SNAFU
Major
The
Big Sag
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Neither
the project manager, general contractor nor framer seemed to
give much thought to the architect's structural plans requiring
post and beam supports for the new second floor. The
architect and building inspector, for their parts, did not seem
to notice the oversight either. The result was a 3/4 inch sag at
the center of the house five months into construction.
In
February, six weeks after receiving a scathing Engineer's
Report, MyHome finally installed the first floor posts and the
house was jacked up from the basement. The main basement
support, however, was not reinforced to the building inspector's
specifications, and by May the center basement beams again sank
back to a 1/2 inch sag. Seven months later the second
floor landing had sagged a full inch (photos, below).
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Level
on second floor landing showing one inch sag towards
right. Right end of level marks main stress point from
roof to first floor. |
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Framing
Plan F1 dated July 9, 2008 showing position of five first-floor
structural posts.
Post
were not installed until Feb. 12, 2009, seven months after
second floor addition in place.
{Click any
image to enlarge}
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Post
schedule describing "P-3" as three 2x4s lag-bolted
together.
No
lag bolts were used once the supports were eventually
installed.
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Section
showing plan for basement supports.
Seven
month delay resulted in existing beams (in green) sinking 1/2
inch.
"Solid
blocking under load-bearing posts" (in brown) never
installed.
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Feb.
12 - Existing main beams resting on crumbling cement block
column.
Architect
never provided plans for addressing crumbling column.
Angle
in gap
between beams shows effects of additional weight from new second
floor.
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Feb.
12 - One of two weather-damaged LVL beams "sistered"
to original main beams.
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Feb.
12 - LVLs used to reinforce basement beam (as shown in blue in drawing, above) had been resting on dirt and were exposed
to weather all fall and winter.
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May
19 letter from Pelham Village Building Inspector documenting sag
in basement beam after attempts by MyHome to repair in
Feb.
Click
here
for first page of letter documenting Architect's failure to
provide detailed plans.
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Feb.
12 - No "Solid blocking under load-bearing posts"
between existing basement rafters (top right of photo).
Need
for blocking shown in brown on Architect's section
for basement supports, above.
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