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structural issues: Watch Your Weight! - 09/19/10 05:49 AM
A recent inspection proved interesting. Aren't they all? This was a house purchased on auction and remodeled. I don't know if that qualifies as a flip, but probably.
The house was built in 1978, and that is significant. Why? Because of architecture.
The remodel job was beautiful at first glance. There were the usual things. A lot of electrical wiring problems hidden in the attic were the most prominent. And a gas furnace and water heater crammed into a small closet and unable to breath.
But there is more. As I said, the architecture is important.
One of the biggest differences … (66 comments)
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structural issues: Gravity Works Every Time! - 08/16/10 07:08 AM
Multiple stud arrays, like the one of the photo on the left, are used when a major load needs to be supported. Why? Because it is easier to order a boatload of 2x4" studs than to order individual posts, of whatever material. I have posted about this before.
The problem with using so many studs, particularly on very tall "balloon" walls, is that they can separate under the load.
They separate because gravity works every time!
This particular house, which had tall walls, a cat walk on the end of a great room, and major load points where more than one … (24 comments)
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structural issues: Trampo-Floor! - 08/15/10 06:55 AM
DATELINE: Northern Virginia – the purchaser of a new home was frantic to find a home inspector to try to evaluate why a floor in his home under construction moves up and down. The dining room floor bounces. And not a little bit!
Looking on the Internet, this purchaser was able to find a local home inspector. His popular website offered just the relief this purchaser needed. He determined to get in touch with the website’s principle inspector. Well, it’s only inspector!
Forensic Detective, aka Home Inspector, Jay Markanich, was called to the scene. The home’s purchaser noticed what he thought … (104 comments)
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structural issues: Transferring Load - 08/10/10 07:45 AM
I do a lot of pre-drywall construction inspections.
These are important! It is the only chance to see a house when it is skeletal. You can see everything from structure to electrical to HVAC distribution to plumbing.
One of the most important things to look at is how loads are distributed.
Importantly, load points need to rest on a similar point beneath and eventually, at the lowest point, some form of foundation.
That's why they call it "foundation!"
When loads aren't aligned structure can sag, things can shift and eventually crack. Catastrophic results from settlement, while rare, happen.
Look at … (18 comments)
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structural issues: Hang'em High, Or Sag'em Low - 07/10/10 07:19 AM
Look at these photos, both inside these garages and the houses across the street.
New home construction. One garage door, the narrower one, was done so that it cannot sag.
A large, strong header was put in place first, the framing built, and then a vertical 2x12 was nailed on last to firm the center of the opening, tying it to the header.
The purpose of the header is to transfer the load over the opening to each side. Tying to it makes for a solid installation, like you see here.
It won't go very far, very fast.
… (10 comments)
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structural issues: What To Do When You're Askew ... Or - 07/02/10 10:31 AM
Lean on me, when you're not strong,
And I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on.
On pre-drywall inspections it is very important to make sure that load transference is properly done. Once on such an inspection I noticed that a major support column transferring a huge upper-level load was not resting on the steel beam below. It was missing by 20"! That is huge. Had I not done a pre-drywall inspection that would never have been noticed. And I should say, it had not been noticed by the supervisor before I pointed it out.
I didn't have to … (11 comments)
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structural issues: A Group Of Strapping Studs - 05/23/10 07:08 PM
This post might not be exactly what you expecting, given the title and all...
When an array of studs is used as support under major load points, they are just nailed together and need some help.
The help comes in the form of straps. Ideally the straps should be placed high, middle and low. The purpose of the straps is to prevent spreading out of the studs over time as weight and gravity do what they do best.
This is an array under a steel beam in a garage on a recent pre-drywall inspection. The steel beam is visible on top … (16 comments)
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structural issues: Don't Get Too Attached ... - 05/20/10 05:23 AM
to your front porch roof. One day you might come home to find it missing!
At least that's what I thought when I had a look at a new construction recently. Overall it wasn't bad! But some things just demand attention, and this was one of them.
This is the outside end of the front porch roof. It could be that they aren't finished with it, but the builder said the house was ready for a pre-drywall inspection. (It wasn't.)
My problem is this: the ledger beam, which is the 2x6" that is attached to the house, is secured with only … (30 comments)
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structural issues: One Thing Leads To Another - 10/25/09 07:55 PM
I have the tendency to notice things about a house I am to inspect when I am driving up to it. When pulling up to this seven year old house I noticed even before I got into the driveway that the front porch roof seems to incline toward the house. Looking closer I determined that it did!
That isn't good. One thing leads to another.
Then I noticed the staining on the brick. You can see it running from the inside corner of the porch roof all the way to ground beside the garage door.
Beside the front door there … (13 comments)
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structural issues: Be Very, Very Careful Where You Sit! - 08/23/09 04:45 PM
This house is 52 years old. The sellers decided to remodel.
The little gem you see here is the underside of a former coat closet and part of an entry way that was converted into a full bathroom. A powder room elsewhere was converted into a coat closet, nearer to the most-used door.
The far corner is the drain (the vertical pipe) for the new bath sink. To the left is the drain (you see the trap) for the new bath tub. The vertical drain under the toilet is in the center of the picture, beside the old drain stack.
… (13 comments)
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Jay Markanich - Northern VA Home Inspector
Bristow,
VA
More about me…
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC
Address: 12315 Sherborne Street, Bristow, VA, 20136
Office Phone: (703) 330-6388
Cell Phone: (703) 585-7560
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An experienced home inspector's look at current home inspection events and conditions along with his useful recommendations.
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