How many visits does it take? - InspectionNews

john hodgson · #1 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 12:47 PM

How many inspection trips does it take to approve a wood frame firewall between two regular apartments. just a standard regular wood frame inbetween two units with average materials. What I am trying to find out is the amount of re inspections that occur to final approvals. this is in assumption that the construction is not faulty in each inspection check. Thanks John

Scott Patterson · #2 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john hodgson

How many inspection trips does it take to approve a wood frame firewall between two regular apartments. just a standard regular wood frame inbetween two units with average materials. What I am trying to find out is the amount of re inspections that occur to final approvals. this is in assumption that the construction is not faulty in each inspection check. Thanks John

I would think that 1 prior to the drywall and then another after the dry wall. Now if you are talking about a city or municipality inspection it would fall into their framing inspection and this would a one time shot.

Ted Menelly · #3 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 01:34 PM

Well, the city would have a rough inspection along with the rest of the home and a finish drywall inspection for fireproofing,

As far as you, One inspection, unless repairs are made and your client wants you to take a second look.

Ted

Joseph P. Hagarty · #4 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 01:43 PM

If the work has been properly completed at the time of the inspection in accordance with the applicable building codes....

Once.

Jerry McCarthy · #5 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 02:16 PM

Normally 2 = first for rough framing and secound for drywall attachments. (if fire wall add fire tapping to attaching)
BTW, many contractors forget (?) to use the proper drywall fastner (screw) length. 5/8 gypboard requires 1-3/4" and 1/2 inch 1-1/4". You will often find 5/8" sr fastened with 1-1/4" length fastners.

john hodgson · #6 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 02:19 PM

Thanks for the reply, I got this diagram posted so that I can understand my own questions, So the first part of the inspection is to see if the firewall rated boards to joined correctly to the 2 by 4, then the second part is the final inspection of the drywall installed over the firewall rated boards...is this correct? Sounds like two inspections are really done.

Ted Menelly · #7 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 03:15 PM

Usually just one layer of fire rated 5/8 drywall. Depends on the application or local codes.

Retail spaces, hospitals, nursing homes, particula cities, it all depends on the requirements in your area.

Usually one layer for the attic area in apartments. Most commercial I always bid on two layers. Shaft wall and a layer of 5/8 in some stairwells and elevator or duct shafts.

Anyway. It really depends on local codes per application.

Ted

Jerry McCarthy · #8 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 03:52 PM

John, as Ted said, one layer 5/8" for one hour, if 5/8" installed on both sides of wall its a 2 hour wall. The only wood involved is the structural framing hold up the gypsum board. Recommend Chapter 7, Section 705 2006 IBC then check with local AHJ.

Ted Menelly · #9 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 05:18 PM

I use to have a commercial metal framing and drywall business about, well, decades ago where I was contracting some office ware house condos and it called for 2 layers of 1 hour fire rated drywall on each side of the demising wall. There was no mention to the thickness in the specs. I took it upon myself to order and apply 2 layers of C rated drywall each side. We were in process of the second unit and the building inspector came in and stopped work. He insisted of 5/8 to meet the fire rating. I did not have the specs with me for the C rated board. I told the inspector it had a 1 hour rating. He disagreed and insisted on 5/8. I called Gypsum directly and put the inspector on the phone. They said as they were speaking he was faxing the one hour rating to the inspectors office. The inspector left and then called ten minutes later with the go ahead. He could have been a b--l buster but decided not to be.

Moral is, go by the specs if the specs are not listed. I did and came out OK. If it had called for 5/8 then I would have done it. 100 foot long walls 20 feet high hanging 1/2 instead of 5/8 was much easier on my men and the cost factor to me for the entire job was huge.

Just an example

Ted

Jerry Peck · #10 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john hodgson

How many inspection trips does it take to approve a wood frame firewall between two regular apartments. just a standard regular wood frame inbetween two units with average materials. What I am trying to find out is the amount of re inspections that occur to final approvals. this is in assumption that the construction is not faulty in each inspection check. Thanks John

John,

You sure know how to ask a complicated question.

First, though, some questions from this side:

- Is there any electrical in that wall?

- Is there any plumbing in that wall?

- Is there any mechanical in that wall?

- Is that wall in frame construction (frame ceiling/floor structure) or between concrete slabs (concrete structure and this is just a wall between the apartments? Being as it is a wood frame wall, I will suppose it is a wood truss ceiling/floor system - correct?

- Is that wall to be insulated acoustically too, or just thermally?

- Are there any shafts running up through that wall?

Q. You look at a wall with one layer of 5/8" on each side, what fire rating does that wall have?

A. None. Not unless you also have the UL design number showing you how it is to be constructed, and of what materials it is to be constructed of. AND it is constructed that way of those materials.

edit: added drawing

Jerry McCarthy · #11 (**permalink**) 07-05-2008, 10:11 AM

Back to the drawing board:

Jerry Peck · #12 (**permalink**) 07-05-2008, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

one layer 5/8" for one hour, if 5/8" installed on both sides of wall its a 2 hour wall.

WC Jerry,

Just for clarification ...

Your lasted post with drawings is superseding the above, right?

One layer of 5/8" on one side does not make it a fire rated wall of any type. One layer on both sides does - 1 hour rated, if done in accordance with a UL design.

The main thing I was showing with my drawing is that the rated wall takes precedence over non-rated (or lower rated) walls when there is an intersection of rated and non-rated (or rated and lower rated) walls. The gypsum for the rated wall (or higher rated wall) must be continuous through the intersection of the walls.

Jerry McCarthy · #13 (**permalink**) 07-05-2008, 02:09 PM

Right, haste makes waste. Old builders just fade away, but not until they first suffer memory lose.

Ted Menelly · #14 (**permalink**) 07-05-2008, 06:32 PM

Mr WC Jerry

I am 54 and you have a day or 2 on me but I pretty much suspect that I would be happy to know just what you may have forgotten

Jerry McCarthy · #15 (**permalink**) 07-06-2008, 03:17 PM

Thanks Ted for the nice words and as some funny fellow once said, "if I had known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself."
Remember, we don't become true adults until we turn 60 so enjoy the now, and I mean every freaken day of it !!!!!

Jerry Peck · #16 (**permalink**) 07-06-2008, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

Remember, we don't become true adults until we turn 60 so enjoy the now,

Adults .... hmmmmmmmm

Just what ARE dults? Need to know before I admit to being a dult.