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I know this is "DIY" forum but, having a new house built. Progress...

24K views 111 replies 14 participants last post by  Gary in WA 
#1 ·
DIY...yeah yeah. It would take me 30 years to build a house.:laughing: Will still be PLENTY of DIY projects to tackle on the new house, but it will be things I want to do, when I want to do them. Not a constant state of repair and remodel. Maybe I will actually get to spend time with my kids instead of constantly working on the house. We will be moving up southeast of York, PA.

We were supposed to move in back in August, but there were some permit issues with the development, now we are looking at mid-end of December. I have someone interested in renting my place, so hopefully that will pan out.

They just broke ground a couple of weeks ago, very very exciting. Figured I'd share these pics with you. Comment, critique, ask questions, whatever. :thumbsup:


Most add-ons and upgrades we opted for were all structural, as that can't be upgraded cheaply later on. First floor add-ons we opted for were the wall of windows, the Sunroom, and the side-loaded 3-car garage. That bump-out for the Sunroom is reflected in the basement as well, so we get that extra space down there. Upgraded basement walls to 9' height.
 
#53 ·
The headers are there, look at post 9&10, there's a single 2x with cripples. They'll fill in the rest during pick up.

The box headers are fine on a non-bearing gable wall. See the trusses on the ground, you can see what the roofs going to look like from there.

That end wall of the sunroom is obviously a gable.
 
#16 ·
I would not design a home with headers like this, but wood structural panel box headers are allowed by the 2009 International Residential Code. See Table R602.7.2 for limitations.

http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/irc/2009/icod_irc_2009_6_sec002.htm

contact your building department for determination of YOUR code requirements. Check to ensure an inspection will be performed on the frame.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Post #9 -
We would have headers 2 X 10's/2 X12's over all openings on that sunroom.
The partition between the kitchen and the sunroom -
Double 2 x 12's.

How is the exterior end of your ridge beam going to be supported?
The middle of the window, with 2 X 4's and plywood? -
Unless it's a hip-roof.

Also, what kind of roof on the sunroom? cathedral/vaulted? -
I hope they used 2 X 10's - adequate insulation!
(We'd use 12's)
 
#28 ·
How is the exterior end of your ridge beam going to be supported?
The middle of the window, with 2 X 4's and plywood? -
Unless it's a hip-roof.
Does this answer the roof question? I'm not sure. I will get some more pictures when I go up next time. Sun room is the one that sticks out the back of the house in the middle (I'm sure you got that. :laughing: )





 
#39 · (Edited)
I would inquire of your builder (as soon as possible) why headers were not installed in accordance with the drawings. I'd point out the labeling on the drawing.

I'd inquire how the sunroom roof was to be constructed.

To create a cathedral ceiling as in your sunroom you need one of the following:

1. truss roof
2. structural ridge beam that would support 1/2 the live + dead loads of your roof, which in turn has a point load that would come down on the header on the gable end which has to be sized to account for this load since we do not have structural glass.
3. rafter ties (horizontal members that are found in the lower 1/3 of the rafter space. Rafter ties are spaced at a maximum of 48" o.c., if they are to support ceiling load then they have to have less spacing. A ceiling joist sitting on top of a wall is a type of rafter tie.

the purpose of these is to prevent what is known as rafter thrust (weight of roof loads) from pushing out the tops of load bearing exterior walls.

Holdowns are metal connectors that are attached to shear walls and connected to the foundation so that lateral loads (seismic and wind) do not push, rack or overturn the building.

Good luck!
 
#46 ·


I'm no expert but I would really like to see a beefier header above those windows. Given the large openings personally I'd want to see like triple 2x10 full span header supported by quad 2x6 columns. (quad just to fill the space, could probably get away with 2 structurally). Basically, the header sits on top of the columns, vs sitting on the fasteners like it is now.

Lumber is cheap compared to the cost of fixing cracked windows/walls later.
 

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#62 ·
Whooo, didn't get nearly as much done as I wanted to tonight, kept going back to the to catch up on the Sox game (native M******* here!).

We walked through the house next door, but I didn't know even what I know thanks to you guys. I'll take another look this weekend.
 
#96 ·
Gary, I'm not positive that the picture numbers you are listing are matching up to the ones I am looking at. Either that I am very confused.:laughing:

Would you mind posting pic #15 so that I can compare it to what I see, to make sure I am looking at the same thing as you?

Thank you!

Everyone else, I'll be around later to address some other things. Futzing with tile right now. :(
 
#97 · (Edited)


"2. At all interconnections between concealed vertical and horizontal spaces such as occur at soffits, drop ceilings and cove ceilings."------ from; http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/irc/2009/icod_irc_2009_3_par072.htm

And;



Had a sharp County Inspector catch me on that (only) once as it is an air connection between vertical/horizontal spaces- from under the tub (horiz.) to above the tub in the wall (vertical). Others let it slide--- check locally with AHJ or ignore... they will feel bad enough they are still using fg to air seal around windows from a code change in 2009; #2 air barrier; http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/irc/2009/icod_irc_2009_11_par035.htm

as they now up-dated to 2012 code they should have been doing correctly years ago.

Gary
PS. if you weren't so busy we could give you correct procedure/materials for the tile- many tile pros here; O'Mike and Jazzman to name a couple.
 
