[Spencer]

I work for a GC who is not using any house wrap, he isn't stapling the flaps on the isulation to form a vapor barrier, nor is he using any type of plastic vapor barrier. We are using fibercement siding.

I am only 17 and have a limited knowledge of construction but I don't think this is the right way to build a house. These homes are about 1,200 sq. ft. and are semi lakefront property in Ohio. If it would make a difference they are primarily used as summer homes.

I would like to know your opinions on this because I am not sure what to think about it.

 

[Teetorbilt]

It must be a local code or he wouldn't be passing inspections. Somebody told me once of exemptions for summer cottages, it was also lakefront, in IN if I remember correctly.

 

[CARPENTERDON]

Spencer,

You seem like a very conscientious young man. I applaud you for that! :Thumbs:

It may not be a required "code" to use housewarp or a vapor barrier, but personally, I think that is pure laziness on the CG's part.

When ever you are building a residential structure for someone else, think of it as if you were building it for yourself.

If you ever remodel a house. Think of it, and treat it, as if it were your own.

I belong to an organization called "Code + One." The by-laws of this organization require their members to alway go one notch above what the building codes call for. For instance, if the local code requires me to use 2x10's for floor joists, I use 2x12. It just gives that little extra reassurance, and in the long run you earn a reputation as a contractor of integrity and quality.

Too many GC's nowadays are just looking for the quick $$$, and don't consider for one minute what the family that is going to live in that house may have to deal with down the road, due to their (the GC's) shotty construction practices.

Stay true to what you know are the proper techniques of the trade and don't be influenced by the type of guys your working for now! :Thumbs:

 

[CARPENTERDON]

BTW, When insulating the walls or ceiling with "kraft-faced" (brown paper or foil) backed insulation, you should not use a plastic (visqueen) vapor barrier over the insulation.

If you are going to use visqueen as a vapor barrier, then you want to use the non-faced bat insulation.

Using the kraft-face insul. along with visqueen creates a pocket (between the plastic & insul. facing) where moisture can get trapped. If this happens it can result in mold and/or pre-mature deterioration of the insulation, or from the weight of the condensation build-up it can cause the insul. to compact, thus causing it to lose, or at a minimum, reduce it's insulating properties.

Just a little FYI! :cheesygri

 

[ConcreteGuy]

Don't forget who writes your check for the work. Use good judgement if you plan to complain, and talk to the one paying you first. You may need to bite your tongue. And it's a good thing that's a figure of speech because we'd all be unable to talk by now if we took it literally, lol!

If it has a direct impact on your installation, most certainly speak up to who pays you. And then follow it up in writing to protect yourself.

 

[Spencer]

Thanks for the info on using "kraft face" backed insulation and visqueen together. I was just recently did a house in my vocational building trades class were we used both together. I was under the impression that this was the "ultimate vapor barrier system".

 

[CARPENTERDON]

Your welcome Spencer. :Thumbs:

 

[Tom R]

Spencer,

You seem like a very conscientious young man. I applaud you for that! :Thumbs:

It may not be a required "code" to use housewarp or a vapor barrier, but personally, I think that is pure laziness on the CG's part.

When ever you are building a residential structure for someone else, think of it as if you were building it for yourself.

If you ever remodel a house. Think of it, and treat it, as if it were your own.

I belong to an organization called "Code + One." The by-laws of this organization require their members to alway go one notch above what the building codes call for. For instance, if the local code requires me to use 2x10's for floor joists, I use 2x12. It just gives that little extra reassurance, and in the long run you earn a reputation as a contractor of integrity and quality.

Too many GC's nowadays are just looking for the quick $$$, and don't consider for one minute what the family that is going to live in that house may have to deal with down the road, due to their (the GC's) shotty construction practices.

Stay true to what you know are the proper techniques of the trade and don't be influenced by the type of guys your working for now! :Thumbs:

Couldn't agree with you more, Don, and although I don't belong to any such 'Code + 1' organization, that's how I treat my jobs. And the customers/community know it, that's why I get the 'call'. Let's face it, the code is just stating the minimum.

 

[K2]

If you take apart an old house you would find many things you don't like or think were done incorrectly but it kept people warm and out of the weather for maybe a hundred years or in your part of the country for maybe 200 years. It probably had been repaired and remoldeled a bunch of times and bought and sold alot of times. The engineers and the building inspectors might "calculate" that it should not be standing but there it sits. <P>
I've been fortunate to have been able to build lots of residential homes and have been able to keep a few of them for over 20 years. 20 to 30 years ago the codes were different, the materials were different, definitly my ideas on construction were different but the houses and apartments I built are still there and I still maintain them. Surely I would do things differently if I knew what I knew now but who wouldn't. Alot of the construction techniques I worried most about 20 to 30 years ago, generally, I would put low on my list today.<P>
I think the houses you are working on will probably be there for a long long time. If they pass inspection, you get paid, (the most important part), and people enjoy them, you learned something to take to your next endeavor. When I was 17 someone told me regarding construction " Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut". I followed that advice for many years untill I was running my own jobs and then I could decide how things were going to be done. There might be better advice out there but I have not done too badly. It's good your asking questions. When you start running jobs and maybe dealing with the finances you might be back here asking how to deal with "stress" which seem to come up alot in construction. I don't have a good answer for that one. Good luck, Rob53

 

[Teetorbilt]

Well put, Rob 53.
I grew up in the Bahamas. Dad was an engineer and we built a number of homes that would be difficult to tear down. We moved over here in '67 and Dad got his GC license, we built 2 more homes for ourselves and went into renovation.
As an engineer, I find it rather amusing that devices for human convyences must have a safety factor of 3 when the home that you live in has a factor of -.5 or less.

 

[ConcreteGuy]

Economics, Teetor, and you know it. One of my boys is studying electrical engineering. But I know from experience the real what and why. Over-design covers the piss-poor installation of work.

And under-design is so you can build a house and make money.

 

[ProWallGuy]

If you take apart an old house you would find many things you don't like or think were done incorrectly but it kept people warm and out of the weather for maybe a hundred years or in your part of the country for maybe 200 years. It probably had been repaired and remoldeled a bunch of times and bought and sold alot of times. The engineers and the building inspectors might "calculate" that it should not be standing but there it sits. <P>
I've been fortunate to have been able to build lots of residential homes and have been able to keep a few of them for over 20 years. 20 to 30 years ago the codes were different, the materials were different, definitly my ideas on construction were different but the houses and apartments I built are still there and I still maintain them. Surely I would do things differently if I knew what I knew now but who wouldn't. Alot of the construction techniques I worried most about 20 to 30 years ago, generally, I would put low on my list today.<P>
I think the houses you are working on will probably be there for a long long time. If they pass inspection, you get paid, (the most important part), and people enjoy them, you learned something to take to your next endeavor. When I was 17 someone told me regarding construction " Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut". I followed that advice for many years untill I was running my own jobs and then I could decide how things were going to be done. There might be better advice out there but I have not done too badly. It's good your asking questions. When you start running jobs and maybe dealing with the finances you might be back here asking how to deal with "stress" which seem to come up alot in construction. I don't have a good answer for that one. Good luck, Rob53

Great post! :Thumbs:

 

[K2]

safety factor of 3 when the home that you live in has a factor of -.5 or less.

'm still learning how to do these threads. Some good info on these posts. I think I got my well pumps fixed thanks to some info from mdshunk. <P>
Speaking of safty factor x3. In my county you have to have 3 licenses to swap out my water heater but you can live under the bridge and put brakes on my car. I never quite got that. ( No offense to bridge people). RT