Preface:
I'm a retired PE from WA State, building a home in Benton County Arkansas. We found a builder who has built many homes in this area. I liked him as he personally performs all the tile and trim carpentry - really nice work. We picked a floor plan (I have no time nor desire to design another home myself), He obtained all the permits, we got a construction loan, and work has started.
Eye-opening discovery:
During the foundation build, I'm on the job site looking through the prints and noticed there are no details on beam sizes, window headers, joist call outs etc. Nothing. I asked him How we're going to order the framing lumber with no itemized list. He told me, "Oh the framer figures all that out". I'm hiding my internal "RUFK Me" as I politely ask, "does he follow the IBC?". Builder, "No, he doesn't do any of that, he just builds it to code". I'm starting to get visions in my mind, after spending 30 thousand on lumber, of the inspector saying, "Hey, your window sills are less that 24 inches from the floor" along with other frightening thoughts.
It turns out, the plan review board (city of Bella Vista, AR) does not inspect the building plans for code issues. I am very accustomed to going back-and-forth back in Washington state with the county (example, "We want better details on that shear wall under the cantilever"). But in Arkansas? Nothing. Nada.
I subsequently ran the numbers and gave the builder my own list of beams, and several other details. The builder is still confident that his framer will "figure all that out". Looking at the previous homes he's built, I saw that the structures are pretty rugged, like doubled 2x12 headers (which my calcs show exceed the strength required for all my windows for example) but I'm still nervous.
Comments on this? I'd really like to hear from engineers in Arkansas.
Darrell Hambley
I'm a retired PE from WA State, building a home in Benton County Arkansas. We found a builder who has built many homes in this area. I liked him as he personally performs all the tile and trim carpentry - really nice work. We picked a floor plan (I have no time nor desire to design another home myself), He obtained all the permits, we got a construction loan, and work has started.
Eye-opening discovery:
During the foundation build, I'm on the job site looking through the prints and noticed there are no details on beam sizes, window headers, joist call outs etc. Nothing. I asked him How we're going to order the framing lumber with no itemized list. He told me, "Oh the framer figures all that out". I'm hiding my internal "RUFK Me" as I politely ask, "does he follow the IBC?". Builder, "No, he doesn't do any of that, he just builds it to code". I'm starting to get visions in my mind, after spending 30 thousand on lumber, of the inspector saying, "Hey, your window sills are less that 24 inches from the floor" along with other frightening thoughts.
It turns out, the plan review board (city of Bella Vista, AR) does not inspect the building plans for code issues. I am very accustomed to going back-and-forth back in Washington state with the county (example, "We want better details on that shear wall under the cantilever"). But in Arkansas? Nothing. Nada.
I subsequently ran the numbers and gave the builder my own list of beams, and several other details. The builder is still confident that his framer will "figure all that out". Looking at the previous homes he's built, I saw that the structures are pretty rugged, like doubled 2x12 headers (which my calcs show exceed the strength required for all my windows for example) but I'm still nervous.
Comments on this? I'd really like to hear from engineers in Arkansas.
Darrell Hambley