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#112 ·
In Post 98, the tub fire-blocks should be just above the tub-in-line with the tub lip to stop any fire from a horiz. chase from going to a vertical chase/stud cavity. On the left of the tub where the walls create a chase, there should be an air barrier (fire-block) keeping the under tub space separate from the wall chase. Same with shower, at the lip of the top of fg unit if a single wall next to it.

Another picture of the snake-like bends in your fan foil flex ducting (that exits at gable truss) in attic at last picture- is that from bath fan would be nice?

This is not an Energy Star Home, is it?

Gary
PS. They used air barrier (housewrap) correctly) behind shower but forgot behind/below tub-- if it is ESH. Pages 27-29; http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...sg=AFQjCNHo-gFTDNky-DET8Cy4WHFRXnsGzA&cad=rja
 
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#3 · (Edited)
It's crazy how fast walls get put up.


My house, as viewed from the next-door neighbor's. The houses you see in the background are a bit closer together on smaller properties. We are on an acre. I don't like the jammed-in feeling either, but we're in a different part of the development.




Walking up the driveway, garage is on the right side of the house.




Garage. Master Bedroom above.




To the right of the garage is the small laundry room and a little toilet room. To the right of that is the 'sun room' hanging off the backside of the kitchen.




Back.




Front.




Love the view out the back sun room window over the property. Property goes a bit shy of that lake where a little stream runs through.




Kids playing in the "yard." I'm excited for them too. Get into a quiet neighborhood without traffic. This road is a small loop with only one in/out.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Are there any headers above the doorways & windows? Appears to me that there is going to be a lot of flex in those walls, when the wind starts blowing. BTW, Footers & Footings are those square things, foundation sits on a footer itself, that is around the outside perimeter. But overall to make it easy for some, you can just state "Foundation, and most will not consider what the wall is sitting on as something separate, so overall they think of the whole wall structure as a Foundation of the structure.

Also, why the weeping tile, with the crawlspace? It does not appear that you have a high water table in that area, from how dry the soil is, and that it appears to be also a mix of clay & stone.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I can't access the pics of the framing I took from work, let me pull them up at home to get a better answer for you. I do know it's 2x6 framing.

BTW, Footers & Footings are those square things, foundation is what the walls sit on, that is around the outside perimeter.
Gotcha, thank you. I thought the foundation was the concrete walls.

Weeping tile...That is not a crawlspace, it's a basement; unless I am misunderstanding the question...


EDIT: Here's a better shot of the other side. Egress window on the left.
 
#6 ·
Dave, you are correct in stating the pics in post #2 are footings. Your foundation walls are poured on top of them.

The pic of the sunroom windows in post #3 show no window headers.

Best of luck with the new house. When I built mine, I was close enough to check on the progress everyday. I took pics of everything. They came in handy when I did a remodel and needed to know where pipes and wires were.
 
#11 ·
When I built mine, I was close enough to check on the progress everyday. I took pics of everything. They came in handy when I did a remodel and needed to know where pipes and wires were.
I wish we were close enough. We live about 1 hour 10 minutes away right now, so we try to go up on a Sat/Sun to see how things are going. We met the next door neighbor and she's been sending us a couple pics during the week, so at least that's something.

Keep an eye on the little ones while out there. Too much stuff that they can get hurt on and find on a construction site. We found needles and roaches and I am not talking the bug kind and this was in an upscale area.
Absolutely! I don't like them being there at this stage but it's difficult.

Do you have an elevation rendering? Would be interested in seeing it if you do.
I do. Hell if I can read it, but I will get it posted up after supper.

Make sure they seal that tyvek down really well. On ours they didn't and the wind would blow through the walls in one area up there. Ended up having to tear off the siding and re do one area it was so bad.
Yeah, what "forcedreno2012" says about the "Tyvek" -
Tyvek tape - plastic-cap nails.
I did notice it blowing around a bit and it made me a bit uneasy. I sure hope it's all down good!


Good idea to add that "sunroom" - it'll probably end up being one of the most used, rooms in the house!
The great thing about it is that it adds that much space to the basement too!
 
#7 ·
Looks good. Some days when building it goes screaming fast and then some days it just seems to crawl along.

Keep an eye on the little ones while out there. Too much stuff that they can get hurt on and find on a construction site. We found needles and roaches and I am not talking the bug kind and this was in an upscale area.

Do you have an elevation rendering? Would be interested in seeing it if you do.

Make sure they seal that tyvek down really well. On ours they didn't and the wind would blow through the walls in one area up there. Ended up having to tear off the siding and re do one area it was so bad.

Robyn
 
#12 ·
Yep, no headers on any of those openings. See a couple of King Studs in Picture 1, post #10, but yep you are going to have issues within the first year, if not by the fifth.

Homes these days are built for a money grab, and expected to not last much more than fifteen years tops. They are nowhere built how they were built way back when, unless you are lucky and have a builder that is going to take the time to build it right.

Now it is get the building up as fast as they can, so they can take the money and run in six months. Even worse is trying to get most of these shoddy builders to fix things afterwards.

Now is the time to have them go back and put in correct headers, along with Jack studs at the windows, before they put any roofing trusses on, unless they have done that today. I do not even see any diagonal bracing on the walls, to stop them from swaying in high winds.

Where the sections meet, I noticed that they did not overlap the top plate over to the next wall section. There is nothing to keep those two sections from moving independently. I am surprised that the structure has passed. Then of course it is as minimum code as you can get.
 
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