SUNROOM TWENTYSIX

The Camera doesn't lie.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007.

It's Down And Dirty Time.

Out comes the Camera.

Let's start with this photo: .

This is very funny. Funny because after sending these two Emails, I really got into studying the Plans.
Here they are:

Let's start with the photo above which shows the panels assembled in Nice Guys Corp panel assembly room, and now all joined together. Looks neat...but let's get closer:

Above we see where one of the mated panels doesn't meet the bottom plate...the panel isn't square, or the footing droops down in that corner. Whatever, that portion of the panel's upright isn't load bearing properly...nails, and liguid-nails glue holding it up. You can see light under it.

In the above photo we show the upper part of the panel. No need to explain what's wrong there. On top of these particular panels will lay the "Wall Beam" which is by the plans to be 2x8 LVL ( Laminated Veneer Lumber ). As one can see, there isn't much of a flat surface to lay on. Ouch!
I pointed this out moments after they had driven in the last nails, and they said it didn't matter...blamed it on the panels not being square.

Now for the next blooper. The photo below shows the Wall Plate as being a 2x4 rather than a 2x6 as required by the Plans. Though this 2x4 is pressure treated, why the discrepency in size? There are two Wall Plates, the other being on the other wall, where also a 2x4 is used in place of a 2x6.

You will note in the notes "Wall module glued to wall plate with 1/4" by full length bead of Liquid Nails. Excess glue will show on plywood side." What is expected is that a 2x6 is to be used because the Panels are surfaced on the outside with 5/8" plywood, making the panel that much wider than a 2x4, and that the glue will seal the edge of plywood sheathing. Now with no surface for the edge of the plywood sheathing to land on, it remains without this glue coating, and is exposed to weather...supposedly. I say supposedly because none of the pre-fabicated panels will mate up to this Wall Plate.
However, addressing the other Wall Plate, and how that panel ( called "Modules" in some places ) joins it, can be seen here:

And here: The other side...the outside.

It must be mentioned that these "Modules" ( Panels ) were made in a jig in the CONtractor's facility last year sometime, and in accordance with the old plans, and have sat in that trailer on the driveway since back then.

Careful examination of these photos show the 5/8" plywood facing on the module ( panel ), which all eight of the panels have.
Each panel is four-feet in width. The Footing is twenty-feet. To accomodate a Pressure Treated Vertical Wall Plate without over-extending the footing, one vertical piece of 2x4 on the panel selected to mate up to the Vertical Wall Plate was removed.
So...if a 2x6 Vertical Wall Plate was used, it would have complicated matters. The Carpenter in this case was on the ball...so to speak...he used a 2x4 Pressure Treated Vertical Wall Plate.

Getting back to the other Wall Plate, there a 2x4 suffices over a 2x6 as the eleven or so inch portion left to be built up will be done in the fashion of a small panel ( module ) with the plywood extending beyond its edge.

So...that mystery is solved. However this difference is now documented.

Note that this space to be filled isn't truly rectangular by a long shot. Is this to be expected? Is "plumb" just a mute term caprenters use? We can chalk this up to jig made Modules, or Panels...whatever you like to call them. Another thing to consider is how level is the footing?

It would be foolish to tear off these 2x4s; modify the panels, and replace them as according to the latest specs. In this case you're talking about destroying most of the concrete block host walls on which these 2x4s are anchored.,,no small job. Consider also by just mentioning this to the CONtractor, and their "Carpenters" the juvenile resentment, possibly vindictiveness henceforth. Just think about that.

If this is any indication of what we can expect for the rest of the job...namely: old specs versus new specs, especially in materials, and design, the thing is to just document with photographs all of it for recompense if necessary at the end.

See What Happens