what would you tell your client

[John Dirks Jr]

I did a job a while back where I wrote up lack of weep holes in brick veneer. The builder told the homeowner that weep holes were not needed since flashings were installed. (I know LOL and all that). I then provided the client with thw applicable code references of;

R703.7.5 Flashing.

Flashing shall be located beneath the first course of masonry above finished ground level above the foundation wall or slab and at other points of support, including structural floors, shelf angles and lintels when masonry veneers are designed in accordance with Section R703.7. See Section R703.8 for additional requirements.

R703.7.6 Weepholes.

Weepholes shall be provided in the outside wythe of masonry walls at a maximum spacing of 33 inches (838 mm) on center. Weepholes shall not be less than 3/16 inch (5 mm) in diameter. Weepholes shall be located immediately above the flashing.

A month later she contacts me and says the builder is not going to fix anything since the county inspector approved it the way it was. My client is now specifically asking me what she should do next?

What would you tell her?

[Jerry Simon]

Nothing different than what you told her in the first place. Your job is/was done.

[ericwlewis]

I've had remodeling clients that had an inspector request "weep holes" to be added to a home they had sold. I informed them that this would be stupid because the brick veneer wasn't installed right anyway and the holes wouldn't do anything. None the less the buyer still wanted holes drilled in their "siding".

It's been my experience that if there are no weep holes there isn't any flashing and sometimes there are weep holes but no flashing. Rarely is there flashing installed right AND weep holes!

[Mike Lamb]

I did a job a while back where I wrote up lack of weep holes in brick veneer. The builder told the homeowner that weep holes were not needed since flashings were installed. (I know LOL and all that). I then provided the client with thw applicable code references of;

R703.7.5 Flashing.

Flashing shall be located beneath the first course of masonry above finished ground level above the foundation wall or slab and at other points of support, including structural floors, shelf angles and lintels when masonry veneers are designed in accordance with Section R703.7. See Section R703.8 for additional requirements.

R703.7.6 Weepholes.

Weepholes shall be provided in the outside wythe of masonry walls at a maximum spacing of 33 inches (838 mm) on center. Weepholes shall not be less than 3/16 inch (5 mm) in diameter. Weepholes shall be located immediately above the flashing.

A month later she contacts me and says the builder is not going to fix anything since the county inspector approved it the way it was. My client is now specifically asking me what she should do next?

What would you tell her?

I would call the building dept. of wherever. Ask if they require weeps in brick veneer. Most will be more than helpful. End of story.

By, "approve," they likely mean they got a Cert of occupancy. From IRC:

SECTION R110

CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY

R110.1 Use and occupancy.

Issuance of a certificate of occupancy shall not be construed as an approval of a violation of the provisions of this code or of other ordinances of the jurisdiction. Certificates presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this code or other ordinances of the jurisdiction shall not be valid.

[Marc]

Tell her to get an attorney if she owns the house or if she doesn't, she could just walk away.

Maybe I'm wrong. Can an attorney, paired with an EW, argue with an AHJ over a code requirement? In court?

Marc

[Greg Booth]

Tel

.......... Can an attorney, paired with an EW, argue with an AHJ over a code requirement? In court?

Marc

..........sure - an attorney, paired with anyone, can argue with anyone, about anything, anywhere, even in court - as long as someone pays him.

......Greg.

[Jim Baird]

I had an owner go after the builder over weeps issue I pointed out, and the builder actually removed several courses of brick and installed the weeps. On a return visit I could verify the weeps but the asociated flashing could not be verified. He did remove enough height of brick to have installed it.