New House Build in the Country!!!

[EddieWalker]

Per Rules for Drilling and Notching Deck Framing - Professional Deck Builder Magazine and https://engineering.purdue.edu/~jliu/courses/CE479/extras/Notching_&_Boring_Guide_A11.pdf a notch should be less than 1/4 of the height of the board:
View attachment 457681

Aaron Z

That was an interesting article on building a deck. Does it apply to a house? If it applies to a house, then the notch is probably OK. I really don't know. But I didn't see anything in the article saying that you can support a beam or joist on a 2x2 with questionable fasteners used to hold it in place.

 

[EddieWalker]

I misunderstood what Eddie was asking. Looks like the header is definately missing. That's interesting because they have headers over the other windows and doors. That sliding patio door opens up to a covered patio. Do all doors and windows require headers?

Technically, I believe there are times when you don't have to have a header over an opening. It has to do with what is used above the wall that takes the weight of the span. This gets tricky and really shouldn't be done. Good practice is to put a header over EVERY opening. It's cheap, easy and solves any potential issues.

 

[check]

Hey, guys, did I miss something here, or did they run those floor joists up at the ceiling over top of a simple double top plate, with no beam or anything?

 

[Woody65]

It looks like you have a first rate crew doing the framing and they are doing a nice job. I would question that attachment/support method on that micro lam flush header. I agree with the opinions that to put a piece of 2x2 to hold the joists up along with toe nails is not what would be acceptable here in NY. It is accepted when using a flush header to use Simpson tecos with the appropriate nails to make the attachment to the header. It could be different in your area. Also, is the space above living space or attic? This could make a difference since live loads vs attic loads are speced differently.

I am surprised that no one has asked about the placement of the wall sheathing. It is code here that the sheathing extend below the bolted down sill plate, over the rim joist and onto the wall to tie them all together. If my eyes are seeing right it looks like they ripped a narrow piece to cover the sill plate and rim joist and then vertically put up full sheets of sheathing from the bottom wall plate up to the wall top plate. This would be unacceptable here. Also, it is required that the sheathing be applied in a boxcar, horizontal, method and that it continue under and around window openings. They stopped on either side of the windows and filled in between the king/jack studs. It is also required that metal strapping be applied over the sheathing and under the sill plate. These are methods are required here but possibly not where you are located.

None of us here are being critical but just lending our expertise for you to take in and contemplate. It never hurts to have a different eye take a look at what is going on and comment. It's up to you to do what you want with the information.

It's looking great and I am sure you are excited about the progress.

 

[justinramani]

It looks like you have a first rate crew doing the framing and they are doing a nice job. I would question that attachment/support method on that micro lam flush header. I agree with the opinions that to put a piece of 2x2 to hold the joists up along with toe nails is not what would be acceptable here in NY. It is accepted when using a flush header to use Simpson tecos with the appropriate nails to make the attachment to the header. It could be different in your area. Also, is the space above living space or attic? This could make a difference since live loads vs attic loads are speced differently.

I am surprised that no one has asked about the placement of the wall sheathing. It is code here that the sheathing extend below the bolted down sill plate, over the rim joist and onto the wall to tie them all together. If my eyes are seeing right it looks like they ripped a narrow piece to cover the sill plate and rim joist and then vertically put up full sheets of sheathing from the bottom wall plate up to the wall top plate. This would be unacceptable here. Also, it is required that the sheathing be applied in a boxcar, horizontal, method and that it continue under and around window openings. They stopped on either side of the windows and filled in between the king/jack studs. It is also required that metal strapping be applied over the sheathing and under the sill plate. These are methods are required here but possibly not where you are located.

None of us here are being critical but just lending our expertise for you to take in and contemplate. It never hurts to have a different eye take a look at what is going on and comment. It's up to you to do what you want with the information.

It's looking great and I am sure you are excited about the progress.

Woody 65 -

I appreciate the feedback. The area supported by 2x2 ledger strip will be a walk in attic for now. Down the road it could be converted to living space.

I am really enjoying all of the feedback. Great way to learn.

To make things more interesting - I took a look at how our current house is framed. It's a typical tract house that was built in 1996. House is very basic....Nothing but builder grade everything.

Drum Roll please.....



2x2 ledger boards, notched floor joists, and no blocking..... I will say that the floors in this house are far from rock solid, but no major structural issues in the 20 years that this house has been standing....

 

[Woody65]

Justin,

The pics of your existing house with the joists on the ledger are acceptable because it sits on top of the foundation wall. We will do it that way here also. The new house, has the attachment over nothing but air. It's a different application. But like I said earlier, I am sure they are going by the approved plans and all will be fine. I would ask the inspector, when he comes by to approve the rough framing, about it and be guided by what he says.

 

[justinramani]

Woody,

I just happened to take the pics over the foundation walls. Here are pictures of joists that are not directly supported by a pier. Is this the same concept being used by the framers on the new house?

 

[Woody65]

Ok, I see that they used a 2x4 as a ledger in the same method as the 2x2 on the new home. It appears that it is an acceptable method used in your area. It's not something new, but an old method that some municipalities have gotten away from. Personally I feel that they have gone overboard with the use of metal straps, hangers etc. I have to set aside 2 days on some projects to apply all the metal strapping they require now that 10 years ago was not necessary. They are building here for the worst case scenario regarding hurricanes and set forth building codes to adhere to that doomsday storm.

Like I stated earlier regarding the sheathing. We have to have the sheathing cover the sill plate, rim joist and wall along with metal strapping to keep the house from flying off the foundation like Dorothy's home in the Wizard of Oz.

 

[aczlan]

That was an interesting article on building a deck. Does it apply to a house? If it applies to a house, then the notch is probably OK. I really don't know. But I didn't see anything in the article saying that you can support a beam or joist on a 2x2 with questionable fasteners used to hold it in place.

I was pointing more to the notches rather than the 2x2. If it were mine and they wanted notches and a 2x2, it would be after using a joist hanger.
IIRC, the 2nd link (from Perdue) was general framing not just for decks.

Aaron Z

 

[justinramani]

So I went back out to confirm a few things. Looks like the area that will have the live load on the second floor actually has a 2x4 to support the floor joists instead of a 2x2. The area that has the 2x2 is an attic area. Also took a pic of that other box of nails.....