Brick Ledge
If you are building your own home, then you probably know that installing a brick ledge during the foundation stage of construction is one of the requirements which you will incur. This section is to teach you about the brick ledge and the checklist for ensuring the brick ledge is done properly.
Typically, the brick ledge (form float) is after the post tension cable installation. The formsetter is typically responsible for setting float (brick ledge) boards in the required areas of the foundation, such as the entry, the brick ledge, raised entries, dropped areas, and garage floor slopes. The form setter will either close the form at the garage trough before cable installation, or secure the cable dead ends (with 20D nails) at the garage trough afterwards.
Brick Ledge Installation Checklist
- Check to ensure that all chances have been made according to any special plan alterations you might have made during construction. Check for the changes which might have altered slab dimensions and design, brick ledge locations, stone ledge locations, etc.
- Compare the foundation plan to the floor plan. Reconfirm all plan and elevation dimensions match. Ensure where plan elevations show brick, the foundation plan shows a brickledge.
- Order a form board survey to be completed prior to slab placement.
- Ensure that brickledge is of proper length and location (Compare the foundation plan to the floor plan; e.g. check along exterior side walls where brick ledge ends at/near windows and doors)
- Check dimensions and locations of raised areas of brickledge.
- Check dimensions and location of dropped areas of brickledge.
- Check the dimension of the entry. Make sure the entry slopes to the front. If the entry is to receive brick instead of siding, ensure the dimensions allow for the added brick ledge.
- Ensure the rear door is formed per plan. Patio doors (if applicable) must be properly sized, located and blocked out from the slab 1 1/2 inches.
- Mark location of rear entry door on brick ledge formboards to preclue the setting of a mudsill anchor strap to the threshold.
- Check all float boards for secure installation, as well as level and square. Orient wane with poor side facing up.
- Recheck all brickledge form boards for squareness. Use the 6, 8, 10 rule or pull diagonals.
- Verify that all forms are level. Check all turns (i.e., corners and angles) in the slab.
- Check the bottom of the brick ledge form boards for proper underpinning
- Confirm that fireplaces on exterior walls are dropped 1 1/2″ to restrict water intrusion from occuring at finished slab height.
- Confirm the dimensions of garage door openings. Verify elevation differences. (i.e. two single doors = 17′6″ opening and one double door = 16′3″ opening – typical [not always - check your plans!])
- Ensure that the garage floor slopes a minimum of 2 inches toward the front.
Myth: Tree roots can grow as deeply as the crown is tall
Reality: Most tree roots grow within 3 feet of the soil surface.
Myth: A tree’s root zone extends only as far as the edge of the canopy.
Reality: Tree roots can extend far beyond the tree’s crown and occupy anywhere from two to ten times the area beneath the canopy.
Myth: In forest settings, roots of adjacent trees are separate from one another.
Reality: Roots of trees in forest stands overlap and commingle, forming a dense mat.
Myth: Tree root systems form a circle around the canopy.
Reality: Root growth is highly opportunistic, creating very asymmetrical forms.
Myth: Roots seek out water and mineral elements
Reality: Only the small, fine, short-lived roots function in this manner.
Myth: Trees have large taproots that anchor them to the ground.
Reality: Few mature trees possess a significant taproot.
Myth: Tree roots grow independently of other soil organisms.
Reality: Roots of forest trees coexist with many types of fungi, bacteria, forming mycorrhizal associations.
Myth: Root growth only occurs during the spring and fall.
Reality: Tree roots grow any time soil temperature is above the range of 32 to 40 degrees F. In irrigated landscapes, the peak period of root growth is mid summer.
Source: Trees and Development
When building a house, tree preservation is going to be a key aspect in the overall outcome of your homes appearance, value, and landscape beauty. It is ideal to keep as many trees on your lot as possible. If I were to estimate the value of a full grown tree, it would be from $2000 to $5000 value added to the home, per tree. This is for city areas. Obviously on a 16 acre homesite in the country, with 100 trees remaining on the lot, will not bring the same value. But this is just for open discussion purposes anyways. So moving on…
After you have started the process of building your home, you have arrived at the construction time frame where you will begin to prepare the lot for foundation placement. If efforts at tree preservation are delayed or ignored until construction beings (and while construction endures), the trees are largely doomed to failure. Wooded lots must be thoroughly evaluated prior to the commencement of building your own home, and you must identify which trees you wish to keep, if possible. Remember, all trees cannot, and should not, be preserved. A realistic tree preservation approach acknowledges that conflicts between trees and development may sometimes result in the removal of some trees and recognizes the detrimental effect to the project when trees die after construction is complete. Tree removal is to be accomplished prior to the stage of Lot Scrape (removing all vegetation from the ground for foundation placement)
Roots anchor the tree and supply the crown with water and mineral elements absorbed from the soil. Their continued function is an important factor in a tree’s survival during construction. In many ways, tree preservation is root system preservation. The best tree retention effort is doomed to failure if root protection is not emphasized during construction. Grading, construction, utility installation, and other development impacts will in some way reduce the ability of roots to grow and function. Everyone involved in the construction process must recognize the basic conflict between manipulating the soil structure for buildings and preserving that structure for tree roots. The root system must be protected.
Typically, during home construction, the bricklaying phase of construction will be following the Insulation Inspection approval.
The material for this job consists of brick, mortar sand and galvanized steel lintels. Ensure the quantity of brick for the job matches the take-off (understand your suppliers packaging process, i.e. – brick company #1 has 464 bricks/cube while brick company #2 packages 366 bricks/cube) and also confirm that the material delivered is as ordered according to your original selection. The bricklaying contractor should be responsible for providing all wall ties, his own masonry saw, and the cleaning materials to finish the job and acid wash the brick.
