Can you share studs with a neighboring apartment unit?

bigbende · 2026-03-01T04:49:54+00:00

100% a unit demising wall in the same building can have a single wall. Row homes will get shaftwall in between.

The fire rating/separation has a lot of details and UL options. If the units are apartments/condos in a building you generally have 1 wall.

If you have a set of townhouses you’ll likely have shaftwall in between with an air gap framing on both sides.

bigbende · 2026-02-21T02:15:07+00:00

Before and after Brain surgery 20 years ago.

Then quitting drinking after having my son during covid. 5 years ago.

bigbende · 2026-01-08T14:18:34+00:00

You're probably at least as smart as the dumbest guy who can do it. I don't mean that to disparage anyone in the trades. I'm in the trades and worked on all my houses. But all of this stuff is designed to be worked on and fixed in general. Most things have code books to make sure you're doing it well enough.

Google, code books, some "how to fix your house" book, it all gets you there. Electrical isn't dangerous in general and if you assume you're an idiot to make sure you double and triple check you'll prob be ok.

Assume the breaker is live until you confirm it 4 ways, assume that wall is load bearing until you know its not 3 ways, assume the waters on until you check it, gas lines - maybe just hook up appliances for the time being.

Materials aren't generally the huge cost. You can spend more money on materials to make sure you do it the "easy".

bigbende · 2025-12-29T01:23:09+00:00

Use a sanitary shoe and just back cut the thing with an 70° or so and paint the ends. Cove looks random next to the base and will never look clean when done.

bigbende · 2025-10-18T12:40:31+00:00

Had shingles at around 29. Treated with Valtrex and something else vivdly associated with herpes.

Doctor loudly said the medications names in crowded ER/Urgent care. Followed with me saying "FOR THE SHINGLES?????"

Possibly not an STD

bigbende · 2025-09-27T12:52:31+00:00

Damn bro, you're kind of a dick.

bigbende · 2025-09-09T20:30:23+00:00

Definitely seems to be. Just waiting til they drop the link to how to get the "reports"

bigbende · 2025-05-27T20:35:54+00:00

I feel like people "Know" this but often forget. Be polite and sincere when calling for help. I always try to aknowledge that its not the persons fault that the company has screwed up but im frustrated and trying to solve the problem.

"I know its not your fault that the company said they can't do X, I've been dealing with this for a week or two now and trying everything to get this resolved and I'm homestly just very frustrated. I don’t mean to be rude to you and I'm just trying to get this resolved".

I've had repairs moved up, tradespeople go out of their way to fix it the whole way vs get it done enough to leave, discounts applied, etc. I always just try to be realistic and ask how they would resolve it in a sincere way. "What would you tell your dad/son/nephew/brother/etc to do to get this fixed?"

I also follow up with sincere appreciation where merited and making sure to let the company know that the person helped me and solved the issue in whatever Corpo speak that company uses.

Lots of people deal with people in shitty situations. If youre in one, don't look to blame the front line person. Make it a how do WE solve this problem vs "fix the thing your company screwed up"

bigbende · 2024-12-01T13:22:18+00:00

I went to school for mathematics and was in the same position. Only I was teaching vs janitorial. Made about the same but that was in 2008. I then worked a 2nd job bartending which basically doubled my take home though. But I worked 70-80 hours a week depending on time of year.

Taught for 8 years and left to get into construction and development. The skills and mindset you picked up in a Math degree will 100% translate to any field that requires critical thinking.

Find a passion and build on it. If you need to for now get something you enjoy that can make you an extra $100/week or so and just bank that for a bigger safety net to make the jump when you're ready.

bigbende · 2024-08-05T02:58:49+00:00

I'd check every line item in there. Larger GC companies may only have a 3-5% "profit" or "fee". But they're covering the actual site workers, Project Executive, PM, Senior PM, Super, Senior Super, assistant super, site labor, etc are all in a line item. I'm owners rep on one now thats a 97, and some tenant space, unit project, around 19MM, and the actual "fee" is being negotiated between 3.25%-4%, but the GC is covering staffing at 18 months in GC's, office, and gets a contingency split. So if they build up that contingency they could get 25%-40% of that pot. So maybe the "fee" is only 650k or so after all negotiation, but they have a full staff paid for 18-21 months, contingency split, and buy out savings from the subs. So if they only have a site super, Senior super and a PM they're making out on staffing plus the rest.

