Weather tight building

[David Coon]

What constitutes a weather tight building? I called for a rough inspection on an addition to a house. The inspector refused to inspect it because it wasn't "weather tight". The roof was shingled, the exterior walls had plywood only (no siding) and the windows were installed. It had rained during the course of the rough wiring with no leaks into the building. I normally don't call this early for a rough inspection, but I was fighting a dead-line. Is there a code or regulation governing the inspection criteria and readiness?

Thanks,
David C.

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

That's ridiculas. Ask him what he wants in addition to satisfy him. I've had rough inspections before the windows and doors were in.

 

[texie]

It seems mighty petty to me. Is this the norm for the AHJ? It seems to me if the AHJ plays the game this way, they should be required to furnish in writing what constitutes a dried in building.

 

[Cavie]

I've been getting rough inspections without windows and doors for 40 years in Florida.

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

What constitutes a weather tight building? I called for a rough inspection on an addition to a house. The inspector refused to inspect it because it wasn't "weather tight". The roof was shingled, the exterior walls had plywood only (no siding) and the windows were installed. It had rained during the course of the rough wiring with no leaks into the building. I normally don't call this early for a rough inspection, but I was fighting a dead-line. Is there a code or regulation governing the inspection criteria and readiness?

Thanks,
David C.

Tell this AHJ to join the Forum.......We'll set him straight

 

[kwired]

Tell this AHJ to join the Forum.......We'll set him straight

He must think you need insulation and drywall before you install wiring

 

[Riograndeelectric]

May not have to due with being weather tight but that the siding is not installed or the building exterior vapor barrier/ Tyvex wrap is not installed

ding is weather tight . Maybe Inspector wants sidng on first.
we all know that the carpnetrs love to use very long staples or nails when putting siding up

Inspector was wrong in not citing a code article for rejecting rough in.
Just my 2 cents
Cameron

 

[kwired]

May not have to due with being weather tight but that the siding is not installed or the building exterior vapor barrier/ Tyvex wrap is not installed

ding is weather tight . Maybe Inspector wants sidng on first.
we all know that the carpnetrs love to use very long staples or nails when putting siding up

Inspector was wrong in not citing a code article for rejecting rough in.
Just my 2 cents
Cameron

I been in many buildings where interior was nearly finished before exterior was finished, tends to happen more during winter months, or sometimes just because waiting on a contractor to do exterior, esp if something like brick, stone, eifs...

 

[renosteinke]

I agree that 'closed in' does not require the siding to be up.

What is the point of the 'rough' inspection? It is to inspect the insides of the walls before things get buried. Since this often means that drywall is up on one side of the wall, the place needs to be somewhat weather-tight - though doors and windows are not always present.

I think there was a misunderstanding, and the inspector did not understand that you were calling for 'rough.'

 

[kwired]

I agree that 'closed in' does not require the siding to be up.

What is the point of the 'rough' inspection? It is to inspect the insides of the walls before things get buried. Since this often means that drywall is up on one side of the wall, the place needs to be somewhat weather-tight - though doors and windows are not always present.

I think there was a misunderstanding, and the inspector did not understand that you were calling for 'rough.'

I would hope he figured it out when he seen it

 

[cowboyjwc]

I'm with Cavie, here in CA you can call for a rough any time you're done, We won't let you insulate or drywall until the building is wrapped (paper only).

 

[kwired]

I'm with Cavie, here in CA you can call for a rough any time you're done, We won't let you insulate or drywall until the building is wrapped (paper only).

Are you saying this as an electrical inspector or as a combination inspector?

I'm sorry but wood sheathing is plenty of weather protection for rough in wiring. Roofing or siding is hopefully on at time of final inspection. So what if it should get a little damp on occasion. It is not like it will be submerged like during a flood. This could easily happen years down the road should the owner fail to repair/replace damaged roofing or siding but nobody makes them rewire the house then.

 

[construct]

As a combination inspector, "Rough In" does not mean having a weathertight building. To me, rough means the basic infastructure of all the trades has been installed. A final inspection would constitute a weathertight build. Just my opinon.:angel:

 

[cowboyjwc]

Are you saying this as an electrical inspector or as a combination inspector?

I'm sorry but wood sheathing is plenty of weather protection for rough in wiring. Roofing or siding is hopefully on at time of final inspection. So what if it should get a little damp on occasion. It is not like it will be submerged like during a flood. This could easily happen years down the road should the owner fail to repair/replace damaged roofing or siding but nobody makes them rewire the house then.

As a combo inspector? Hush your mouth. I'm saying it as an electrical inspector. We don't have sheathing on all of our walls here, just the shear walls. We consider paper and windows, of course, to make the building weather tight enough to start insulating and drywalling.

Remember where you are you might see a lot of siding, here we hardly ever see it, mostly stucco. Where you might have moisture/vapor barriers on the walls, we don't. You might see a lot of foam insulation, ours is mostly fiberglass. In snow climates I've heard that you build from the outside in. Here it's just the opposite.

 

[kwired]

As a combination inspector, "Rough In" does not mean having a weathertight building. To me, rough means the basic infastructure of all the trades has been installed. A final inspection would constitute a weathertight build. Just my opinon.:angel:

Right, and a rough - in inspection of "to be concealed" wiring would have to be done before (all) the finishes are applied. That is what OP was asking for a rough - in inspection.

