Old Slab New Mudsills

[ultrarunner]

Fortunately, I've not had to deal with Insurance much...

I did have about 8k of storm damage to my place when I was living 800 miles away... the adjuster was fair... at least the supervisor was when I called his attention to several things that were missed.

They cut me a check made out to Wells Fargo... the problem is I've never had a mortgage with Well Fargo and my property was free and clear...

It took a lot of back and forth... they wanted proof I didn't have a mortgage with Wells Fargo... how is a person supposed to prove a negative???

Anyway, it took three weeks from start to finish... I told them they were negligent and acting in bad faith by making the draft out to Wells Fargo...

Glad it's working out for you, unfortunately, you will end up knowing more about insurance than you ever wanted to!

 

[CurlyDave]

I set my walls and drill the hole through the wood with my drill, then put my SDS into the hole and drill out the concrete. It takes longer to type it then it does to do it.

Eddie:

What kind of bolts do you put in?

This is earthquake country, and the new rules are that the town wants to watch and inspect each bolt that I add this way. Of course, I get to pay the inspector while he sits around and watches.

Might be worth it if I can do them all in one day, but the way it really works is that they don't have a "bolt inspector", so I need to hire a registered engineer who they approve and he has to watch me do it. This is $200-250/hour.

 

[dfkrug]

....I need to hire a registered engineer who they approve and he has to watch me do it. This is $200-250/hour.

In our area, I thought 5/8" bolts are now required....

Anyway, if it is engineered, you can likely have your "special inspection"
done by an inspection service as well as having an engineer come and
watch. I paid an inspection service, and it saves a little, anyway.

Simpson StrongTie publishes a document on the use of steel connectors
with the new corrosive PT wood. I coated (painted) any steel I used
that touched PT wood. The last was my deck that used steel joists with
PT plywood.

Good luck, Dave!

 

[whitedogone]

What code has been adoped where you are rebuilding?

What Seismic design category are you located in?

 

[CurlyDave]

What Seismic design category are you located in?

We are on the San Francisco peninsula. As I read the map, we are right on the contour where there is a 10% chance of exceeding 0.6 g horizontal acceleration in the next 50 years.

There are a couple of very small areas with 0.8 g nearby, but this is as high as it gets in the lower 48.

The San Andreas fault is about 1/2 mile from our house.

In our area, I thought 5/8" bolts are now required....

I am going up there this afternoon. I will measure the existing bolts, but I think they are 5/8" already. 20 years I built this house myself, planning to stay for a good long time. I used double overkill on every engineering decision...

 

[whitedogone]

Dave, The Seismic design category that needs to be considered will come from the code that has been adoped where your is is being rebuilt. Which code do you need to follow?

 

[MarkV]

Dave has anyone told you you can not use the existing bolts? You are near the bay and I understood the older type of treatment system was still available for marine use. May cost a bit more per board yet easier than retro fitting all the bolts.

MarkV

 

[EddieWalker]

Are they grandfathering you into the previous code as a remodel or will you have to meet current code? In the East Bay, where I worked before moving here to Texas, we had to have continuous straping from the foundation footings to the tops of the rafters, plus bolts in the sil plates.

Eddie

 

[CurlyDave]

No one official has told me I can't use the existing bolts. A contractor questioned wether I could, and did bring up the corrosion issue.

The Town just says they use the 2007 CA building code, but do not give any more details. That code can be downloaded for ~$279, but I am not certain I could find the right place in there to look.

They are grandfathering me in as a remodel, and I do have an architect drawing plans. I raised the issue with him and suggested the attached possibility, which I think would be pretty easy to do.

Both the architect and engineer have looked at my suggestion and agreed that it would work. Essentially, if they sign off on it, the Town has to accept it.

I am hoping for something better than what I can think up from the collective minds at TBN.

At the time I built it, I didn't need strapping to the roof, but did need tie-downs at each corner, which were bolted to the studs with a special formed piece of ~10 ga sheet metal. There were two machine bolts through the bottom of the stud required, which captured the hold down and had to be a certain distance from the bottom of the stud.

I checked and the existing bolts are 5/8".

 

[whitedogone]

Dave, I don't have a copy of the 2007 CA code here at home. We may have a copy at work. I'll check. If not, I met another Code Offical from CA at the national conference last year in Minn. I could call him and ask. Bottom line is what your inspector will accept. Have you asked your inspector. You could also ask them to make you a copy of that section of the code. Or, go to the Inspections Department and ask if you could read it there.