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Framing Inspection Ready to Continue

Mule

Mule

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Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
1,520
Location
Texas
We've been working this for a few years. Transfering from one owner to the next. We kept trying to condemn the structure but every time we started to proceed a new owner would show up with no knowledge that the structure was under condemnation. A young man paid cash for the structure about 4 months ago. We sent out a substandard letter last week that he just received... He came in..I've been working on it and I'm ready for the next step! I've finished the framing and ready to move on!OOOOOOkay......... We go out there today. ENJOY!!!!!Just a taste... Then I'll put up links to pics.
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The roof was sagging so bad he couldn't push the 2X up against the deck so he just nailed it where he could push it to! Into burned wood!
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Other links

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Several more but you can see it's not quite ready!View attachment 1660

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The heck with engineering, get another match and finish the job! :D

Excellent entertainment value "Mule"!

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must of went down to the local bige box home improvment store and tried to discribe the problem to the crew there, then got coffee and donuts for them and the answer to the problem at the same time
 
WOW. I think that job may be a little more than the young man can handle. I hope you gave him some pointers instead of just turning down and walking away. There was a good teachable moment in there somewhere.

Side note:

We allow about 1/8" of charring before repair/replace is required. Do any of your jurisdictions have a set policy for this? Fire jobs can be very hard to inspect. Good pics MULE....thanks
 
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Usually prefer not to get engineers involved but--if it is anything more than smoke discoloring the wood they either replace it or get an engineer to bless it.
 
I have had engineers say that any charring is to much the heat pulls the sap from the pine and destroys the lumbers rating.
 
Our policy... if there is any char the entire piece comes out!

The new owner was overwhelmed! Since homeowners complaints have started streaming in we are going to enforce the code. We are going to work with him as much as possible.

In Texas the Local Government Code has provisions for abating substandard structures that says IF you have an ordinance then you SHALL follow these rules. The adopted requires 30 days to secure permits and 90 days to complete. Plainly he won't be finished in 90 days. There is an appeal process where the Board of Appeals may authorize additional time. However it is up to the owner to provide enough information so the board can make a fair decision (timeline, contractor bids etc.). The gentleman was planning on doing a lot of the work himself, but I don't know if I have enough time to be his job superintendent.

I really do feel bad for this guy but bad things happen to good people. And as far as my take...I've been bite numerous times and I keep thinking about the old saying "No good deed goes unpunished!
 
Mule said:
The gentleman was planning on doing a lot of the work himself, but I don't know if I have enough time to be his job superintendent.
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To quote one of my fellow inspectors yesterday, "I am not the building designer. I am here to note any deficiencies in the code."

Builder- "What can I do to make you happy?"

Insp.- "Build it to the building code."
 
Mule said:
I really do feel bad for this guy but bad things happen to good people. And as far as my take...I've been bite numerous times and I keep thinking about the old saying "No good deed goes unpunished!
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I remember the day I first heard that saying/theory...I shook my head in naive disbelief, thinking well that can't be true. Then I thought maybe it was like a paradox or something and only seemed like it was true. I keep testing it and I keep getting punished...some of the time. Wednesdays are usually my day in the barrell.
 
Fatboy... if there is any charring on trusses we require an engineer. I guess that they figure that 1/8" of charring (1/16" on each side) is superficial for dimensional lumber. Like I said, they are hard to inspect.
 
The framing was some of the least of his worries. The foundation in the front dropped 2.5" in about 14'.

On the back he told me the door was hard to open because the person laying the tile put a little too much leveler down, making the door drag. Well you could say that! The foundation had settled 1.5" from the back door to the middle of the living room..around 18' and they floated it level....making the floor even with the top of the bottom plate!

He is going before the board of appeals for a time extension

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