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Deck stair stringers

And, as a non-dp/eng, but a mere code official, again, what code section am I citing for turning this down? (keep in mind I didn't like it either)

Yes, I can always fall back on "give me engineering"...................but in this instance? Educate, coach maybe, but a $500 engineers report?
 
MikeC said:
FWIW, all of the floor joists of the small deck had screws in the hangers. I don't care if it is Mike Holmes, the screws are coming out. The manufacturer says nails and the code says nails.
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I haven't had anyone use screws in joist hangers. This picture is not all that unusual; especially if it is a home owner.

DSCN4583.jpg


DSCN4584.jpg


I was there as he used a drill to install the screws. They went in tough as nails.

It's not like he didn't have choices.

DSCN4580.jpg
 
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No disrespect to "dhengr" [ or others ], but IMO, a "lil splainin"

won't fix this or other non-code specific situations......If they

did not know enough in the first place to do it correctly

[ i. e. - to not overcut the stringer, and to use the correct

type of fasteners ], trying to explain the various forces acting

on those cuts probably won't encourage the homeowner [ or

handyman contractor ] to remove the non-compliant cut

stringers and do it again.

A typical refrain:



Homeowner or Handyman Contractor: "What do you mean

take it out and re-do it!....That's going to cost me more money

and time!"

= =
 
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This is what I would use....if I needed to.....

R301.1 Design.

Buildings and structures, and all parts thereof, shall be constructed to safely support all loads, including dead loads, live loads, roof loads, flood loads, snow loads, wind loads and seismic loads as prescribed by this code. The construction of buildings and structures shall result in a system that provides a complete load path capable of transferring all loads from their point of origin through the load-resisting elements to the foundation.
 
Good code cite steveray. $500.00 engineers design is going to seem cheap if it prevents a broken leg, or worse.
 
Wow, I never expected that my question and picture would tunr into such a discussion. FWIW, the COO has been issued. The guy was as understanding as could be expected. I did what I could to help him out. He was actually quite receptive to corrections. I much prefer dealing mean people. I don't feel anywhere near as bad when I give them a list of corrections.
 
Note the pill bottles in the bottom left of ICE's pic.....that explains some of the workmanship.......Thanks Mac!....I would never beat someone over the head with that more vaugue stuff, but there are certain things like this that are done wrong all the time and not well addressed in the code...I would attempt to give options other than a $500 stamp.....the AWC deck guide, the discussion about treating it like rafter bearing, etc.....Not looking to cost them a whole lot of extra money, if they had drawn it on the plans, I would have failed it then,,,,and it just would have cost a little time and pencil lead......
 
When they are asked to remove the drywall screws from the hanger and install the proper joist hanger nail, I have a concern that the nail that is required makes the connection weak. Has this been confirmed?

pc1
 
steveray said:
if they had drawn it on the plans, I would have failed it then,,,,and it just would have cost a little time and pencil lead......
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I totally agree. In this case the stairs were not included in the drawings. You need to understand that I recently took this job over from someone who did very few inpections, never issued a COO, and accepted entire house plans on the back of a postcard. I am doing my best to try and educate people on what is expected of them. Cleaning this mess up is a full time job, as permits are applied for and issued at city hall but my office is in the fire station 2 blocks away and I am usually not there. Most people think that permits are a way to collect money because inspections were never required or performed. Just yesterday I added a disclosure to the permit that explains the need for a COO and the fact that one will not be issued until all inpections are permformed and approved. I asked the lady at city hall to point this out to all applicants.

FWIW, in the case of the stringers, I printed out a few pages from the AWC Deck Guide after I saw how bad the first set of stringers were messed up.
 
Your office is two blocks away??? Are they allowing you to do plan review or is everything feild check in lieu of plans?? if that's the scenario, that is th efirst thing that needs to be fixed.
 
Your office is two blocks away??? Are they allowing you to do plan review or is everything field check in lieu of plans?? if that's the scenario, that is the first thing that needs to be fixed. Again a typo in the previous posting. Guess I need to slow down. Sorry folks.
 
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