• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

Failed Foundation Inspection

J

JGM853

Registered User
Joined
Sep 10, 2019
Messages
3
Location
Oklahoma City
I have a safety concern regarding an accessory building under construction on my neighbors property. I live in OKC, OK and my neighbor poured what I thought to be a patio late 2018. A few months later he began erecting a 30x40 metal shop building on the slab. There was no footing or piers poured. The building just sets on the approximately 3 to 4" concreted slab.
I checked public records and found out that the "Foundation" was rejected by the city. However, permission to erect was granted. I contacted local code enforcement about why the building was allowed on a rejected foundation. I was told that my neighbor had to provide a certification from a licensed engineer stating the slab was built to code and that the city is still waiting on him to obtain the document. Is it normal for construction to be allowed even though the foundation inspection was rejected?
 
Welcome.

Well, will let other add answers,

But especially at someones house, the city is not going to stand there and watch if someone builds something.

They probably should have issued a stop work notice, till the foundation was approved.

You might keep making phone calls up the city line, till you find someone that will listen to you.

Also, contact the council person for you area and ask them to look into it.

Not being a structural person, what was poured might be all that is needed. Just have to find someone that says that.
 
IF the building is properly anchored to the slab (and that if a big IF),, is that enough to resist wind load to keep the building from blowing into your yard? Chances are that the metal building isn't heavy enough to cause a compression failure of the slab edges. But what about the anchoring for wind load? I think that is what the issue might be.
 
I would have stopped the job but it's up to the inspector. Inspectors will approve a engineers letter if the engineer can prove that it complies with code. If the engineer can't then they might need to start over. .
 
Thanks for the replies. The design on file with the city, which was created four months after the slab was poured, it specifies piers every 10 foot around the perimeter to meet the 115 mph wind load rating. There are no piers and the building was built in the middle of the slab. The edges of the slab are 10 foot from the building walls. I don't understand how water can be kept out with all the leveled concrete surface around the walls.
 
Leave the City Council out of the issue until you have a reasonable and clam discussion with the building department and get all facts. Then give the building department a reasonable amount of time to respond. One thing that building departments dislike are calls from the upper ups when they have not had time to investigate the issue and work the process as prescribed. Think of some one going to your boss and complaining with out them coming to you first.
 
What is the height of this building?
Is it allowed in your zone?
Is it being used for a commercial purpose?
 
It is a residential building with no commercial use. The walls are 12' tall. A 30x40 accessory building is allowed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top