New Construction & No Weep Holes

[David A. Andersen]

And those guys in SC thought just Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) had these problems!

Yes thermal imaging can detect this stuff with no problem if the proper testing standards are followed. This pic is a minor leak from mortar joints at the sill (a convenient pic I had on hand from this week. I have other full wall leak pic's of brick on hand if needed). Brick and mortar is like a big sponge, evaporative cooling will show up with no problem.

As for what to do...
rip the siding off and do it right this time!

[Carl A. Brown]

Looks like in Davids picture the bricklayer got the sill flashing right.

I for one would like to see the full wall leak pics.

[Carl A. Brown]

Wonder what this one looks like now?











Things that after the CON-struction is complete the HI can not see.

IR scans have got to be well worth the money.

[relliott]

What is the black edge in the second large picture Carl.?
(just above the brick , close to the window)

[Carl A. Brown]

It is where the ( brick layer) used the last of his tarpaper.

[relliott]

Originally Posted by cbrown1

It is where the ( brick layer) used the last of his tarpaper.

Lets see....
No weeps , no moisture barrier,soffit lights,hard roof intersection on the right side.

I hope they used green board on the interior walls .

[Carl A. Brown]

No way to seal up the outside corners where the brick and stucco meet except for backer rod and sealant, Like that is going to happen.

The roofers did not run the flashing up the wall high enough for the 2" clearance needed for the stucco and properly lapping of the moisture barriers. To name a couple other defects.

[Bruce M. Graham, III]

from a draw last week, they are getting ready to do the stucco. I asked the builder if they were going to trim back the osb from the concrete. He said to just process the draw and move on.

[David A. Andersen]

And you said......? :-0

[Carl A. Brown]

Do we really need moisture barrier?

[Carl A. Brown]

What happens when the stucco man gets there before the concrete guys?

[Bruce M. Graham, III]

David,
Just laughed and shook my head.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by pbennett1

Can't back out? Sure can, on the grounds of breach of contract, i.e., not built according to manufacturer's spec's.

I don't see how you can back out of a house built on property you own.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

I got a call from the client today. (She is also a big time Realtor.) She sincerely thanked me for the thorough inspection. She said I "saved her life" as she has breathing problems and thought the potential mold issues would be a concern.

She said she did not use infrared, as I recommended. She had holes cut in the walls. She said that the OSB was wet and black to within 6 inches of the 1st floor ceiling. When I asked what the builder was doing about it, she said he had fans blowing on the walls to dry it out. (Sound's questionable since not all the sheetrock was removed.) She asked me what I thought about that. I said, "would you knowingly build a house with water damaged, black OSB?" She said, "no". I said, "Neither would I."

Told her issues to consider: 1) they need to figure out the cause of the problem, as the condition existed in several areas behind the stone and brick. 2) Was the wood too heavily damaged to be used in its current condition? 3) Would there be a potential mold issue if things weren't thoroughly dried out?

I asked her how the water was getting in, and she wasn't sure.

My advice: hire an independent consultant to review the building method and the builder's plans for correction. Gave her the name of a GC and a Structural Engineer.

Feel sorry for her. It's her property--lake front beautiful lot. Custom house. She can't "back out of the deal."

Right track with my recommendations?

She screwed up when see cut the holes in the wall, all she did was spread the spores. Inner wall samples should have been taken at dampest spot. Differently needs an IR scan performed.
Last month I performed a mold inspection on a 10 month old condo on the back nine of a golf course. No weep holes in the brick, inner wall sample showed high concentration of mold. Furnace had mold growing on insulation of blower cabinet, high levels of considered toxic mold spread through out condo. Builder is not happy with what I found.
Weep holes are not common in my area. Ignorant builders keep my bills paid.

[kweiss]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

I don't see how you can back out of a house built on property you own.

While I am not a big fan of legal action, I would venture to say she has a valid reason to pursue such. She owns the property but paid the builder to do his job correctly and build the home on her property correctly. If it were mine, I would want to tear it down and start over, and he or his insurance to pay for it - though I would want someone else in charge.