"Swingman" wrote in message
...

Well done! Better man than me in this day and age ... I hate
finishing/painting, but would do it 20 hours a day instead of framing at
my age.

I'm paying for it; believe me. Up and down ladders, using what arm and
upper body strength I have left to maneuver in and around rafters /joists,
holding on or bracing with one arm in some twisted position while holding a
Senco N65 at arms length. Shoulders, knees, hands - ouch.

As you've found out, windstorm is a completely different and separate
inspection than framing, and deals with strapping, gable end bracing (also
checked in framing inspections in hurricane areas), sheer wall, etc (last
not applicable in a single story).

What part of Texas? One thing I did notice is an apparent absence of
collar ties in your rafters (unless you put them in later, or they just
can't be seen in the pictures)? If that is the case, that absence would
guarantee a fail on the framing inspection in the Gulf Coast regions I
build in, but that would depend upon your area.

Close; Beltway 8 and 290. No collar ties though it wouldn't take much
to add them on a project this size. Inspector never mentioned them and all
the framing was there for him to see. Since all the joists are tied to the
rafters which are tied to the plate and all the rafters are tied to the
ridge (see attached photos) collar ties seem superfluous though I'm sure
they must add some stiffening. Aren't joists just full length collar ties?
Oddly enough, this 1957 house did not have collar ties when I had it
inspected prior to closing. I mentioned it to the home inspector who I was
paying and he put it in his report. I ended up adding them myself before we
closed. That was 20 years ago [this month].

Any way ... judging by the photos, you did a better job than many framing
crews these days.

Thank you. I can afford to take my time. I've seen work by some of
those crews on "custom homes" of my 'Yiddish' home builder friend (West U,
Bellaire). I suspect those crews get paid by the square foot and that the
faster they get it up the more dollars per hour they can make. They
seemingly shoot twice as many nails as necessary because half of what they
shoot miss the mark.
Knowing you're a builder, Swing, I appreciate "making the grade."
Do you ever play Goode Company anymore? I'd like to know if you ever
play the new one at 290 and 6.
--
Dave in Houston
flickr :: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nuwave_dave/
http://www.pbase.com/speedracer