please help me before i pull the trigger...

DangerMouse · 09-05-2008, 02:35 PM

hi again. in my previous post "vinyl siding questions" i asked the minimum height vinyl siding had to be off the grade. we got 6" as an answer. great! then i asked how you are supposed to FILL the 6" gap and after a bit someone finally mentioned a reasonable solution to me, they used alum. coil! great! so i bought a bit of it to do the first side. welp....i just hung up with this pita inspector, he said don't use it as termites will get behind it. HE says i should just LEAVE IT AS IS with ugly foundation grade PLYWOOD showing all the way around my home! AAAARGH!!!!! i just can't believe NO-one has done this before, and i'm the first ever!!! i'm tempted to just torch this place and go live in a cave on Mars.
maybe THEIR inspectors will be a bit easier to deal with. absolutely NO offense intended to the inspectors here or anyone else that has tried to help me, you've all been fantastic, but guys, i truly am at my wit's end. how the hell am i supposed to finish this off? i asked him about half-brick, same answer. he just wants me to pile DIRT up to the edge and leave it!!!! his comment was it'd look more 'green' and 'enviromentally friendly' that way!
someone please pull the trigger for me, i don't have the guts.

DM

TazinCR · 09-05-2008, 02:50 PM

I installed vinyl on my house 17 years ago underground and it is still fine. The walls were masonry and the grade did not allow the foundation to show. No wood just Alum. starter strip and vinyl.

DangerMouse · 09-05-2008, 03:11 PM

i had to install 3/4" foundation grade plywood, min. 6" (i used 12") from grade up to 3/4" normal ply wall sheathing. i have no block foundation, just dirt i poured cement on as a varmint barrier, which he also says is inadequate, but the LAST inspectors told me to do. (then they changed jurisdictions and i got this guy.) *ripping out hair*

DM

**Termite** · 09-05-2008, 03:32 PM

Post a picture. Your house is nothing short of unconventional, so a picture would explain exactly what is going on.

No wood or siding of any kind can be within 6" of grade, period. The aluminum coil doesn't absolve you of that requirement.

DangerMouse · 09-05-2008, 04:29 PM

this wood is FOR ground contact. so i'm totally lost now!!!

please help, my trigger finger is getting itchy.......

DM

DangerMouse · 09-05-2008, 04:37 PM

forgot to mention, he also told me to ignore any info i get off the internet because "they don't know anything" then proceeds to tell me that birds will fly into the alum. because the earth's poles are reversing and all birds will fly at ground level. (says he read it online) *&%&^$ing smart@$$!
i'm beginning to think even "I" don't know the difference between my posterior and a half-spherical opening on a horizontal plane devoid of all mineral substances either!

DM

**Termite** · 09-05-2008, 05:19 PM

It is very common for people to become angry with the inspector when they don't get what they want. However, this guy sounds like a handful.

The code explicitly states that you can't have siding within 6" of the ground. The code is talking about conventional construction, which your post and beam framed house is not. I'm assuming the plywood is "skirting" to hide the underside of the house from view. Although your plywood is treated, you still cannot install siding material within 6" of grade. If he wanted to, he could make a case for making you remove the treated plywood within 6" of the ground. The fact that it is treated does nothing for you code-wise.

The intent of the code is to prevent splashback from rainwater, and to discourage termites and make their point of entry visible.

Based on code alone, your dog can't win this fight. Based on logic, he stands a 50/50 chance. If I were you I'd ask if I could leave it as-is. You can always add it once it is signed off (can't believe I said that).

**Termite** · 09-05-2008, 05:20 PM

By the way, please don't shoot yourself. Thanks.

DangerMouse · 09-05-2008, 05:56 PM

the 'skirting' is the crawl space, which also has to be insulated and sealed on BOTH sides. and then VENTED in 5 places to allow all that hot, humid air under my house to help it all ROT faster! if i raised it 6" then ALL the local critters would be happy to invade! *sighing*
i'm truly ready to give up here.

DM

ps, i WILL be sealing up those vents once it's signed off on, just as my architect recommended. the old crawl space was sealed up tight and has NO moisture problems.

DangerMouse · 09-05-2008, 06:02 PM

oh yeah, he suggested i PAINT the visible plywood year after year instead of the coil..... go figure.

DM

**Termite** · 09-05-2008, 06:30 PM

Ask that he cite a code section for requiring you to vent AND insulate the walls. That is idiotic. You are well within your rights to request a code justification. The code also entitles you to an appeals process for his decision.

Sometimes it is smarter to just do what he says and get along until the job is done. As an inspector, I hate inspectors like that.

DangerMouse · 09-05-2008, 06:45 PM

so, kc, you wanna take a vacation and come on up here for a visit? i'd love to see you talk to this guy. lol

DM

DangerMouse · 09-06-2008, 09:00 AM

dang, 67 reads and still no viable answer i can use? hasn't ANYone ever run across this type of a construction problem before? or perhaps live in a similar home? (don't worry, i put the 12g away) lol

DM

buletbob · 09-06-2008, 11:44 AM

If I were you I'd ask if I could leave it as-is. You can always add it once it is signed off (can't believe I said that).[/quote]

AHHH inspectors are human!!!

BOB

**AtlanticWBConst.** · 09-06-2008, 12:37 PM

FWIW: The aluminum will react (galvanic Reaction) with that Pressure Treated Lumber. Sorry...