As a combo inspector? Hush your mouth. I'm saying it as an electrical inspector. We don't have sheathing on all of our walls here, just the shear walls. We consider paper and windows, of course, to make the building weather tight enough to start insulating and drywalling.

Remember where you are you might see a lot of siding, here we hardly ever see it, mostly stucco. Where you might have moisture/vapor barriers on the walls, we don't. You might see a lot of foam insulation, ours is mostly fiberglass. In snow climates I've heard that you build from the outside in. Here it's just the opposite.

Doesn't stucco need a fairly solid base? What stucco I recall seeing around here was still applied over same sheathing that would otherwise be found behind brick, siding, stone. Spray foam insulation was not really all that popular until last 10 years or so. Most popular thing now is to flash exterior with foam generally only 1/2 to 1 inch thick, this seals everything from infiltration, then fill the rest of wall cavity with fiberglass.

There are mobile and manufactured homes that they sometimes do have inside finished - or at least covered while installing some items from outside - easy to get away with when working inside a plant, not so much when constructed on site where mother nature can come and destroy things if not sealed up.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Doesn't stucco need a fairly solid base? What stucco I recall seeing around here was still applied over same sheathing that would otherwise be found behind brick, siding, stone. Spray foam insulation was not really all that popular until last 10 years or so. Most popular thing now is to flash exterior with foam generally only 1/2 to 1 inch thick, this seals everything from infiltration, then fill the rest of wall cavity with fiberglass.

There are mobile and manufactured homes that they sometimes do have inside finished - or at least covered while installing some items from outside - easy to get away with when working inside a plant, not so much when constructed on site where mother nature can come and destroy things if not sealed up.

Nope just tar paper and chicken wire. Pretty standard.

What I meant was I've heard that the exterior walls are built and the exterior finished, roof on and I'm assuming any bearing walls put up. Then when the weather turns everyone can work inside out of the elements.

I only say this because someone once asked, on here, how to drill around a corner and I said that you just go outside and drill at a 45 degree angle. He asked me why I would drill through the siding? Again and again I say, different parts of the country, different methods.

 

[kwired]

Nope just tar paper and chicken wire. Pretty standard.

What I meant was I've heard that the exterior walls are built and the exterior finished, roof on and I'm assuming any bearing walls put up. Then when the weather turns everyone can work inside out of the elements.

I only say this because someone once asked, on here, how to drill around a corner and I said that you just go outside and drill at a 45 degree angle. He asked me why I would drill through the siding? Again and again I say, different parts of the country, different methods.

But the tar paper and chicken wire is attached to sheathing isn't it, and not directly to studs, that would not make that good of a base for the stucco. Once sheathing is is on roof and walls, the building is at the point where wiring can usually be installed, This also generally keeps things inside dry enough that there should be no major concerns for protecting wiring from weather - after all at this stage we are not installing any more than cable and outlet boxes, or recesses cans. If they would happen to get wet they will dry out with no problems.

Is somewhat same here - usually sheathing is on walls before they frame the roof, so once they have the sheathing on roof usually all framing is in place and it is ok to start installing wiring, plumbing, HVAC. While those subs are working inside the builders are usually installing roofing and siding, or other exterior finishing - with occasional delays for finishing exterior because of weather. Roofing usually gets first priority to be done first, house wrap is generally sufficient for about 90 days if it needs to be there that long, after that sunlight degrades it enough it may not perform like it was intended.

 

[cowboyjwc]

But the tar paper and chicken wire is attached to sheathing isn't it, and not directly to studs, that would not make that good of a base for the stucco. Once sheathing is is on roof and walls, the building is at the point where wiring can usually be installed, This also generally keeps things inside dry enough that there should be no major concerns for protecting wiring from weather - after all at this stage we are not installing any more than cable and outlet boxes, or recesses cans. If they would happen to get wet they will dry out with no problems.

Is somewhat same here - usually sheathing is on walls before they frame the roof, so once they have the sheathing on roof usually all framing is in place and it is ok to start installing wiring, plumbing, HVAC. While those subs are working inside the builders are usually installing roofing and siding, or other exterior finishing - with occasional delays for finishing exterior because of weather. Roofing usually gets first priority to be done first, house wrap is generally sufficient for about 90 days if it needs to be there that long, after that sunlight degrades it enough it may not perform like it was intended.

Nope just attached to the studs. Went and did rough electrical on an apartment building on Friday. They were just starting to wrap the building.

 

[kwired]

Nope just attached to the studs. Went and did rough electrical on an apartment building on Friday. They were just starting to wrap the building.

If it was just starting to be wrapped then it wasn't weather tight during rough installationhmy:

 

[Steviechia2]

What constitutes a weather tight building? I called for a rough inspection on an addition to a house. The inspector refused to inspect it because it wasn't "weather tight". The roof was shingled, the exterior walls had plywood only (no siding) and the windows were installed. It had rained during the course of the rough wiring with no leaks into the building. I normally don't call this early for a rough inspection, but I was fighting a dead-line. Is there a code or regulation governing the inspection criteria and readiness?

Thanks,
David C.

What town is it? I know of 1 town in the worcester area that he requires it to have Tyvek or similar product to inspect. Maybe he is afraid to get wet!
What will change after the house is sided? Does he think you will rip out the wires and start over? :slaphead: