Crawl questions

[jclark1]

The house was built in 1999. Posts and beams on continuous footing and a perimeter raised foundation. What would you call out on this one?
1)Post to beam connection is nailed on osb "brackets"
2)The beams just end without an attachment or pocket in perimeter foundation.
3) Not sure what these bolts are in the footings.

I would call out the connection or lack of between post and beam.
Puget Sound area is Seismic category D

[dchew]

I would refer to it a "unconventional" construction and defer it to a licensed foundation contractor or civil/structural engineer. I hope you took a lot of pictures of the crawlspace.

The beam end should be sitting in a cast in pocket in the foundation wall.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

I have reservations to what I have seen as a support column and footing support. I would strongly recommend a stuctural Engineers review and or reputable Building Contractor.

Marcel

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

75% of my inspections are crawal spaces and I've never seen anything like that. Wood 4x4s don't last forever (especially when braced with OSB). Then what? CMU supports would be the conventional method. I agree with the previous posts.

[jclark1]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

75% of my inspections are crawal spaces and I've never seen anything like that. Wood 4x4s don't last forever (especially when braced with OSB). Then what? CMU supports would be the conventional method. I agree with the previous posts.

It's very common construction around here. We see it all the time with raised foundations around here, much more so than cmu support. I guess our crawlspace conditions are different than yours.

[Robert J. OConnor]

The wood posts don't really bother me as long as they are at least 4x4's, and treated when subject to high moisture conditions where wood rot or pest attack is a concern (e.g. poorly ventilated crawl spaces) ... although I do prefer to see masonry piers or steel columns due to those concerns.

While metal plates would be better at the beam to post connection, I'm assuming the house has typical bearing wall construction where the walls (and tie downs at those walls) provide the lateral/uplift resistance required by construction standards. Post and beam construction is a completely different story. But what rubs me the wrong way is that they used OSB scab plates, which fall apart like a cheap suit when they get wet. Not such a good idea in my mind for a moist crawl space area.

And the exposed bolt/anchor at the bottom of the post is probably to provide a positive connection between the base of the post and the foundations (assuming there is a connection below the black vapor barrier), which is required in higher seismic risk areas.

JMO & 2-nickels ...

[jclark1]

Thanks guys