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djswan
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Joined: 17 Aug 2007
Posts: 1119
Location: Montana, USA
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 Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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| phansford wrote: | | In fact - there was no designer... only the carpenter |
Bingo. I found the problem. In fact - there was no carpenter ... only a designer.
Next please.
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 829
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 5:09 am Post subject: |
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| Checkpoint43 wrote: | Here's an interesting article about the requirements needed to be an artist:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_requirements_do_you_have_to_have_to_become_an_artist
Along comes someone who doesn't have the certification listed in this article, and they have the nerve to become successful selling paintings!
We must call in the painters and artists commission at once!
Why? Because I've seen their work, and - um - someone hung it crooked. Yeah - that's the ticket!
Let's rally together and ban the unlicensed painter for calling himself an artist! |
Its too bad you can't see beyond your own issues and see that the issue at hand is a "designer" and a "builder" who are providing very poor workmanship that is endangering lives. Licensing is somewhat of a peripheral issue. I think the original poster's concern is the person is saying he is licensed, when he clearly is not. He has not discussed the aesthetics of the houses. I would think anyone who wants to provide quality design services should be upset about the issue at hand. Furthermore, these types of incidents reflect more on non-licensed designers than anyone else. You should be enraged about how this affects your chosen career - residential designer.
FWIW - the ARE has nothing to do with aesthetics or one's artistic abilities. It covers topics such as long span structures, lateral forces, construction documents and services, mechanical and electrical systems, materials and methods, and so on. The ARE is focused on the issues of public safety, health and welfare. Only about 20-22% of the people past the exam in one sitting. If you feel you are qualified - then you should find one of those states that still allows "grandfathering" and take the test. But then again, it's much easier to come here and spout asinine comments - so clearly you don't have the courage to put your time and money where your mouth is. 
Last edited by phansford on Thu May 07, 2009 1:19 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 829
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 7:22 am Post subject: |
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| Sorry - double posted for some reason |
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csintexas
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Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 2174
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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The porch collapse which was mentioned was on a three story building where the porch was added without a permit and not according to code.
It was most likely not designed or inspected by anyone.
Yes it sure would be nice if we could figure out some law that no one could break.
I don't recall seeing any good evidence that this person is misrepresenting himself. Is he grandfathered in? Why would the city still allow him to operate? I don't think Mark understands the roll of a designer or even construction in general.
for example:
http://www.mickeyco.com/eyeonlombard5882300/images_final/final01.jpg
We are supposed to know from this picture what those bolts are fastened to? He says it is a single stud but since I can't see I have no way to verify.
I would certainly be happy to add on the cost of inspection services. I like going out to the job. Let's all raise our prices so we can go out and make sure the builders and inspectors are doing there jobs correctly. We can also drive around and spy on people to make sure there are no illegal additions.
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http://bcshdb.blogspot.com >
The B/CS Home Design Blog |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 829
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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I had questioned this also ......
| phansford wrote: | | One last thing.... you show a number of "details" about how something should be constructed.... such as the ledger being lag bolted into a stud wall. I am not sure where you are getting some of your construction advice or detailing, but I find it suspect. This is not how this detail is actually accomplished. The ledger board is typically placed at or near the floor level. It might be slightly below (1 or 2") the interior floor level - the dimension being based on local practice. The ledger is actually bolted into the rim joist which is below the stud wall and part of the floor system. If - as you claim - the ledger is bolted to studs - you would have to step up to get to your deck/porch. |
And I tried to follow Mark's explanation - if I understand correctly he is saying that one ledge board is attached to a stud wall of the garage which is not at the same floor level as the house and porch....
