Architect & GC on crack

Specific Inspection Topics Exterior Inspections
1

I was asked by a builder to inspect a roof of an upper end home that he was asked to give a bid for replacing shingles and possibly addressing any moisture issues. (mind you the builder is not the one who built the home, is just trying to fix it).

I was on the roof for over an hour, when all was said and done I determined the architect and GC were either on crack or simply morons… you decide.

I am hoping that he gets the job so that I can perform more extensive inspections on same; the repairs and replacement alone will be over 20,000.
:frowning:

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2

Jeff
Could you explain the valley dies into wall comment.

Looking for kickout or what?

Does not look a valley from the picture as much as a slope towards the front .

Wow the lack of even a cricket is pretty bad.

3

I think you’re crazy for walking that roof! :mrgreen:

4

Really? That looks like any easy one. Can even get up on it from the first level.

A dead valley is where the valley dead ends into a wall and does not discharge to a gutter or eave. The water from the valley essentially comes rolling down like a river and crashes into a wall with nowhere to go. Little wonder there would be moisture behinf those walls then.

Is that cement stucco or EIFS?

5

My findings consisted of the following;

Moisture has penetrated into the building envelope as a result of improper
flashing details as well as poor architectural design.

There is evidence that moisture is behind the EIFS.

The shingles have prematurely aged as a result of improper roof venting.

Gutters are undersized nor are they properly fastened and/or sloped.

There is at least 43 feet of fascia that needs to be replaced along with 400 feet of drip edge that needs to be installed.

There is at least 64 sq. feet of sheathing that needs to be replaced and possibly rafters themselves will have to repaired or replaced.

Unable to determine how much insulation and drywall will have to be removed but just inside the garage alone I can account for 60 square feet.

The stone chimney is FUBAR and same needs to be reframed (somehow).
I just spent 3 hours with the contractor trying to figure out how to properly address all the issues including reframing and determining better flashing techniques to
ensure that moisture does not enter the building envelope around the chimney.

I know there are some other issues that I have not mentioned but what I have seen so far the owner is looking at a price tag of at least $20,000 which does not include any problems associated with moisture that has infiltrated behind the EIFS.
(if that is the case then you are talking some serious $$$)

I love building and inspecting homes…it is truly a joy yet when you come across something like this… it makes you wonder how in the world did so many people miss the obvious. What in the world was the architect thining, why did not builderThe not pointed out the problem when he looked a the blueprints or the framing contractor point out how the basterd hip was resulting in a valley dying into the chimney, how the installed the stone that close to the edge of the eaves is beyond me, the roofer had to be on crack to even want to attempt to roof such a screwed up design… so many people either were total dumbarses or simply didn’t care. Here you have a multimillion dollar home that was designed to fail and indeed has failed… what a shame.

The pitch of the roof is a 10/12 & 12/12 (basterd hip). I enjoy walking roofs, I just have to be careful as I have weak ankles from playing sports. Cougar paws indeed are the answer, if you have the nerve or stupidity.

I am not worried about the fall so much as the sudden stop…however I do have a nice size life insurance on myself… I just tell my buddies if the fall doesnt kill me…please take me back up and drop me until it does, my wife would certainly appreciate it. If anyone wants to take out some additional life insurance, we can make some sort of a deal where my kids get a portion of the policy.
:slight_smile:

If he gets the job, I will take some more pictures once the roof is torn off.

regards

Jeff

6

If you don’t do infrared, this job could pay for your camera:mrgreen:

Same thing for a Tramex for EIFS.

You might need to do some drills and test the sheathing strength also.

But a chimney less than 30" across the slope doesn’t need a cricket, right?

Looks like fun!

Mark

7

LOLOLOL, same here if ever flattened against a basement wall due to cave in. Wifey likes $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ !!!

8

I see this kind of thing all the time. We have a lot of large houses on Chicago’s North Shore.

Pic 1 - Very common. Also, please note the gutter on the upper area. The end was open so it drained, dirdctly, on the lower roof.

Pic 2 - Don’t you just love the planning of the downspout placement?

Pic 3 - Notice the large roof area? But where is the gutter area? Had another picture of this place, after a thaw. It didn’t have icicles, it had freakin’ glaciers!

