MyFloridaCode.com

Hello Mark,

 

I wish you provided more information as to the complete picture.  But I am
assuming that the wall is complete and built awhile ago.  Now a new
construction project has started, based on your first email, it was
discovered the load bearing wall and its support footing are not located in
the same place on the structure.  

 

Now I assume that you have a BN number issued by the state of Florida.  I
also assume you are providing inspection services as either an owner's
quality man, private provider, or as a special (threshold) inspector.  In
all cases the owner hires you for performing your duty.  In all but the 1st
type (quality man) you report or represent the BO.

 

In ALL cases you represent your license as an inspector.  Your natural
course of events is to identify the deficiency to the property owner.
Depending on the "risk" of the situation you may give the property owner and
their design professional time to come up with a fix and update the permit
package to remedy the situation.  If the "risk" is HIGH you have now choice
but to alert the BO of your concern.  Defining to the BO what you believe is
the risk.  The BO then can make a determination as to let the problem take
care of itself through the normal course of business or issue a red tag for
the structure.

 

No matter what sooner or later the BO will be informed.  Either by remedial
engineering submitted by a DP saying the as is "Record Condition" is
acceptable or here is fix engineering.  Or the BO will force the repair on
the back end via a red tag.

 

Believe me, it is not fun writing or submitting letters like that to a BO.
Did it once and it was not fun at all.  But I knew it was the correct thing
to do.  During the course of the project the problem was corrected to
everyone satisfaction.  I believe that is what you desire.  How the owner
gets there is not your concern only they get the building to a safe
position.  Face it the BO could come to the owner's side and state the
structure is safe and thank you for your due diligence.

 

 

TRH

Hernacki Engineering & Construction Services Inc.

  _____  

From: codetalk-bounces at myfloridacode.com
[mailto:codetalk-bounces at myfloridacode.com] On Behalf Of mark martin
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 2:37 PM
To: codetalk at myfloridacode.com
Subject: [Florida Code Talk] Concrete footer

 

Thanks to all for responding. Please let me clarify a few items: The
commercial project has a permit, but the contractor sold his license to the
building  owner who incompetently supervised the concrete crew. The crew
placed the footer in the wrong place and obviously the owner didn't have a
clue until after the footer and slab were poured. When the block masons
pointed out the mistake, the owner had them cut off the rebar penetrating
the slab & had them build the wall in the proper location (minus the footer
and footer rebar) 

The owner now is resorting to lies to cover his incompetence, but I consider
this a safety hazard and believe the building now has serious flaws and does
not meet the uplift requirements for wind loads nor safely supports the roof
trusses. As an open question to all out there who have felt the impact of
local politics,  would you just ignore the structural safety to avoid
confrontation with the boss & let this go, or require them to comply with
the code ?

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://myfloridacode.com/pipermail/codetalk/attachments/20100420/e9082582/attachment.html