Dan Smith
Professional Engineer
Over 26 Years of Experience
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Jimmy Boykin
Certified Residential Mold Inspector
Over 15 Years of Experience
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Jason Gilbert
Drafter
Been with DCSPE since 2005
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Andrew Smith
Technical Consultant
Been with DCSPE since 1999
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Perfect House
(from a Structural Prospective)
Discussion is limited to North Carolina counties with 90 and 100 mph wind designs. Assumes clay soil with 2000 psf bearing capacity.
Below is a discussion on creating the perfect house. Numerous clients are trying to get
a PERFECT HOUSE built using house plans designed to meet the residential building code. The residential building code was designed to specify a minimum design for houses, not a PERFECT HOUSE.
Home builders construct numerous houses every year. They have developed a level of
expectations based on other clients. They are NOT prepared for a client who desires a PERFECT HOUSE.
Those clients looking for a PERFECT HOUSE need to inform the designer and the home builder that their expectations are
much higher than the general public. The plans need to take into account the higher expectations than the residential building code specifications.
TO GET A PERFECT HOUSE – IT IS GOING TO COST YOU MORE MONEY !
Residential Design
- Typically, house plans are drawn by someone who operates a CADD system. Home designers do not have any training, they learn from experience or some field experience.
- Typically, houses are not designed by licensed Architects and Engineers.
- Hire an experienced and preferably trained house designer.
- Have a set of specifications to communicate to the builder your requirements and desires.
Footings and Foundations
- 12” deep by 24” wide footings with rebar
- transitions (change of grade) require rebar
- do not recommend pier and curtain foundation system
Garage Floor System
- tie into foundation walls greater than 12” tall.
- concrete cracks after and during the curing process. Cracks can be controlled by
installing saw cut joints to force the location of the cracks into the joint.
Compacted Fill
- try to avoid compacted fill situations, contractors do not want to
install 6” of fill and compact it. To fill a 10 foot fill, would take 20 fills and 20
compactions. Contractors do no see the need for it. Even stone fill should be
performed in 12” lifts and compact.
Crawl Space
- foundation vents left open year round
- vapor barrier on floor
- dropped girder with floor joists over-lapping 18 inches
Floor Systems
- install floor joist at 12” o.c.
- recommend Southern Yellow Pine Pressure Treated dropped girders (not flush girders
- recommend running floor joist past dropped girders by 18 inches
- recommend wood I-joists, but other products can be used too.
- recommend 23/32” thick Advantek plywood tongue and groove
- recommend deflection criteria of LL/600
- hardwood floors are required to be placed perpendicular to the floor joist
(even if ¾” T&G is used)
Roof Systems
- recommend 5/8” plywood roof sheathing
- recommend hurricane clips on ends of rafters or trusses
- if you have an attic, have the entire house designed for the required 40 psf Live Load in the attic (even if you do not finish it off now)
Walls
- install studs at 12” o.c.
- install 7/16” thick plywood around the entire house
- install a vapor barrier on the outside of the plywood
Heating and Air Conditioning and Insulation
- vent placement by a Mechanical engineer
- spider distribution is most efficient distribution system
- increase roof and floor insulation above code requirements
Two Story Foyers
- balloon framing with 2x6 are the best framing option
Gutters Down Spouts and Drain lines
- recommend Leaf Guard gutters with the 6”x4” down spouts
(note a friend does own 2 franchises)
- drain lines should be placed by a professional
Masonry Chimney Footing
- there has a problem with rotating masonry chimney foundations because the code book provided a rule of thumb estimate on the size of the footing.
General Contractor
- hire a GC with experience with your type of building
- hire a GC who owns a copy of the Residential Building Code
- hire a GC who provides good references, see a house being built, talk to the home owner
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