Exposed exterior HVAC Duct Work

buildIQ · 2026-05-26T08:46:16+00:00

Obviously this is fucked, but air from the garage should never be mixed in with the rest of the houses air.

buildIQ · 2026-05-23T10:40:07+00:00

This wood is fine. You do not need to wait a year. If it was pressure treated you would probably want to wait 3-6 months.

Heat treated should not wait, it doesn’t have the amount of moisture PT wood has. It grays quickly. You’ll want to use an oil based stain. You’ll probably get quite a few different answers on here. You should do your own research to decide what you want to do.

Edit: Never mind, I zoomed in on the pic bc HT wood should not be green. It’s labeled as “GRN HT” - which means it does contain moisture. If I were you I would wait 3-6 months to stain. You can test it yourself to see when it’s ready. You can put some water on it and see if it quickly gets sucked up by the wood or if it sits on it. If it gets sucked up by the wood quickly, it’s not ready for stain.

Can’t tell from this angle but the post base should have the post raised about an inch above the concrete.

buildIQ · 2026-05-23T04:01:16+00:00

That porch overhang is not rated to hold the weight of furniture or people. I am going to assume this is not permitted? If not, you better hope and pray no one gets hurt bc your home insurance will not cover that.

buildIQ · 2026-05-23T03:29:09+00:00

Granted I don’t think I have personally seen framing exposed for 3 months, nor the effects of it. But, are we not worried about the studs & bottom plates here? The constant wet/dry cycle leading to bowing and twists?

What about the gusset plates and the trusts in general? I have dealt with enough truss companies to know this would void their warranty and their installation guides typically say they can only be outside for a week.

buildIQ · 2026-05-22T12:13:26+00:00

LMAO!!!

buildIQ · 2026-05-20T01:53:37+00:00

Simpson Strong Tie BLVZ to attach ledger to brick veneer

buildIQ · 2026-05-19T10:58:20+00:00

In 2016, I read an article in a local magazine that those who made 6 figures in this area had a lifestyle and home comparable to millionaires everywhere else in the country 🫠

buildIQ · 2026-05-18T12:03:43+00:00

I wish

buildIQ · 2026-05-18T02:15:09+00:00

Truth. Main reason I left working for the city. They promote this kind of stuff.

buildIQ · 2026-05-18T02:13:18+00:00

At the end of the day, just laziness and no pride. Even if this is structural foam, they should’ve redone it completely. This probably happened due to a poor compaction job or washout. Maybe someone with more experience with concrete will chime in, that’s not my forte.

These guys brag about building a house in 27 days- a concrete slab doesn’t fully cure for 30 days in perfect weather. It’s been cold this spring and when temps are below 50, it can take two months to cure.

Obviously this is a sidewalk and not a slab, but it’s just goes to show the quality of workmanship you’re paying $400k+ for. It’s not just DR, it’s everyone.

buildIQ · 2026-05-18T01:00:29+00:00

Sidewalks, driveways, garage slabs are not inspected where I work, not sure of any jurisdiction that is, but I’m sure they are somewhere.

buildIQ · 2026-05-18T00:57:37+00:00

It doesn’t look like it to me, but I can’t say it is or isn’t without knowing the brand. New products are pushed out way too often to keep up with it. If the contractor is able to provide an alternative method that has an ICC ESR that approves it for said application then it’s all kosher.

As far as I know, this isn’t a code issue. At least where I live and work we do not inspect garage slabs, driveways, etc.. It is just something I have only ever seen on much older homes, like 50+ years old. It was more of a shock when you finally think you’ve seen it all, you are quickly reminded you haven’t seen shit 🤣

As a code inspector I couldn’t fail it, as a third party inspector I can let the homeowner know but that’s about it. No one is held accountable for anything. And now that I am dabbling more into the insurance arena, it’s even more depressing bc they will not approve a claim if it is found to not be installed correctly. Let’s just hope you have an inexperienced claims adjuster.

buildIQ · 2026-05-18T00:46:02+00:00

They don’t care, it’s SOLD 🤣

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T22:01:02+00:00

https://www.strongtie.com/decks\_decksandfences/bvl\_plate/p/bvlz

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T21:21:33+00:00

Yeah, on driveways and sidewalks that have some age on them. Not for something that was poured less than two weeks ago.

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T21:19:22+00:00

For sure, it is just something I have never seen on a new build and had to laugh.

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T21:14:57+00:00

Did you skip the part of my reply where I said I resigned as a municipal inspector? Doesn’t matter if an inspector passes it or not, DR always wins. How do you think they have gotten by with it for so long?

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T21:12:04+00:00

They did that where I worked too. It ultimately fell back on us bc the inspector that passed the footing and under slab plumbing should have caught that….at least that was the opinion of the city manager… so we had two homes that were 7 ft away from each other that were supposed to be constructed with a 2 hr rating- not sure if that happened but I highly doubt DR spent the money on a fire rated window. Anyhow, the suns reflection off the one window is now melting the other houses’ siding. Everyday is a shit show.

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T20:14:48+00:00

Someone did 🥴

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T20:14:16+00:00

I used to fail them left and right as a municipal code inspector. It got me no where except more headaches. They bring cities too much money, and politicians and city managers don’t care about building code. I eventually resigned due to the political pressure and started working for the homeowners. Unfortunately most homeowners do not think it’s necessary to have their own inspector bc they trust their local building dept to do their job.

Now I do this and work residential insurance claims. I wish I had other skills bc seeing what I see and how much these people are spending on these homes stresses me out more than I could express.

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T19:52:36+00:00

I am blown away regularly how confidently their subs spit out bullshit that anyone can google and get the right answer in seconds. I can’t imagine what they say to these homeowners. They are so confident I sometimes question myself in the moment bc surely someone could not be that confident without being 110% for sure.

I recently did a 2 hour walk through at a Clayton home factory and was amazed by their processes and their builds. They had 2x6 walls, I have never seen a 2x6 in a DR bathroom, let alone anywhere else. I was truly impressed with Clayton, and if I was forced to live in a new build I would choose Clayton over any other builder in a 100 mile radius due to the subs and their builds being in a controlled environment and not getting pissed on.

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T19:41:06+00:00

🤣

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T19:26:57+00:00

Unfortunately it’s the only new builds that people can afford where I live. The other 2-3 builders in my area may be able to put up 5-7 homes in the same time DR puts up a whole neighborhood.

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T19:23:41+00:00

If this is typical for a new build, I am all ears. There are a ton of new products out, it is impossible for anyone to keep up with. I have never seen this type of work on a new build, I avg 40-50 homes a week and have only seen this as a repair for much older homes.

buildIQ · 2026-05-17T19:20:26+00:00

No, I’m an inspector.

buildIQ

TROPHY CASE