More homeowner fun!

[kom526]

I crawled under my deck yesterday to spray for errant weeds and discovered a pretty significant structural issue. When my deck was built in 2007, the dirt around the foundation was not completely settled it appears. Well, in the 13 years since, combined with undersized gutters has led to a major erosion/compaction problem. The dirt around the post on that corner has settled so badly that the post has pulled away from the joists, I would say the hole is about 33-36 inches deep at this point.

My oldest son wants to be an engineer, so guess what? He gets some practical application over the next couple weeks INCLUDING some hands on work so he can appreciate the guys in the field. Digging holes and humping 80# bags of concrete in 30 to 34 inch workspaces should be fun.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

My oldest son wants to be an engineer, so guess what? He gets some practical application over the next couple weeks INCLUDING some hands on work so he can appreciate the guys in the field. Digging holes and humping 80# bags of concrete in 30 to 34 inch workspaces should be fun.

Something is off. If he wants to be an engineer, have him draw up some plans and specs without any real field knowledge or experience, then tell the guys who know how to do the work, how to do their job.

 

[kom526]

^IKR^
He's going to wish he was back running the hills at Ryken.

 

[Scat]

I crawled under my deck yesterday to spray for errant weeds and discovered a pretty significant structural issue. When my deck was built in 2007, the dirt around the foundation was not completely settled it appears. Well, in the 13 years since, combined with undersized gutters has led to a major erosion/compaction problem. The dirt around the post on that corner has settled so badly that the post has pulled away from the joists, I would say the hole is about 33-36 inches deep at this point.

My oldest son wants to be an engineer, so guess what? He gets some practical application over the next couple weeks INCLUDING some hands on work so he can appreciate the guys in the field. Digging holes and humping 80# bags of concrete in 30 to 34 inch workspaces should be fun.

If I were he, I would place a stop work notice on the job and my recommendation to the county inspector would be that the homeowner remove the entire unsafe structure.

 

[ginwoman]

If I were he, I would place a stop work notice on the job and my recommendation to the county inspector would be that the homeowner remove the entire unsafe structure.

don't give him any ideas, lol

 

[kom526]

If I were he, I would place a stop work notice on the job and my recommendation to the county inspector would be that the homeowner remove the entire unsafe structure.

The good thing is that he still lives under my roof.

 

[vraiblonde]

I do not miss home ownership.

 

[Scat]

The good thing is that he still lives under my roof.

So he needs to emancipate himself before notifying the county that you intend to use slave labor to rebuild an unsafe structure?

 

[kom526]

So he needs to emancipate himself before notifying the county that you intend to use slave labor to rebuild an unsafe structure?

What you call slave labor I call practical life experience.

 

[Scat]

What you call slave labor I call practical life experience.

Practical life experience paid by the hour or fixed price?

 

[vraiblonde]

Practical life experience paid by the hour or fixed price?

I'ma guess he'll be getting it back in college tuition.

 

[kom526]

I'ma guess he'll be getting it back in college tuition.

At least a couple of bucks.

 

[Bann]

If I were he, I would place a stop work notice on the job and my recommendation to the county inspector would be that the homeowner remove the entire unsafe structure.

If he wants any help paying for college expenses, that would be a terribly bad move in his part.

 

[Bann]

So he needs to emancipate himself before notifying the county that you intend to use slave labor to rebuild an unsafe structure?

Not if he likes eating and sleeping there!

 

[kom526]

Not if he likes eating and sleeping there!

Living here is terrible though.

 

[Monello]

Living here is terrible though.
View attachment 148905

That looks like our South Padre Island view.

 

[glhs837]

What you call slave labor I call practical life experience.

Million dollar idea - Engineer Boot Camp. I'll partner with varying industrial operators to send budding engineers into the workforce for short periods to understand what they will be engineering. I did a little bit of this, and still do by taking engineers along on field trips to see and hands on as much as possible.

 

[GURPS]

I'll partner with varying industrial operators to send budding engineers into the workforce for short periods to understand what they will be engineering.

having worked a few blue collar jobs in the 90's I always said Architects should be required to work 2 or more trades as part of their education, so they have a better understanding how sht works in the field ....

 

[Chris0nllyn]

having worked a few blue collar jobs in the 90's I always said Architects should be required to work 2 or more trades as part of their education, so they have a better understanding how sht works in the field ....

Having a basic understanding of how things will be built would be okay with me.

I routinely work with people right out of college that have no clue how things are built, and it shows. Hell, I have to repeatedly tell the same Project Managers NOT to put plumbing fixtures and backflow preventers in my electrical rooms.

 

[Clem72]

having worked a few blue collar jobs in the 90's I always said Architects should be required to work 2 or more trades as part of their education, so they have a better understanding how sht works in the field ....

If they understood how crap works you would have to pay them better than a janitor.