Building Inspector vs. Pole Barn

[s219]

I submitted for a building permit two weeks ago for a pole barn that is going up in May. It was designed and will be built by CHA Pole Barns from PA. Well, the building inspector had some problems with the plans, listed below with my comments:

1) need roof truss engineering specs with seal of certification

OK, fair enough

2) need specs on species and types of wood used for framing, roof sheathing, and siding

OK, fine, can do, though seems overkill since lumber types were already specified

3) need to add wall diagonal bracing to corner posts to prevent shear

I would think poles set 42" in the ground would be more than enough to resist shear???

4) need to notch 2x12 wall headers into posts, and headers should be laminated together

I have always seen them bolted or spiked onto side of poles (so outer header is inline with wall girts). Not even sure there's enough meat on a 4x6 to notch in double 2x12 headers.

5) need registered engineer to sign off on 16" cookie used for footing in my soil conditions

Great, will cost me $200-250 just to have someone tell me what we already know


I have asked CHA to provide what info they can on items 1-4, and I will handle the footing issue with a local engineer. But I was wondering if anyone else has run into issues like this for pole barns? I thought the construction and design was simple enough to be idiot proof.

For example, item 3 seems odd to me. There are dozens of pole barns along the road to my house, and I am sure I've never seen diagonal braces. The main difference is that those properties are zoned agricultural and the buildings are for agricultural use, so they probably didn't have to mess with permits. My land is also zoned agricultural, but in a residential area and I can't claim agricultural use.

 

[jel1988]

Building officials must justify their existance therefore the take a quick look at the plans ask a bunch of questions that are answered on the plans. Then they follow up the one two punch by keeping their engineer friends in business.
PS Your engineer will probably ask for a larger footing (cookie) code generally requires 2'*2' or 28" round.

 

[Clint S]

Only thing I needed on mine was #1

 

[murphy1244]

Why isn't the builder getting the Permits?

 

[s219]

Why isn't the builder getting the Permits?

They are out of state, so I thought it would be easier to put in the application myself.

 

[murphy1244]

They are out of state, so I thought it would be easier to put in the application myself.

This should be old hat for them. All I did was get the site permit and my Builder took it from there. 1 Inspector came out and measured the Post holes and that was that.

 

[oosik]

Strange, strange. Here, in this county, I do not need a building permit unless the construction will have space considered as human habitation. I can definitely see the reasoning. Lordy - they find plenty of other ways to suck up funding. There is wishy/washy wording for car garages - attached/detached. But a true barn or pole shed without living quarter does not need a building permit.

 

[s219]

Here, you need a permit for anything over 200 sq.ft. At my old place, I built several small sheds just to stay under that limit. I wanted a single bigger barn at our new house, hence the 20x20 (which still isn't that big really). I'm starting to remember why I avoided permits before...

 

[Rustyiron]

Does an ag building need a permit in VA? Make sure that your "engineer" realizes that there will be no load (ground pressure) on the "cookies" other than the bldg. itself, and I believe that there is an equal concern that is widely overlooked in the opposite direction, uplift. There are simple solutions, from a few pc of rebar drilled and inserted extending beyond the post, or a simple 2x6 spiked on similarly. Both of these well below grade in the hole. Some of the cookies have a metal strap that is nailed to the post. I think Lester uses this type. Enjoy your bldg.! PS the corner bracing is pretty std. on the pole buildings that I have seen or done. Usually just nailed up on the inside of the wall girts diag. @ the corners. This is a good idea especially on a wall that's wide open with large doors or openings. You'd be surprised how much a building will move or "rack" even with all those post sunk in the ground!

 

[vtsnowedin]

Oh you need a permit for sure. Not to check out your engineering. If it fails after they approve it they will know "noting ---- I see Noting" but the permit lets the assessors,(listers in my state and I'm one of them) know there is something new that needs taxing. :dance1: