The builder hired a framing crew and I have several issues with the quality of work.
1) Split 2×4 ends everywhere.
2) Gaps between other 2×4’s instead of 2×4’s touching.
3) Several interior framed wall with studs not being 16” on center.
4) Framed tray ceiling not square.
5) Hairline cracks on front and back porch concrete as you enter the home.
6) Shims (spacers) on the porch.
I have other issue but am I being to picky and should I wait until the the builders supervisor does his finally inspection before I say it is shoddy work.
Replies
No one will call in fine homebuilding but nothing particularly unusual there. I'd actually prefer the sub fascia not to touch the block unless they use MCA. The only thing I can think of on the porch roof trusses is maybe they are leaving a gap for T&G ceiling material? Other than that they should have raised the beam. The gap in the sub fascia won't hurt anything but looks careless. Same with the split plate, framers don't drill anything, they are getting paid small money and the only way they can come out is to go fast and don't look back. That's no excuse for leaving it but it's pretty common.
There are varying grades of construction depending upon budget. For example, Economy, Custom, Luxury. If you fall in the Economy category your quality is common. Custom is a bit iffy, but truthfully gaps in sub fascia and the split bottom plate won’t be an issue. For luxury building your quality would not fly. And I do agree, the sub fascia should not be tight to the block as it is not treated wood. For the trusses, that could possibly be the fault of the manufacturer, but is probably b/c there is a high point in the middle of the span which would indicate walls constructed at a wrong height or floor being out of level. There is a bottom line for Contractors. If you are paying lower per square ft cost, sum sacrifices need to be made. If you are paying higher dollar for this, complain by all means. As a contractor I can say my hardest clients are typically on higher dollar amount projects. They pay a lot, so want a lot, to be expected. Your expectations need to match the budget. Best way to gauge that is to compare your cost to similar projects in your area. If you are going to complain or are just concerned bring your issues up as soon as possible. A contractors nightmare is repairing new work. They will appreciate the quick heads up. Sometimes builders do not check in with subs as often as they should and little issues become large issues. If you find that you are checking in on the job more than the general, that is a problem to be brought to the contractor.
Thank you for your response. I did in fact go over my supers head and emailed the owner a copy of his web page stating that quality, craftsmanship, we don’t cut corners and only hire superior workers. The owner decided to visit the job site. He looked at everything, listened to my concerns and then explained how he would take care of my concerns.
A few hours later I returned to the job site and a framing crew was correcting the problems.