The bricklayer then moves the brick from the delivery location, and stacks it around the house. All windows will be covered with poly, and mortar sand will be spread evenly over all flatwork before you start bricklaying the house. He marks-off, then sets 2×4s (story poles) at corners to help determine his courses. He mixes the mortar using: 3 parts sand to 1 part mortar (approximately 15 to 18 shovelfuls per bag). Bricklaying begins across the front of the house first, with the sides and rear (as required) being completed last. Brick should be layed per the elevation plan including columns and wing-walls (no extra payment is made for these items). At the end of each day the brick veneer will be brushed to remove excessive mortar and allow for easier cleaning at job completion. All broken brick and excess mortar is picked up and piled at the curb by the bricklaying contractor. The flatwork is cleaned of mortar sand and mortar splatters. All brick will be cleaned with the appropriate cleaning solution and water. Payment is made to bricklaying contractor when all items are 100% complete.
Bricklaying & Masonry Checklist
- Check all wall ties (22 gauge thickness), are nailed to each exterior stud before starting. Spacing should allow for 5 to 6 ties per 8 feet of vertical wall.
- Check all brickwork is according to the Elevation Detail
- Check the poly at brick ledge, at corners, and under columns has been tucked under 1/4-inch to leave a clean edge (brick mortar should not bond to slab). Any exposed poly shall be cut away.
- Check excessive mortar has not accumulated in the void between the exterior wall sheathing and the brick veneer.
- Check for weep holes every 33 inches including over all doors and windows with metal lintels. Minimum width- 3/16-inch.
- Check all corners and walls are plumb
- Check for a 1/4″ to 3/8″ wide expansion joint at least every 25 feet, where required, and set 18 inches from any window.
- All expansion joints will be free of mortar.
- Check for adequate mortar at windows, doors, and siding.
- Check window rowlocks fully extend under each window frame and are sloped to drain away from the window.
- Check all hosebibs have been “pointed-up” (mortar filled in around) and are secure
- Check soldier course is flush with the brick frieze at the soffit, Each soldier must be plumb.
- Check condition of cornice work around columns & arches for damaged or missing material
- Test mortar for strength. Except for surface particles, the mortar should not fail when scraped with a key or nail.
- Check all mortar joints are raked and clean
- Check for the filling of all beeholes
- Check weep holes are clean and serviceable.
- Check brick has been cleaned of dirt and mortar. (Note: Was only with the proper cleaning solution, as recommended by the brick manufacturer.)
- Check that all flatwork has been cleaned and is scraped free of mortar splatters.
- Check all waste brick and mortar has been piled in designated trash area.
- Check all window frame tracks are clean and free of mortar residue.
- Check brickwork at front porch and/or mailbox, if applicable. Cover all porch brickwork after cleaning.
- Check interior of home for cleanliness and debris left by brick crew. (Usually the dirtiest of all contractors)
- Stack all excess brick neatly in the garage.
When building your own home, the insulation inspection process should be one that matters. The insulation in your home is what keeps your bills low from saving energy. It keeps you warm in the winter, and cold in the summer.
So after the house has received batt insulation and the polyseal insulation has been completed, it should be mandatory to get an energy inspection by a qualified third party energy inspector. The purpose of this inspection is to verify the correct placement of all batt insulation and polycel insulation in accordance the International Energy Conservation Code.
Checklist for Insulation Inspection Process
- Check for polycel insulation prior to the placement of batt insulation.
- Expanding foam is applied to the inside edge of all exterior wall bottomplates–where it meets the slab.
- Expanding foam is applied to all inside corners and tee’s of exterior walls to eliminate air and moisture transfer. Paper tape may also be used where gaps between framing studs are excessive.
- Expanding foam is used to seal all holes bored in all double top plates.
- Check ventilation baffles (duro-vents) have been stapled to the bottom-side of roof decking at least every other rafter bay.
- Check all batts are friction-fit or securely stapled to framing members; and are of the correct R-value.
- R-13 batt – 3 1/2″ thick
- R-19 batt – 5 1/2″ thick
- R-22 batt – 8 3/4″ thick
- R-30 batt – 11 1/4″ thick
- Check all portions of exterior walls are properly insulated. Pay particular attention above, under, and below box-out and bay windows.
Install garage doors on houses with attached garages after sheetrock is complete. Jobs with detached garages should get garage doors after shingles. The material for this work should be provided by the installation contractor.
The garage door contractor installs the door track, places the door panels in the tracks and bolts them together, installs the springs and restraining rope, adjusts the tension in the springs, adjusts the locks so the door can be properly secured, and installs trim at the sides and top of door.
Post Garage Door Installation Checklist
- Check for proper product design (reference your architectural plans, and confirm what was drawn and ordered is what was installed)
- Check top of door is level with horizontal 2×8 trimmer and plumb with vertical 2×8 trimmers.
- Check trim moulding has been installed properly. Parallel with sides of door(s) and plumb.
- Check for correct keys supplied by the contractor. Ensure keys are secured with the house file.
- Check door lock for ease of use, and locks are of the type not requiring a key to lock and unlock from the inside.
- Check door(s) opens and closes properly
- Check for proper tension on springs
- Confirm that tracks are properly secured to framing members.
- Make sure that their is no sheetrock damage done by the contractor
- Check that the garage has been cleaned and all scrap materials remaining have been cleaned up by the contractor
Additional Garage Door Resources
Clopay Doors
Wayne Dalton
Please contact me if you would be interested in your quality garage door installation resource being added to this page.
