New construction

[elgato]

I have an inspection for a new construction next week. It's been over a year since I've done one of these. I think I remember that crush blocks are necessary under bearing partitions, and no holes in the middle third of engineered joists. Any suggestions for this type of inspection? I've been working on homes that are 80+ years old for so long, I don't know what to think about "today's" construction techniques.

[kurt]

Well, honest question, but unanswerable without some knowledge of what elements are combined in the building.

For want of information, I'd simply say take lots of pictures & bring them here if you have questions.

After that, keep in mind that new construction is very often engineered materials, i.e., you have to follow the installation instructions. Take notes on what materials & components were used, get brand names, etc., and Google the heck out of all of it.

[Bill Kibbel]

Originally posted by elgato

I think I remember that crush blocks are necessary under bearing partitions, and no holes in the middle third of engineered joists. Any suggestions for this type of inspection?

That's only 2 out of many details and 1 is incorrect. Start by reading the APA I-Joist Construction Details at: https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... goto&id=82,

then read the IRC.

[ozofprev]

I think libraries are extremely important. A book that helped me quite a bit was Residential Structure and Framing from JLC. Inexpensive, practical, lots of diagrams and pictures.

Of course, in NY, a HI cannot inspect new construction.[:-crazy]

(Later, I modify that statement. Anybody can!)

[Tim Maxwell]

If the house is close by you might consider riding by there this weekend or when you get the chance before the inspection.

A little sneak peek before will give you a head start on the research.

[elgato]

Thanks for the excellent feedback. I should have been a little more specific. It's really the engineered I-joists that I need for a refresher course. I haven't seen them in a while.

[hausdok]

Hi,

It looks like the link that Bill gave you is broken, so go here.

You'll need to register but it only takes a minute or two, it's free, and they don't spam you.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Bill Kibbel]

Originally posted by hausdok

Hi,

It looks like the link that Bill gave you is broken, so go here.

You'll need to register but it only takes a minute or two, it's free, and they don't spam you.

Mike, I can't edit the file link. Can you update the link to: http://www.jagerewp.com/pdfs/APA/D710.pdf (No registration req'd)

It's in this category: https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... cat&id=228

Thanks.

[elgato]

That's a good link. Thanks

[Brandon Chew]

Originally posted by ozofprev

Of course, in NY, a HI cannot inspect new construction.[:-crazy]

Interesting. Gary, please elaborate. Why not? Who can?

[hausdok]

Originally posted by inspecthistoric

Originally posted by hausdok

Hi,

It looks like the link that Bill gave you is broken, so go here.

You'll need to register but it only takes a minute or two, it's free, and they don't spam you.

Mike, I can't edit the file link. Can you update the link to: http://www.jagerewp.com/pdfs/APA/D710.pdf (No registration req'd)

It's in this category: https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... cat&id=228

Thanks.

Hi Bill,

I just uploaded it to to the structural framing category in the documents downloads library and discovered there was already a copy there. Anyway, here's the link to the latest uploaded copy:

https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... goto&id=82

OT - OF!!!

M.

[ozofprev]

Originally posted by Brandon Chew

Originally posted by ozofprev

Of course, in NY, a HI cannot inspect new construction.[:-crazy]

Interesting. Gary, please elaborate. Why not? Who can?

444-b, number 7, of Article 12B Real Property Law Home Inspector Professional Licensing. See: NY Home inspection

That also shows that a NY HI cannot inspect a structure having more than 4 dwelling units.

Who can? A CEO, or a PE in the performance of his PE duties.

Brandon, these laws come from your neck of the woods[]

[Tom Corrigan]

Originally posted by ozofprev

Originally posted by Brandon Chew

Originally posted by ozofprev

Of course, in NY, a HI cannot inspect new construction.[:-crazy]

Interesting. Gary, please elaborate. Why not? Who can?

444-b, number 7, of Article 12B Real Property Law Home Inspector Professional Licensing. See: NY Home inspection

That also shows that a NY HI cannot inspect a structure having more than 4 dwelling units.

Who can? A CEO, or a PE in the performance of his PE duties.

Brandon, these laws come from your neck of the woods[]

All that section says is that you do not need a NYS Home Inspection License to inspect a new house or a 5 unit apartment building.

Tom Corrigan

[ozofprev]

Originally posted by Tom Corrigan

All that section says is that you do not need a NYS Home Inspection License to inspect a new house or a 5 unit apartment building.

Tom Corrigan

Tom, please clarify. A home inspection as defined by that Article does not allow a home inspector to legally perform a home inspection (report & fee) on a new structure or one with > 4 units.id="blue">

[Jim Katen]

I'm not Tom, but from a cursory reading, it seems that 444b-7 simply defines the term "residential building" as "a structure consisting of one to four dwelling units and their garages and carport but shall not include any such structure newly constructed or not previously occupied as a dwelling unit."

The rules in 12b only apply to residential buildings. They don't apply to new construction. There isn't anything in there that says you can't inspect structures that aren't "residential buildings" but you probably can't call that inspection a "home inspection."

