- Check plans for correct elevation (roof lines, bay and box windows, entry configuration, covered porches, etc)
- All first floor wall bottomplates of interior and exterior walls are pressure treated lumber
- Porch columns sitting on pressure treated lumber of elevated brace designed to prevent water from penetrating
- No untreated lumber in contact with concrete
- Bottom plate lines up with framing chalk lines. Pay particular attention at bottom plates near door openings.
- Bottom plates at exterior walls secured using mudsill anchor (if required by municipalities), secured with 10d 1 1/2″ nails, when possible.
musill anchor
- If using mudsills – ensure that all nailholes receive a nail. Typically two nails are driven into the side of the bottomplate, while 4 nails are secured at the top.
- Interior wall bottom plates secured using concrete nails, masonry nails, or cut nails every 4 ft.
- Confirm topplate in each room is straight and level. Check looking from the opposite side of the room to see if deviations are visually apparent.
- Drilling or notching of exterior and wall-bearing topplates by more than 50% of plate width require securing a 16-gauge galvanized repair strap to each plate and to each side of the opening with no less than six 16d nails.
- Confirm all structural elements are adequately supported from the highest point directly/indirectly to the slab using accepted construction methods.
- Confirm a stud is placed under all splices in the bottom layer of topplate.
- Confirm stud spacing. Typically 16″ on center
- Check all room dimensions per the framing plan & any supplemental detail sheets.
- Check stud security. Randomly inspect by twisting with hand.
- All mid-wall and corner Ts blocked 3 times using 12″ scrap pieces of 2x4s.
mudsill anchor
- Check for opposing windbracing on each exterior wall and typically every 25′ of wall lengths.
- Windbracing free from material defects and installation damage
- Check Rough Opening Dimensions (see post on dimensions)
- Check shower rod blocking (center above tub/shower units – 30″ out from rear corners).
- Toilet paper holder blocking: 2′ A.F.F. and 2′ out from corner
- Check tub and shower nailers installed over top edge of tub & shower pan and vertically along sides at front.
- Ensure any partition wall between separate tub and shower extends a minimum 4″ beyond front of tub & shower pan allowing sheetrock, tile, and baseboard attachment.
- Check vertical framing for plumb. Use 6′ or 8′ level to inspect window framing, sheetrock openings, furrdowns, sheetrock corners, box windows, door openings, walls, and pony-walls.
- Check for square. Inspect all corners with particular attention at entry door spaces, inside corners at cabinet spaces/countertops, tub and shower spaces, furrdowns, furrouts, and box windows.
- Use 6′ or 8′ level to check for bowed studs, especially at long walls.
top plate repair strap
- Inspect nailing pattern on 2x dimensional lumber. An acceptable standard would be 1 nail for every 2″ of lumber depth (ie – 2×8 requires 4 nails per connection) and every 16″ o.c., unless otherwise specified by engineer.
- Check header and beam sizes. On two story homes at 1st floor doors and windows – mandatory 2×12 headers.
- Headers smaller than 2×12 lumber require cripples below the topplate (in same intervals as stud spacing).
- Recheck window sills are level and jack studs plumb. (bedroom window sills no higher than 42″ A.F.F.
- Box windows must be secured into exterior wall framing with OSB/plywood side panels fully sandwiched between studs.
- Box windows must be secured into exterior wall framing with OSB/plywood side panels, fully sandwiched between studs.
- Deadwood (non-structural sheetrock nailers) to be installed extending out above topplates at corners & along the length of the plate at locations where floor- & ceiling-joists parallel the plate
- Houses substituting an AC closet in place of the linen closet, ensure a 2×8 band is installed surrounding topplate of vertical chase to prevent blown insulation from falling into the closet space
box window framing details
