I'm building a new house locates in Houston, TX area (Cy-Fair municipal city). Before the sheetrock to be applied, I caught some framing structure problems in this house, one of the most issues I really concern is roof bracing of rafters, and it call "T-brace". There are many T-Braces have insufficient length of "T" supported. Please see photos in this link http://www.dzidzom.com/images/Wood_Frame_Structure/6.T-BRACE_Issues/Structure_Issues.doc
I already showed to the builder this issue, and they agreed to fix only the BOWED "T-Braces". I think don't have to explain but I told the builder that they should know quite well the reason why 3 "T-braces" bowed because its "T" length is not long enough to supported the braces/rafters, and all the other "T-braces" with short "T" length supported WILL bow in the near future. However, the builder refused to fix the other "T-Braces" that have short "T" length supported. They said the building code doesn't indicate specific length of the "T", so they will not do any correction action to all the other "T-braces" which do not bend/bow.
I totally did not agree with what they told me. My question is: What is the specification of the T-Brace? Does it indicate the length of the "T"? How long the "T" should go with the web?
Thanks, Duke
Structural framing is not one of my specialties. I'm more of a "systems" guy like HVAC, Electrical and Plumbing.
I've been scanning through my copy of the 2006 IRC section R-801 "Roof - Ceiling construction. I'm not seeing anything about "T" bracing at all other than some mention in the steel framing section R802.10.3 Bracing. I don't think that applies here.
My suggestion is to have a structural engineer check the existing work and comment in writing if they find deficiencies. This would be much more "enforceable" with the builder than anything I could provide.
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