A guy at work is having some renovations done on his house. Part of this includes replacing a 5 foot wide window with a three-foot wide door. He told me that the carpenter/handyman doing the work indicates that "you have to replace the header with a shorter one that better fits the width of the door".
(He's not talking about having to reframe the opening, just having to replace the header.) Either I'm confused, or it doesn't make any sense.

I've always thought in the situation you could leave the existing Kings studs and Jack studs and just add new Jack studs as far apart as necessary.


Does the Carpenter's position make any sense?
As always thanks in advance.

 

Not to me. No physics reason to do it that I can think of. Doesn't mean there isn't some obscure code rule, but I'm not aware of it if there is....

 

I can only think that something is being lost in the game of telephone being played here between your friend's contractor and you telling us. At least as you explain it, your logic seems fine to me as well.

 

Makes no since to me unless it needed to come out anyway if it's to low.

 

The only reason I can think of why he would say this is lateral strength, or basically the side jamb strength.
I don't think it's important in this case, but king studs nailed into the side of the header would be stronger laterally than just inserting 2 x 4's under the existing header.
It's easy enough to beef up the inserted studs for your rough opening and secure them at the top and bottom with structural connectors.

 

I spoke to my coworker again today, and told him of your replies and questions.
He said that the bottom of the header is high enough above the floor ("Just over 7 feet") to deal with the door.
He then showed me a photo of the area (in the framing)that he had taken on his phone. The sheetrock was off, and it looked like a perfectly fine header!
He plans to ask the carpenter for a reason to remove/replace the header.
Thanks again.

 

If this isn't a matter of unwanted additional costs, I would just let the carpenter replace the header.

For whatever reason the carpenter wants to change it, there are no down sides.