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I had several people tell me that I would get a red tag on the house the way it is designed with no footings under the shear wall piers. The county stamped the plans but I was still worrying a little. To end the anxiety I called the inspector and left a message that I would like an inspection on the piers. To my surprise, Mark called back in just a few minutes and said he would be able to do it today! He came over to the site and looked things over and said it looked great and signed off on the work! Just one less thing to worry about. 8^)
Royall
What goes around comes around!
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Was that because they were on hard lava? By the way, Royall, who did your plans? HPM? Was it a package home from their catalogue? Can't wait to start seeing pictures of peoples projects.
Dave
PS I just remembered you saying you were hoping to get started in March....ahead of schedule good for you guys!!! gotta love it when a plan comes together.
)
Edited by - HADave on 02/13/2006 20:40:53
Aloha HADave & Mz P
Hawaiian Acres
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Hi Dave,
I don’t think the ground has anything to do with it. There was never a site inspection to determine what kind ground the foundation was to sit on. Our lot is like most any other lot I’ve looked at after it was D-9 ed. It is just lave rock fairly well packed down by the machine going back and forth when leveling the pad.
The plans are from Trojan Lumber, not HPM. I can’t think of the name of the house off hand. We aren’t really ahead but on schedule. We needed to have the piers set before my friend comes over in March to build with me.
Royall
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So Royall, the piers are basiclly the foundation for the shearwalls? I saw that in a picture and thought, that is so much easier than putting up forms and pouring concrete!
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I guess I'm trying to understand why the difference between yours (Royall) and the Fryhover's?
Dave
Aloha HADave & Mz P
Hawaiian Acres
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I talked to a couple of long time builders in the last few weeks after getting my plans. The stories they told me were very similar in that before hurricane Inike (sp?) houses were being built with out shear walls at all. Later the state started to go with stricter and stricter codes to basically “cover their butts” should a hurricane ever hit the big island. They also said if you look at the old plantation homes in and around Hilo you’ll see they were built with out shear walls and have been standing for years. I guess it is just up to the architect to decide what method to use.
I know it does make it fast and easy to put up the foundation with this method, not to mention saving the cost of the concrete and steel.
I do have some photos posted on Shutterfly. You don’t have to join Shutterfly to view them. You will have to send me your email address so that I can send them.
Royall
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Aloha Royall,
The piers are the footings, they just aren't poured concrete footings.
Before Ewa and Iniki, the County didn't require any Simpson ties and a lot of houses were built on just the four by four posts braced two, three and four ways. Some of these posts were rather tall, too! Some of the hotels in Waikiki are build on concrete posts with basically just the elevator shafts for shear walls. Seems kinda scary, but they seem to still be standing.
Hawaii County is using the 1991 UBC (Uniform Building Code) with some amendments. Oahu is using the 1997 codebook.
A hui hou,
Cathy
Hawaii Drafting Service
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