| Mark Mc wrote: |
The picture below are all taken after final inspection and approval:
Either I did a poor job of explaining/illustrating the details or you didn't see all the pictures. I'll try to explaining the structure to you a little better. The porch deck is 60 inches off the sidewalk in front of it, it's about 9 feet off the ground on the side. There are two ledger boards and one 6x6 post that supports the porch and the roof above. One ledger board is attached to the side of the house where the entrance door is, the joists in the house run perpendicular to the ledger board on that side, I don't know if there is a band board or if it's just blocking between the joists. The other ledger board is attached to the garage wall, it's a load bearing 2x4 stud wall. The ledger is attached 60 inches up the wall into the studs (or is supposed to be) using 1/2" lag screws. To use 1/2" lag screws in a load bearing 2x4 it would have to be exactly in the center of the stud, a better choice would have been Ledgerlok screws. |
CSinTexas - I think if you can show these types of issues to your clients, explain the value of having you visit the site on occasion for a nominal fee (4 hours x your rate per trip) The deliverable would be a written field report of the work accomplished and issues that you observe with recommendations, you might get a few clients to have you provide those additional services. I think your additional construction experience should also bring value to your service. I thought you were like me and try to direct your client to builders you know and trust? I need to get to your blog more often and see what you've been up to lately.  |
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csintexas
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Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 2174
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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I was just kidding on those last few comments. I don't actually think many people would hire their designer to go out and inspect the job.
There are inspection services that are occasionally hired as a third party.
It doesn't matter what he is trying to say he is not providing evidence that means anything. He himself states that he does not know what the lag screws are fastened to -"I don't know if there is a band board or if it's just blocking between the joists."
And I am still wondering what all this has to do with the designer anyway?
These are two separate unrelated issues:
1. faulty workmanship
2. proper licensing of designer
Clearly the workmanship was poor or it would not have failed so quickly. If the designer is still operating I would have to assume he is properly licensed but can't verify one way or the other.
If our goal is to prevent this from happening in the future we may be better off training carpenters better than by training designers better unless we also enact laws that hold the designer directly responsible for how something is constructed.
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-Chris Stewart
http://bcshdb.blogspot.com >
The B/CS Home Design Blog |
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djswan
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Joined: 17 Aug 2007
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Location: Montana, USA
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 829
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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| djswan wrote: | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ziwuIpnVY
Awesome video.
Carpenter or designer? |
Fun stuff.... I have a cousin that does a lot of woodworking and does the little crank toys also.
Unfortunately, you have to wonder with the lose of woodshop in high schools whether this type of stuff will become a lost art - let alone the mechanical knowledge of the gears, shafts, and flywheels that he incorporated in the toy. |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 829
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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| csintexas wrote: |
And I am still wondering what all this has to do with the designer anyway?
These are two separate unrelated issues:
1. faulty workmanship
2. proper licensing of designer
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Not really..... builder and designer are one and the same.
| Mark Mc wrote: |
The designer is the builder, I agree that it is disturbing, and the inspector aside from being incompetent is buddies with the builder/designer. |
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Mark Mc
Joined: 30 Apr 2009
Posts: 25
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| Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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| csintexas wrote: | | I don't recall seeing any good evidence that this person is misrepresenting himself. |
Here is the evidence:
Me, he represented himself to me as an architect.
He represented himself to several homeowners on different homes he designed as and architect.
He is listed as the architect on these 12 (of hundreds) building permits in a town that has a law requiring the use of an Illinois licensed architect, several of the homes would require an architect by state law, Link
In the two letters from the Village to the homeowners there are references to an architect being brought out, I was there, it was the unlicensed guy. Where would the Village get the idea he was an architect? Keep in mind that the building department supervisor is an Illinois licensed architect and was cc'd these letters. And that the supervisor has known and signed off on this unlicensed guys plans for over a decade, some with another architects seal, some with no seal at all. Link to letters: Link
Link
He represented himself as an architect to the village of Westmont on a commercial project Link
There's a whole lot more, from no business license to no registration with the county and everything in between, I can assure this guy has been representing himself as an architect and he is not licensed in Illinois.
| csintexas wrote: | | Is he grandfathered in? |
No.
| csintexas wrote: | | Why would the city still allow him to operate? |
Corruption, the Village officials live in houses designed/built by him, rather large houses. And they were very reasonably priced, comparatively speaking ( see here: Link ) and they are not properly listed with the tax assessors office resulting in lower tax bills, that's why.
