code on piers and girders - InspectionNews

Bruce King · #1 (**permalink**) 03-18-2010, 02:48 PM

Can anyone verify the info I got second hand from a builder?

The builder says that a girder does not have to bear on the center third of a pier as per the 2009 IRC, it only was in the 2002 IRC. He says the pier must be on the center third of the footer as per the 2009 IRC and the girder just has to "not hang off the edge" of the pier.

Bruce Ramsey · #2 (**permalink**) 03-18-2010, 05:05 PM

Check here. We discussed this last month.

Girder/Beam on center 1/3 of column

Specifically you should be looking here...

Looking back, the old 1997 NC Building Code (based on CABO Vol VII) and subsequent 2002 NC Building Code (based on 2000 IRC) had the provision you are looking for in Footnote #3 of Table 403.1a:

"Centers of piers shall bear in the middle 1/3 of the footings, and girders shall bear in the middle 1/3 of the piers, except exterior girders. Footings shall be full thickness over the entire area of the footing."

But starting with the 2006 NC Residential Code, the same footnote changed to:
"Centers of piers shall bear in the middle 1/3 of the footings. Girders must have full bearing on piers. Footings shall be full thickness over the entire area of the footing."

Dave

Bruce King · #3 (**permalink**) 03-18-2010, 05:56 PM

I had given up on that other thread and not seen Dave's post. Looks like the info I got was correct except it was really 2006 instead of 2009 when the footnote changed.

So what does everyone do now, write up girders that are near the edge on houses until the city/county adopted the 2006 IRC and then ignore it after that? This is a good example of why home inspectors should not be insinuating things do not meet "a standard". I never made a mistake on these since I always gave another reason for writing it up.

Bruce Ramsey · #4 (**permalink**) 03-18-2010, 06:50 PM

I don't like it but other than simple logic and reasoning, there is no way to back up your position. How likely is a builder going to move a pier or girder because a home inspector does not like it?

I have moved on to hunt for other defects.