful and hopefully cost saving advice.

[stock]

I've never heard or seen of star bolts on the first floor. The structure is not built that way. You would only ever need them for the second or third floor.

$950 a pop is about right. You don't need to do anything to the floor. You can either do it through cutting the ceiling OR floor, not both. $950 covers rough coat of patch in dry wall. I'll double check but I think torque is 60 pounds. You also need to install blocking between the joists to keep them apart. This is important and often not done, but required.

It's structural, there is always more risk with structural. You charge for risk. Star bolts are easy, but if you f*** it up, it's a real big deal.