Tom's larger point is that, since the rules don't apply to these non-residential buildings, anyone can inspect them.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Tom Corrigan]

Originally posted by ozofprev

Originally posted by Tom Corrigan

All that section says is that you do not need a NYS Home Inspection License to inspect a new house or a 5 unit apartment building.

Tom Corrigan

Tom, please clarify. A home inspection as defined by that Article does not allow a home inspector to perform a home inspection (report & fee) on a new structure or one with > 4 units.id="blue">

A license is required for the inspection of a "residential building".

The law says that "Residential building" means a structure consisting of one to four dwelling units and their garages and carport but shall not include any such structure newly constructed or not previously occupied as a dwelling unit.".

It's all in the definitions. Hope that helps,

Tom Corrigan

[Brandon Chew]

Gary - thanks. Now that I have a frame of reference for your original comment I can address it. I agree with what Jim and Tom have posted.

Article 12B does not say "a HI cannot inspect new construction". It defines what a "home inspection" is, and then says if you want to do that thing called a "home inspection", then you need a license (unless you meet one of the exemptions).

Since a "home inspection" is performed on a "residential building" (see 444b-5), the definition at 444b-7 is just clarifying that, for the purpose of the licensing law, a residential building does not include new construction or a building with more than four dwelling units.

What this means is that inspecting new construction, a building with more than four dwelling units, and non-residential buildings are all unregulated activities (at least as far as Article 12B and needing a home inspector license is concerned).

Brandon

[hausdok]

Originally posted by Brandon Chew

Gary - thanks. Now that I have a frame of reference for your original comment I can address it. I agree with what Jim and Tom have posted.

Article 12B does not say "a HI cannot inspect new construction". It defines what a "home inspection" is, and then says if you want to do that thing called a "home inspection", then you need a license (unless you meet one of the exemptions).

Since a "home inspection" is performed on a "residential building" (see 444b-5), the definition at 444b-7 is just clarifying that, for the purpose of the licensing law, a residential building does not include new construction or a building with more than four dwelling units.

What this means is that inspecting new construction, a building with more than four dwelling units, and non-residential buildings are all unregulated activities (at least as far as Article 12B and needing a home inspector license is concerned).

Brandon

Makes sense. Home inspections are still not regulated in the state of Washington but the bug guys figured out a long time ago how to control us by convincing the department of agriculture to include about 12 details looked at during conventional inspections in their determination of what a "pest" inspection is, so that they could have quasi regulation of home inspectors.

They thought it would reduce the number of home inspectors they were competing with for bug business. Instead, it backfired and increased the number of folks doing pest inspections in the state and now the pest inspection business is nearly dead.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[ozofprev]

Didn't mean to muck that up - sorry.

Brandon stated the logic I was after, and Tom is correct regarding definitions.

A home inspector inspects residential buildings.

A residential building is X.

New construction is not in X.

Therefore, home inspection does not include new construction.

Realistically, I suppose that doesn't matter. Since it's unregulated, you could still call it a home inspection but whatever you do then is not by right of your license.

My concern is with insurance. If you are insured as an LLC doing home inspections, then what happens if you go outside the scope of what the state calls home inspection? Will the courts give the insurance company an "out" because of the definitions?

While I believe licensing is a joke in general, I feel a certain protection in the state sanctioned definition. If I follow the standards, you can't touch me. But if I go outside the scope of my license, then the court can say that the standards I use are not, "in the opinion of the court" appropriate or sufficient.

Of course, that's when your contract is extremely critical. If you haven't noticed, I am over-paranoid of lawyers judges. My experience has made me that way and there's little I can do to change it now.

(My original statement was stupid - sorry. I keep telling you I'm an idiot[:-paperba - I just hope it was a brain fart and not the mad cow. The older I get, the more I wonder.)id="maroon">

[Erby]

Missing Squash Blocks

New construction.

Double I-Joist under bearing wall sitting on 2x & Steel beam

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Single I-Joist with squash block on one side only

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[Les]

Dear Gary,

I have learned, from experience, to always look down before making that kind of statement. I am sure it was the cranial gas and not an upset bovine.

[ozofprev]

Thanks Les, but I do find that writing software for so many years really gets in the way of understanding the 'real' world.

All that mattered for all those years was perfect logic. It's really not logical to demand a license to inspect a simple residence, yet allow Joe Blow off the street to inspect larger and more complex structures. But it seems to be real. BTW, I really don't mind being the idiot now and again. It's a cheap education and I don't care about that ego stuff. I'm an evolutionist - smarter than the average monkey, but so what.

[Brandon Chew]

I second that, on both points.

As an engineer, my mind is trained to think logically and to solve problems. When I was working for the government, the situations which I found to be most difficult were those where neither logic nor solutions were sought by the people involved.

On being an idiot now and again, I've discovered that the taste of crow isn't all that bad -- it's a lot like chicken. When I look back through my life at those times when I have learned the most, it wasn't when I got it right the first time or when I performed flawlessly. It was when I got it wrong.

Brandon

“I am not young enough to know everything.â€