Residential building code interpretation

RatLabGuy said:
If it comes down to it, get rid of the damn tree.
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Even that's not as simple as you would think. Because the tree is considered a "grand tree", I'd have to apply for a variance to get it removed due to a hardship. They could possibly grant it, but then again, Charleston loves its trees. If it does get granted, then I get to pay to have this giant tree removed (whatever it costs where you live, just multiply it by 5 and you'll be close) and probably be required to plant X number of trees that equal to the diameter of the tree I removed.
 
RatLabGuy said:
If it comes down to it, get rid of the damn tree.
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I see you dont know Coastal SC.
I know of a business in Georgetown SC that had a Live Oak right in the path of progress....to make a long story short, the City took on a $4.9MM road re work project to prevent cutting that tree.
If its classified as a "grand tree" he's fucked.
 
ramjo said:
Sounds like it's time to sell out and head back to the mountains.I got a few extra bedrooms I'll rent ya real cheap..at least compared to Charlestown :D.
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I'm game. I told momma bear a while back we could move and she could just raise babies all day to try and sweeten the deal!

Ron said:
I see you dont know Coastal SC.
I know of a business in Georgetown SC that had a Live Oak right in the path of progress....to make a long story short, the City took on a $4.9MM road re work project to prevent cutting that tree.
If its classified as a "grand tree" he's fucked.
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@Ron knows whats up. They're crazy about their trees...and I get it to an extent. That's why we like our neighborhood, because we still have large trees and are tucked in between some protected wetlands. Theres probably no less than a dozen new neighborhoods popping up within a 2 mile radius of us that are nothing but giant clearcuts with no trees and houses just far enough to park a car betweeen. :rolleyes:
 
jcramsey said:
Working on converting a screened in deck into an extra room at our house. Per the zoning guy... since I have a giant live oak next to my house, I cant build on a continuous footer (for the trees sake of course). He says get your engineer to put it on piers, so that's what I did. Dropped by the permit guys desk with my engineered drawings, and he points to the code and says I cant do it on piers. :rolleyes:

I see where the code says a continuous footer, but it also says other footing materials designed in accordance with accepted engineering practice. I assumed since an engineer is willing to stamp my drawings that this is in accordance with accepted engineering practice.

Is the permit guy on a power trip or is this reasonable?


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Might just be easier/ cheaper to add the room somewhere else off the house.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
Might just be easier/ cheaper to add the room somewhere else off the house.
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I would if I could. I’m in a HOA neighborhood on a small lot. I’ve got the neighbors property line 3 ft from one side, my driveway leading to the detached garage on the other side, and about 8 feet of front yard before I’m at the curb. Back is the only way to go, unless I put new trusses on the garage and put a room over it. I’m not opposed to doing that but would prefer to have square footage I could claim if we ever sell.
 
Can you make your addition a separate structure and connect the two with a "breezeway" that you later enclose.
 
Lol... Oh damn... I did not even notice you were here... Charleston... Yeah, a grand tree is harder to get rid of than a shitty neighbor. Who are you dealing with City of Chas, Chas county or some other municipality? As stated, the engineer might be the one to grease the wheel. What neighborhood are you in? Could you... Just do it and not get caught or do you have busy neighbors? I probably missed it but how close is the tree to your addition? What is the room going to be?
 
shawn said:
Sounds like you're shopping for a new house...
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That’s option number 3. My buddy and I do have our eyes on some property down the road....
BigGreenMonster said:
Lol... Oh damn... I did not even notice you were here... Charleston... Yeah, a grand tree is harder to get rid of than a shitty neighbor. Who are you dealing with City of Chas, Chas county or some other municipality? As stated, the engineer might be the one to grease the wheel. What neighborhood are you in? Could you... Just do it and not get caught or do you have busy neighbors? I probably missed it but how close is the tree to your addition? What is the room going to be?
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@BigGreenMonster are you in Charleston? I’m on Johns Island but dealing with the city since we are right off Maybank in the part that’s been annexed. Barberry Woods neighborhood.

I could do it and my neighbors wouldn’t care. I know two that have enclosed porches in the last year and didn’t pull a single permit. One is the HOA pres. But they both had existing slabs and roofs and no giant trees right beside it. I just have a roof over a deck and this massive tree about 30” from the closest corner of the addition. It’s going to be my office/guest room/play room.

I just wanted it to be on the up and up if we ever went to sell. No doubt I would be the guy that did it and got busted :rolleyes:
 
If that giant tree is 30” from your new addition, to me that’s too close to a permanent structure for that size tree.

It won’t be long before you have foundation problems. The plan reviewer is looking out for not only you, but future potential buyers so none of you have foundation problems.
 
jcramsey said:
I just have a roof over a deck and this massive tree about 30” from the closest corner of the addition. It’s going to be my office/guest room/play room.
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Sounds like you need a swinging bridge out to your treehouse!:bounce:
 
jeepinmatt said:
Sounds like you need a swinging bridge out to your treehouse!:bounce:
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Or... to just frame in a smaller portion, so that you give the tree juuuuust enough berth. Nothing says that rooms have to be square. Make it have a corner cut out.
Hell even better, cut the chunk out like an inverted bay window so that it clearly matches and wraps around the tree, then frame a matching extended porch around the tree (with sufficient stand off) so that it clearly looks like the house was molded to match it. Incorporate it into the home rather than just considering it a nuisance. People love that kind of shit.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Or... to just frame in a smaller portion, so that you give the tree juuuuust enough berth. Nothing says that rooms have to be square. Make it have a corner cut out.
Hell even better, cut the chunk out like an inverted bay window so that it clearly matches and wraps around the tree, then frame a matching extended porch around the tree (with sufficient stand off) so that it clearly looks like the house was molded to match it. Incorporate it into the home rather than just considering it a nuisance. People love that kind of shit.
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One problem. A big oak like that you’d need to be 8-10 ft off of the tree to put the footing in and not kill the tree. Even at 10 ft your going to have a chance of killing it when you dig the footing down and have to cut threw the roots.


