Same question, different house photos...why is siding used in this location?

[Gene South]

I posted a thread on this subject a few months back about why siding would be installed in this location, instead of brick. Most of the regular responders answers fell into three general categories…… (1)…. This was a correction for a construction mistake, ……(2) This was a left over opening when a fork lift was used to raise construction materials to the 2nd floor, and…… (3) a place originally designed for a walk-out door/balcony but later decided upon.

While construction priinciples and methods are generally the same in all parts of the country, we all see some region specific methods. I believe this is one. Those of us in Texas have seen thousands of homes with siding installed this way. My original question was about "Why" this was done,…. as in “what is the basic root cause to decide to install siding in this way”?

The original threaded wandered around and eventually ended, but never with what I would think is the correct or full answer, (except with may RicK Hurst's comment about a brick to siding ratio).

Siding photo # 1 was the photo in the original thread that got the 3 general responses mentioned above.

Siding # 4 is from a different house, but would be a very similar installation.

Siding photo # 2 has a caption that would explain siding being used because of weight of the brick on this wall segment.

Siding photo # 3. Why would siding be used here ?

I present my case to the Court for comments, .....your Honor...What say ye ?


PS…..Here's the previous thread: http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/building-interior-home-inspection-commercial-inspection/20827-why-done.html (http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/building-interior-home-inspection-commercial-inspection/20827-why-done.html)

[Nolan Kienitz]

Because.

[Russel Ray]

First, A&M 24, t.u. 17. Whooooop!

Second, We don't have too much brick out here, but we have a lot of stucco, and in some of the higher end neighborhoods they'll do stuff like that in your picture to break up the monotony of stucco and give it a more custom appearance.

Third, A&M 24, t.u. 17. Whoooop!

[Jon Errickson]

What kind of room is on the other side of the siding sections?? Specifically, are they always bathrooms?

[Rick Hurst]

Once again, it is just decorative and that is all. Builders have been doing this for years now. A house esp. a 2-story that is all brick starts to look like a commercial type building.
Ever see homes on the old military bases, not to appealing.

rick

[Nolan Kienitz]

And really now ... as an inspector: "Why do you care?"

The structure is built how it is built and that is that. Whether we (as inspectors like or don't like it) or the client does or does not like it ... It is what it is.

[John Kogel]

Asking about pic #3? Too many angles to cut in brick.

Out here, they will glue up some brick veneer to break up the monotony of the Hardy plank siding. :D
Actually, it's more faux stone, with cedar shingles on the gable ends.

[Don Walsh]

so do you know the reason or are you looking for the answers. What did the original home owner tell you?

[Rick Hurst]

John,

I don't understand your comment about the "angles" cut into the brick. Are you talking about the soldier bricks located below the bottom edge of the siding?

rick

[Rick Hurst]

Gene,

I believe you need to venture a little further out of the McKinney area and inspect some older homes. All of those new homes in McKinney I believe your working it too hard to find something wrong with them and are questioning things a bit much.:D

You need go over to the old Highland Park area, or Lakewood area and get something that really can drive you crazy.

rick

[Randy Aldering]

Gene, those are some good questions. Have you ventured down to the code office to review the blueprints? One guess is that these are a result of changes to the original design, where the blueprints were not updated . . . and perhaps no one told the mason.

[Nolan Kienitz]

GS - I've heard you are pretty close to RE-Agents and/or are or were one in the past.

As Rick noted ... you are looking far too hard. Take off the RE-Agent shroud and stick to inspector things.

RE - I doubt very seriously that the local AHJ has copies of each "production" homes blueprints and if there were changes to the veneer. I can assure you the production builders don't coordinate that well for such homes.

[Randy Aldering]

Hey Nolan, it never hurts to check. Unless you just don't care.

[John Kogel]

John,

I don't understand your comment about the "angles" cut into the brick. Are you talking about the soldier bricks located below the bottom edge of the siding?

rickI was just suggesting the builder switched to siding there for easier cutting of the angles. If the siding has to go somewhere, put it there.

Not saying there's too much of anything wrong, except it's just as ugly the the rest of them.

[Rick Hurst]

No, what is ugly is a 65' in lenght 2 story structure that is all brick. That is what prison walls look like.

The siding as I've mentioned before and will continue my rant on is strictly for asthetics only.

Some municipalites in our area require a home to have a certain % of brick, stone or HP type siding. Some builders have come in and done a whole neighborhood of nothing but HP sided homes which look terrible when that is all that is present.

rick

[Daniel Mummey]

You'll just have to go to the interior and check it out. Maybe a wall to easily deconstruct to get a large furnishing or mechanical in/out? Maybe end truss sided in the portion of building with continuous clear span?

[Jim Scott]

The question would be, is it installed correctly and is it damaged. That is the question for the inspector. Not why it is. It is what it is.

[Daniel Mummey]

Jim, the question was "why is the siding used in this location?" I offered a couple answers.:D

[Jim Scott]

I understand the question and can appreciate the curiosity for it as well. (I would be asking the same question. I think it looks goofy) However, unless there is some form of damage, improper installation, something out of position on the inside or maybe it is the only one like it in the area for many miles, as far as the inspection is concerned, it does not matter.

Is it something that would be a "finding" in your report?

I would say that if it was the ONLY one for many miles and / or you have never seen it in all your years. I would throw a flag of some sort.

Hard to throw a red flag if there is no visible damage and no improper installation can be located, but none the less, I would make sure they were aware that it is the only one (or ???) you have seen.

The only thing I can figure for doing it, is to break up the wall area.

[Curt Downs]

Gene, Photos # 1 and #4 looks like a change in plans after brick work was completed. #1 looks like there was to be an exterior door installed, requiring stairs/deck. Owner/builder changed their mind?
#4 looks like the same as above, but a slider or something similar was to be installed, and again, deck/or stairs required. The mason was gone, so the carpenters closed it in after builder/owner changed their mind?.
#2 I agree was a structural decision-easier/cheaper to frame it/side it.
#3 I'm going to guess this was done with a future addition in mind. Easier to go up with an addition in the future when it's wood frame rather than altering/building off of brick.
Curt Downs licensed HIC CT

[Rick Hurst]

Gene, Photos # 1 and #4 looks like a change in plans after brick work was completed. #1 looks like there was to be an exterior door installed, requiring stairs/deck. Owner/builder changed their mind?
#4 looks like the same as above, but a slider or something similar was to be installed, and again, deck/or stairs required. The mason was gone, so the carpenters closed it in after builder/owner changed their mind?.
#2 I agree was a structural decision-easier/cheaper to frame it/side it.
#3 I'm going to guess this was done with a future addition in mind. Easier to go up with an addition in the future when it's wood frame rather than altering/building off of brick.
Curt Downs licensed HIC CT

Gene,

Ask yourself this question. How many homes have you inspected here in our area that has a deck, stairs or even a door on the side exterior wall of a 2-story home?:rolleyes:

rick

[ROBERT YOUNG]

John,

I don't understand your comment about the "angles" cut into the brick. Are you talking about the soldier bricks located below the bottom edge of the siding?

rick

OK maybe I can help.
Its has to do with many variables.
1 archaist design. Lots of those homes in Montreal Quebec . I am a mason and have repaired many..
2 One member her answered it for you, maybe room behind that siding.
3. Sometimes it is the builders( they have full domain ) for the exterior element.
TOO add a mixture of element of the same style home, to mix up the exterior design.
4 D not break your head over this, just report your findings.

[Ken Amelin]

Inspectors by nature are curious. It is that curiosity that draws our eye to differences in construction details and helps us find issues that others cannot. Our curiosity is what differentiates us as professionals.

Gene - I applaud you for your observations. We should always ask ourselves why and encourage other inspectors to do the same.

Now my 2-cents on what I think these material changes are (especially photos #1 & #4)

I don't live in an area where developers build large tracks of homes, but I would imagine that they would use a few standard designs that have various "build out" options. I suspect that the siding changes in these locations are options that were not selected and the standard cookie cutter house gets "blanked off" in the cheapest way.

[Corn Walker]

Go ask an architect. And then send $5 or a beer to the person who had the correct answer. :)

[Curt Downs]

Gene,

Ask yourself this question. How many homes have you inspected here in our area that has a deck, stairs or even a door on the side exterior wall of a 2-story home?:rolleyes:

rick
Rick, I am not familiar with what is considered 'typical' or 'common' in TX, just my opinion as a builder (CT), not a HI. Other than pic #2, if the other examples were built that way for aesthetic purposes, they were a miserable failure. Talk about butt ugly. :D
Curt Downs HIC CT

[RANDY NICHOLAS]

STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ANYONE NORTH OF THE RED RIVER IS GRASPING FOR ANSWERS.

IT'S A TEXAS THANG.

GENE, STOP POSTING THESE THINGS.

[Brian Wrightson]

Did anyone ask the builder?

[Sam Sloane]

Just a builder or designer or home owner preference. No rhyme nor reason needed.