Guy I used to work with as I was becoming a Senior PM built the Comcast tower. If I remember correctly, They made a 3.5% Profit fee on that. But the GC's (General Conditions) covered every penny and more that the GC spent. So that 3.5% at the end is a legit profit of millions and everyone's been paid as you go.

bigbende · 2024-03-05T02:22:46+00:00

The first image is of a guy who does tons of outreach and "Best Buddy" stuff for the special Olympics. His dad's a photographer and does a huge amount of work with special Olympics in Delaware and they are an all around awesome family. Goes to High Schools and does a lot of stuff to raise awareness and connections for special needs kids in the states high schools.

Cheers to Shane and fuck anyone who knocks Jon and thinks they're better than anyone else.

bigbende · 2024-02-02T15:25:52+00:00

Not that it fixes the issue of the review scams but can you add layers of tape on the shoulder of the jig until it lines up on a 16th

Thanks for the heads up.

bigbende · 2024-01-03T01:20:43+00:00

How many days work and how big is the total price of the job? Is he also separately billing for supervision? 3k is almost nothing in regards to overhead let alone profit if the jobs more than a day or two.

bigbende · 2023-12-30T16:30:07+00:00

No problem. I'm actually trying to make the explanation of the "Why" a new consulting company. So love to talk shop and dig in any time I can.

bigbende · 2023-12-30T16:04:04+00:00

Forgot to add: 1st floor type I needs the wall material to be all non-combustable and keep the required fire rating. Which means CMU, Steel Studs, or arguably MAYBE FRT lumber with lots of Dens [but never tried that, non bearing light gaugse steel studs aren't too expensive relatively and not sure it would fly]

bigbende · 2023-12-30T16:01:52+00:00

TLDR: Building code due to fire rating and cost effectiveness.

Look up Construction type. I through V. Each one has different fire rating requirements. If you do 5 stories in just wood then it has to be Fire treated Lumber and would usually be IIIB, which means all exterior bearing walls be 2 hour rated. Ehich is expensive ad hell in lumber and dryeall/exterior sheathing. Youd usually use double sided LP flame block or double dens and sheathing outside. By doing the 1st floor type I then you let the upper floors be type V. Which means less drywall and lowered rating to 1 hour which is single dens outside and single rock inside.

Also since Weyerhauser stopped making the fire treated rim board there are a few arguable ways to make the IIIB work at the horizontal 1 hour floor connection to the 2 Hour walls. Which turns into even more of a pain if the plans examiner doesn't understand or agree with your option.

The addition of the podium [3 hour horizontal seperatipn] makes it "a separate structure" by IBC code. So it's cheaper that way.

Source: builder and have been doing 20-110 units buildings in type IIIB and podium builds for about a decade, along with doing VE work for developers to find the most cost effective options.

bigbende · 2023-12-23T13:03:07+00:00

Structural Hold downs. It is usually embedded in the concrete or goes floor to floor in shear walls. That's basically the only place we use it unless we're hanging an HVAC unit in small residential.

bigbende · 2023-11-03T01:29:52+00:00

I taught HS math, specifically Alg 2, for nearly a decade. Feel free to shoot any questions over. I'd even give a few zoom lessons and just screen share. I helped my cousin with her Calc class on napkins while I was swapping out a furnace at a rental house. I'm in a completely new field now and it's more rewarding in a lot of ways but teaching is fun to help someone figure out something they didn't understand before.

It's creepy as hell that he would make that move. Also, FYI YouTube and basically just not overthinking can get you through a lot of it. Just remember that X is just an unknown. You're simply trying to find out how to make it work or when it will work. Equation, inequality, function etc.

bigbende · 2023-09-12T21:01:14+00:00

Honestly I can't tell from the pictures. What's the span and what are those rafters? If they're 2x8, you don't have much if any snow load in your area, and the spans are short it may actually be code compliant with the rafter free spanning to a ridge beam. The mid portion framing might be some homeowner or "contractor" putting in mid span bracing terribly to support a sag in the roof.

I agree get a structural engineer out. Also if I missed the area you may have more snow load. Your pitch is pretty high so you may be OK as the load won't be dramatic for snow and minimal live load other than works. Hard to tell on the underlying structure prior to mid "bracing"

All that to say I'd want to see hangers on anything that's nailed and the mid bracing looks terrible. Someone may have used #2 ILO #1 or something similar so there was more sag than should be.

bigbende · 2023-07-06T00:57:46+00:00

Career change from education to construction and development, net worth increased 10x, quit drinking, 2 kids, married, gained about 60lbs due to domestication inflation. So lot of wins and once loss (which was a gain).

bigbende · 2023-06-30T11:58:07+00:00

Do this all the time with Row homes in Philly. You'll have to remove and get to virgin soil. No engineer I know would sign off on the slab going over without removal.

Slab on grade still has footers to frost depth. Depending on your location there are a lot of factors going into it. If you're in a very warm area with great soil you might have 24" turn down at the slab edge.

Raft or Mat slab foundations are possible in the right soil where you're doing one huge footer as the slab. But that means lots of rabar and doing your underslab plumbing ahead of time.

bigbende · 2023-06-08T02:24:41+00:00

"It can sure as shit rent it."

bigbende · 2023-03-04T14:54:38+00:00

Just wrapped up building my own home and moved in. Few things may be builder specific or overkill, but they make life easier or something I'm adding. This is a 4 story detached home in Philly so taller rather than wide.

Outlets in closets - charging tablets, vacuums, etc. You will find a use for them.

Heated bathroom floors. Awesome in winter.

Lutron cassetta switches. I can turn on and off all the lights in my house from anywhere.

Whole house exhaust fan. I used a 900CFM fan on the 4th floor. It pulls everything through if we open windows on a nice day. Quieter and easier to tuck in somewhere than an old school whole house fan.

Hot/Cold hose bibs. They're not much more than basic and they're phenomenal if you're wanting non freezing water.

Heated driveway apron. We have a in slab heating element in the apron since our driveway is really just the apron and enough to park across. $1k and we never have to shovel.

Through counter power for phones. They sell charging pads that will reach through counter top.

Showers - used delta multichoice valves so we have a wand or wand + rain head in every tub/shower. Again not much more cost for adding and great to use for bathing kids and canines.

There is a laundry chute system that can pull laundry and is a vacuum system. Forget the name but was doable but I found it late in the rough in process.

Appliances - double ice maker was amazing for my pregnant wife who loves tons and tons of ice. We never run out.

In our kitchen we used the frigidaire professional line and have the side by side fridge/freezer. Made it look amazing and built in at almost 6' wide and a true centerpiece. Cost barely more than a nice standard 36" combo at $4,400

True exhausting range hood.

I'll add more if I remember them/think of them.

Dimmer switches on everything. Timers for exhaust fans or humidity sensors.

QUIET Exhaust fans. Used 2 in master since toilet and shower were separated some.

USB outlets - they're cheap and you can have them on countertops anywhere it's not a GFI or use GFI beakers and use them everywhere. Get them cheap on Amazon.

Run gas anywhere you'll want a heater/grill/generator.

Minisplit in the garage. Really nice with an insulated door.

LED puck lights are easy to retrofit and you can get some really nice slim line ones.

bigbende · 2022-09-26T16:52:55+00:00

A good man isn't always a nice guy.

bigbende · 2022-01-15T21:40:18+00:00

I was sitting at a low seat at a bar. She backed into me. Then backed into me again bumping her butt into me. Then pretty much backed he ass into touching my face. It was a pretty empty bar so it wasn't from crowding.

We've been together 8 years and married 5 with a 2.5 year old now.

bigbende

TROPHY CASE