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rockcity said:
If that giant tree is 30” from your new addition, to me that’s too close to a permanent structure for that size tree.

It won’t be long before you have foundation problems. The plan reviewer is looking out for not only you, but future potential buyers so none of you have foundation problems.
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I agree...it's not ideal. Thats why the zoning guy suggested I build on spot piers to begin with. A continuous footer would never work with the tree and I'd have to cut some roots as @Loganwayne said. He mentioned when he came out that he watched our neighborhood get built, so that's at least 15 years experience. Surely I'm not the first guy in Charleston to want to build with a tree close by. Too bad he apparently doesn't know the building code, or the plans examiner two desks down. :rolleyes:

I think the plan reviewer is looking out for the plan reviewer....but I may be biased right now. ;)

Loganwayne said:
One problem. A big oak like that you’d need to be 8-10 ft off of the tree to put the footing in and not kill the tree. Even at 10 ft your going to have a chance of killing it when you dig the footing down and have to cut threw the roots.
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More like 16 feet....
 
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So this is my thought... And I am not an engineer so, ask one if this works... Why not do a girder under the floor trusses and cantalever (however you spell that) the outside wall 4' or so? Might take a hip roof and 2x12's on 12" centers but like you said, you are not the first guy to want to build too close to a big tree. I do not see where this would not work. Maybe it gets your footer far enough away from the root system. Is the engineer a buddy of yours or did you hire him?

Yes, I am in Charleston.
 
jcramsey said:
I think the plan reviewer is looking out for the plan reviewer.....
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When things go south, ultimately the engineer who sealed the project is targeted for the primary law suit. However, the plans approval dept that allowed a permit, as well as inspections dept that signed off are also taken down as well. But the press only bites on the designer
 
CasterTroy said:
When things go south, ultimately the engineer who sealed the project is targeted for the primary law suit. However, the plans approval dept that allowed a permit, as well as inspections dept that signed off are also taken down as well. But the press only bites on the designer
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When they adopted the IRC in... 2000 ish, they pretty much stuck all liability on the builder. If shit goes really bad... I am sure the engineer will get pulled into it but the city, building inspector, plan reviewer, ARB, and anyone else who looks at or inspects the plans or house is free and clear. Pretty stupid if you ask me. Why have an inspection if they are not held accountable.
 
BigGreenMonster said:
So this is my thought... And I am not an engineer so, ask one if this works... Why not do a girder under the floor trusses and cantalever (however you spell that) the outside wall 4' or so? Might take a hip roof and 2x12's on 12" centers but like you said, you are not the first guy to want to build too close to a big tree. I do not see where this would not work. Maybe it gets your footer far enough away from the root system. Is the engineer a buddy of yours or did you hire him?

Yes, I am in Charleston.
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A cantilever would probably make the tree guy real happy. Unlike the plans examiner, he doesn't really care how it gets done as long as the tree is ok...but I have to get through the plans examiner firtst. My engineer is hired.

BigGreenMonster said:
When they adopted the IRC in... 2000 ish, they pretty much stuck all liability on the builder....
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@ramjo, how's your insurance?:lol::lol:
 
Not sure which smilie to use for that one. Him :lol:. Or Him :flipoff:.

Here's what he's working with:

Existing deck with concrete pier footings already in place and the offending tree.

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Dig them 3' deeper, use the appropriate tie down strap the engineer stated and roll on. It's literally going to be the same structure that's already there! Just elevated to match floor height in the house but with windows in it. And they wonder why people don't pull permits........
 
ramjo said:
Not sure which smilie to use for that one. Him :lol:. Or Him :flipoff:.

Here's what he's working with:

Existing deck with concrete pier footings already in place and the offending tree.

View attachment 273510


Dig them 3' deeper, use the appropriate tie down strap the engineer stated and roll on. It's literally going to be the same structure that's already there! Just elevated to match floor height in the house but with windows in it. And they wonder why people don't pull permits........
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That definitely looks like a no permit job to me...
 
BigGreenMonster said:
When they adopted the IRC in... 2000 ish, they pretty much stuck all liability on the builder. If shit goes really bad... I am sure the engineer will get pulled into it but the city, building inspector, plan reviewer, ARB, and anyone else who looks at or inspects the plans or house is free and clear. Pretty stupid if you ask me. Why have an inspection if they are not held accountable.
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This. The AHJ doesn't have any liability.
 
If you hadnt already involved the city,Id say just build the darn thing. You know itll hold, and this is Murica!
 
JSJJ388 said:
If you hadnt already involved the city,Id say just build the darn thing. You know itll hold, and this is Murica!
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this all day long.

But good for you for wanting to be a good citizen.
 
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