Day 93: Of slackers, noggings, valleys and jack studs

Sorry, I wasn't referring to the subbies working on our build project.  In fact, they are really quite good.  Can't complain.  I was actually referring to myself, moi, estoy, for being such a slacker.  Can't imagine that it's been almost a month since I posted anything significant about the house we're building.

We've had our report back from our first independent building inspection.  There were no surprises there.  Just a few bits and pieces that were missing here and there.  Nothing major.  Reading the report, I kinda have to understand the stuff they were talking about.  Mind you, though, ever since we started building, I got to learn and understand most of the terms that I read and hear like studs, noggings, girders, trusses, etc.  And who do I turn to if I'm in a quandary like this ... who else but my friend G. O'gle.  Man, the stuff G knows, epic ...

Sorry I digressed, so back to our independent inspector's report ... I was given a "Schedule of Building Defects" and here's a few of these defects (Metricon's fixing them all, just making it clear) ...



FLOOR SLAB

The polyethylene vapour barrier from beneath the concrete floor slab has not been turned up the external side faces of its edge beams prior to them being back filled up against, which will allow moisture ingress via slab edge dampness into the internal timber wall skins and/or the floor coverings.

A "vapour barrier" is a plastic membrane laid under the slab to improve its performance against rising damp.  Some people call it "moisture barrier" as it stops the moisture from the soil migrating into the concrete slab.  This barrier is placed under the slab where there are to be habitable rooms.

All of the existing loose fill that has been placed up against the slabs edge beams will need to be removed and the polyethylene vapour barrier properly extended up the external side faces of the edge beams to at least the height of future finished ground lever or paving i.e. 75mm below the damp-proof course and bottoms of the weepholes, after which any termite barriers that are in place, if required, will also need to be properly reinstated.

Metricon would need to fix this.


FRAMING ISSUES

The jack studs that have been installed above most of the ground floor external door and window openings as well as in the Ensuite have been installed on their flat, which is the wrong way around for the brickwork over these openings to be tied back into.

A "jack stud" is a stud that has been cut down to be placed above and/or below an opening.  The jack stud provides support to the lintel trimmer and sill trimmer.

How's Metricon fixing this?


For sure they are not going to redo all the jack studs that have been installed on their flat.


They'll put another "jack stud" behind the existing jack stud that was installed on its flat.  Brilliant!!!


We'll find out if this is acceptable the next time our independent building inspector visits ... at the pre-plaster stage.   





VALLEY BOARDS

The bottom edges of the valley boards have not been supported between the trusses and are short to the fascias.

According to my friend G, "valley boards" are thick exterior grade plywood installed to support the valley trough. The valley boards are cut so as to fit flush in between the rafters and be supported on noggins fixed to the sides of each rafter.

Metricon would need to extend and have the valley boards supported on noggins.

MISSING NOGGINS

The height of the studs under the side Dining window are 1500mm and they do not contain a row of noggins.


It is a requirement of Australian Standard, A.S 1684 Residential Timber-Framed Construction, Section 6:- Wall Framing, clause 6.2.1.5 Nogging, that "Wall studs shall have a continuous row of noggings at 1350mm maximum centres".

Additional nogging will have to be installed into the wall below this window.


Metricon has this fixed already.

Next post ... how it is all looking ... watch this space.