You're not supposed to know, that's why I wrote "The lags go into a 2x4 load bearing stud wall". The pictures below might give you a better idea of the attachment. There are two ledgers, I know what is behind the one on the garage wall (I opened it up), I don't know what is behind the ledger on the door side (the picture with the 9 lag screws is on the door side ledger, I assume the kept shooting screws until they caught something).
Here is the garage wall (the picture is on the website), I open it up, removed the 3 lag screws from the ledger and drilled the holes the rest of the way through the OSB sheathing with a sharpened coat hanger. I marked the locations of where the lag screws were (this is before the repairs).
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Checkpoint43
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 180
Location: Lexington, VA
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| Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 1:12 am Post subject: |
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I noticed several photos of poor workmanship on the job, but nothing displaying the designer's actual drawings.
Clearly, the designs were sufficient to meet permit requirements.
This topic should be shoddy builders, and not "Lets prevent the designer from drawing houses, because he isn't a licensed architect."
If the homes were drawn by a licensed architect (full AIA credentials), the workmanship wouldn't be any better.
Would you still blame the architect in this case?
The article is clearly nothing more than a jealous hate campaign against residential designers.
I call them as I see them. |
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csintexas
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Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 2174
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 6:06 am Post subject: |
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If the form only uses the word "architect" with no provision for a legal residential designer than that designer would most likely just use that space. In that case architect would be used as a generic term referring to the person who designed the house. Regardless of the legality architect is still sometimes used as a generic term.
If you want to get the language policed try the AIA. I can tell you that people try to refer to me as an architect quite often. Would I check the minutes of the meeting to make sure the person recording them did not refer to me as someones architect -No
Your stupid drawing don't mean anything. I know what a 2x4 stud wall looks like what I don't know is what is on the other side of those lag screws. Unless you can provide photographic evidence it is only your word.
"Corruption, the Village officials live in houses designed/built by him, rather large houses. And they were very reasonably priced, comparatively speaking ( see here: Link ) and they are not properly listed with the tax assessors office resulting in lower tax bills, that's why."
What difference does it make to these peoples property values? Now he is not only an unlicensed designer but also a real estate appraiser?
I would not rule out the possibility of anyone cheating on an appraisal but I don't know what that has to do with the designer.
Your accusation are just bizarre I am not sure you are sane.
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-Chris Stewart
http://bcshdb.blogspot.com >
The B/CS Home Design Blog |
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djswan
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Joined: 17 Aug 2007
Posts: 1119
Location: Montana, USA
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| Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 6:19 am Post subject: |
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The drawings do have a "McMansionesque" look to them. How much more would the house be worth with a deck that doesn't collaspe? Five bucks or so, if that.
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csintexas
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Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 2174
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 6:37 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Not really..... builder and designer are one and the same. |
I don't think so, because in other places he stated that the designer worked for the builder so I don't think they are the same person.
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-Chris Stewart
http://bcshdb.blogspot.com >
The B/CS Home Design Blog |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 829
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 7:05 am Post subject: |
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| csintexas wrote: |
Your stupid drawing don't mean anything. I know what a 2x4 stud wall looks like what I don't know is what is on the other side of those lag screws. Unless you can provide photographic evidence it is only your word. |
Chris..... really.... are you looking at his posts?
| Mark Mc wrote: |
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This clearly shows the lag bolt is between studs and is in the insulation. (The photo shows the gyp bd cut to show the bolt - some people would consider that photographic evidence.) Do you SEE the word CertainTeed? Have you ever seen insulation with a kraft paper VR?
If I were doing a report on this house - these are exactly the types of drawings and photographs I would provide. (Which BTW - I have done for homeowners) And is just the type of photos and drawings used by attorneys to bring legal action. |
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