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9

William,

Yesterday I was in the neighborhood of a home under construction in which I have been hired to do phased inspections on same today, so I went inside to do a peak; upper end home with Hardieboard Plank siding…improperly installed (will have to be torn down), I-joist and Microlams not properly fastened, and of course flashing issues… I have already downloaded the manufacturer specs to give to my client when the site manager tries to BS him. NC has gotten tougher on HI’s who quote code… I don’t quote code, I simply cite / provide manufacturer’s details…its even better.

While many of the upper end homes are aesthetically pleasing, they simply don’t take into account the lack of water management details it takes to make such aesthetic details possible nor do the GC considers that many of their trades people do not have the knowledge take on such tasks. Most GC’s are lowballing jobs and and end up hiring subs who work for nothing… the end result being an inferior product.

Friday, my business partner and I are meeting with an investor who hired a handy man to make about $20,000 of repairs on a fixer upper… after walking through the home virtually every thing he did will have to be torn out…she is on a budget of which 1/3 is now blown… talk about being hot… however its her own fault.
(If I get a chance, I will take a few pics of the hair brain work done on same)

Jeff

10

Pretty much what I am fiinding. People have to realize that just because someone is a GC, that doesn’t mean that they know what they are doing, or that they will supervise the job properly.

11

seems like cheap cheap cheap is what they want - you often get what you pay for

12

Jeff, the state has no jurisdiction at all over inspections done before a CO is issued, you could quote all the code you want to on these phase inspections or pre-drywalls.

Tell us more about what was wrong with the hardiboard installation please.

13

The below is what is required… the installers did NONE of it… basically a mess.

Fiber cement siding requires that you start and end on a stud (with in 3/8" of edge and at 1" from top when blind nailing).

Nail to studs with exception that you can nail to OSB every 12 inches. Studs can not be more than 24" o.c.

There should be a 1/8" gap between trimboards and planks so as to allow proper caulking to edges.

A weather resistive barrier is required with the barrier not being torn.

Grade clearance is at least 6 inches.

Roof clearance is 1 - 2 inches.

Corrosion resistant screws or nails are required. typically 1.5 - 2 inches.

Nail heads must be snug or flush…(not countersunk)

Siding must overlap a minimum of 1.25 inches.

Gutters are not to butt against siding but rather have a 1" clearance with kickouts installed.

Water management is important including dripcaps and kickouts / diverters.

Trim board typically are install with gav 8d (not pasload trim nails as is often the case).

When I install it, I flash between each butt joint and a few other things…but thats me.

Walking around the subdivision where hardie was install, EVERY home had something wrong with the installation…this was an upper end subdivision by a well known builder.

My client is meeting with the site supervisor today… I look forward to hearing what they have to say. I provided him with over 60 pages of detailed installation instructions to give to the GC. If the builder is smart he will take it down, file a claim with the installers insurance company… if he is stupid then he will argue with me (or the manufacturer) and end up losing the sale of the home.

14

Met with my client, builder, installer, and the manufacturer rep today about the crappy installation. The installer and even the manufacturer rep were reluctant about removing all siding and installing it correctly however after showing them that ICC report and their responsibility to the owner; they conceded to remove all siding and do it correctly.

I was actually pleasantly surprised…the manufacturer rep obviously had a working relationship with the installer however after showing him just how bad the job was…he knew they did not have a leg to stand on.

Although the builder and installer are not happy about having to basically throw away $15,000 - $20,000 worth of material and labor…they said they will use it as a training experience and go forward.

I advised them that other then to pay attention fastening details, they need to make sure they properly flash everything and remove the nails in the stud cavities so as to not adversely affect the insulation (for some strange reason, I dont expect them to do that).

15

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink :mrgreen:

16

I had just finished a webpage of deadend valleys before I dropped in. I’ll also make it a topic that can be referenced.
http://www.albertsroofing.com/Blind%20and%20Dead%20End%20Valleys.htm

I’d sure like to fix that mess! Fun to do when the builder throws it out there.

17

Let me make a wild guess. Somebody didn’t supervise the illegals putting on the roof. If this roof had been flashed properly most of the issues would have been reduced at least. (IMO) So I’d call it mostly installer error.

Of course ending a sloped roof into a wall ain’t to bright either. But being a short roof if the installer has done some more work on flashing (like a membrane under the siding up about 3 feet)

18

My version:

You can lead people to knowledge but you can’t make them think!!