[dwhite1031]

Hi everyone from hot, dry, and windy Midland, TX

Our former “contractor” didn’t use treated lumber for sill plates on concrete slab foundation. He just used sill gasket and Ram-sets to tie the outside walls to the foundation. This a 20’x20’ work shop project. Wondering if this will be a problem in the future. I’m going to install Z bar flashing along the sill plate when the LP Smart Siding goes on. But still concerned about moisture and insects. This has been a nightmare with this guy. Cut him loose when he kept doing crappy work and couldn’t present permits that were supposed to have been pulled. Suggestions and/or advice welcomed!

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Cut the anchor bolts loose, jack up the structure and slip a treated 2x under the existing bottom plate. Not too hard to do at this point.

 

[Randy Bush]

Thing set to low to the ground even with a pt sill . Should be 6 to 8 inches from bottom on sidingto the ground. You could use flashing tapedown over the concrete than I would use a PVC board on the bottom with a Z flashing. and than start the LP

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[Nealtw]

Buy a gallon of treatment. I would solid block between the studs and add the tape as @Randy Bush suggested.

 

[SW Dweller]

Hire a pro and have them spray the lower plate now. They will use the proper chemical and have a record of it for when you sell the home. DIY solves the same problem but prove it becomes an issue later.

Did you have the slab treated for termites before the concrete?

 

[dwhite1031]

Cut the anchor bolts loose, jack up the structure and slip a treated 2x under the existing bottom plate. Not too hard to do at this point.

Thank you sir!

 

[dwhite1031]

Thing set to low to the ground even with a pt sill . Should be 6 to 8 inches from bottom on sidingto the ground. You could use flashing tapedown over the concrete than I would use a PVC board on the bottom with a Z flashing. and than start the LP

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Thank you, that would definitely be a do-able solution.

 

[dwhite1031]

Buy a gallon of treatment. I would solid block between the studs and add the tape as @Randy Bush suggested.
View attachment 694619

Have an exterminator here in the neighborhood. Thanks for the advice!

 

[dwhite1031]

Hire a pro and have them spray the lower plate now. They will use the proper chemical and have a record of it for when you sell the home. DIY solves the same problem but prove it becomes an issue later.

Did you have the slab treated for termites before the concrete?

There’s an exterminator in our neighborhood, will hit him up. No sir, slab area wasn’t treated before concrete was poured.

 

[Elmer-Dallas Texas]

I really dislike buildings that are built too close to the ground and one corner of your building is right at ground level. Threat of flooding and water damage is too common with many buildings.
So this idea is a little radical but if you can, as one poster said, you could pick up the walls. Then maybe you could put one row of concrete blocks mortored and stacked on the slab. Then paint with the red stuff used in showers. Then re-erect the walls.
Yes not easy but having other problems later must be worse.
I sprinkled boric acid powder with the framing at my last build. It is fatal to roaches and ants but safe in nearly every other way. And it is cheap. Buy at HD.
I generally don't spread poisons in places I want to inhabit.

 

[RJ123]

Get some bracing on those walls. Check for plumb before installing.

 

[chandler48]

See also Contractor Dismissed - Before and After

 

[dwhite1031]

Get some bracing on those walls. Check for plumb before installing.

Contractor put this temporary bracing in each corner and at the gable ends. Should I brace it diagonally across the studs as well?

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Once the roof sheathing was nailed in place, the diagonal bracing became superfluous.

 

[dwhite1031]

Checked with a plumb bob and a level at corners and the walls definitely are not plumb. Holy crap, am I totally screwed here? We’re into this for 14k already. I hope this is fixable, short of tearing it all down. If I ever run into this guy again, I hope the good Lord gives me restraint….

Fluorescent string is kinda hard to see in these pics, indicated by the arrows for clarity. Didn’t think about that….still fuming and using bad words about all this. Opening the thumbnail should show it more clearly.

 

[chandler48]

Plumb bobs are great but date back to ancient times. Lay a good brand of level along the door facing and see how much it is out of plumb.

 

[RJ123]

When we frame something we never put the roof on until the walls are plumbed and secured. Usually its 7/16" OSB on all the exterior walls, sometimes we use Zip wall plywood.

 

[RJ123]

text: Tim Carter

See that angled board nailed to the vertical wall studs? It’s a temporary diagonal wall brace used to stabilize the framing while the house is built. © 2016 Tim Carter Builder

I found the above to describe what a diagonal brace is.

 

[Randy Bush]

How big is your garage door header looks a little under sized.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Plumb bobs are great but date back to ancient times.

Biggest problems are the time it takes to get the bob to stabilize, and wind blowing the string.