I need to replace the sill plate in my house so I figure out how I am
going to lift/support everything while I remove & replace. Then like
a good law-abiding citizen I call the building inspector and ask about
the paperwork requirements. He asks me about the job I intend to do
and I explain it and he tells me I need 2 copies of the plan, a
completed permit application and also mentions anchor bolts are
required. I explain that as far as I can tell there are no existing
bolts on the damaged sill plate. No matter, a repair to a structure
requires it is brought up to code.

I do some googling, talk to the guys at 84 Lumber, and submit my
paperwork planning to use Simpson UFPs in place of the anchor bolts.
http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/UFP.asp
A few day later I get a call that my application is rejected because
the Simpson UFP is only rated for installation in a concrete
foundation not in concrete block even if the top course is grout-
filled (which is what I have). I tell the inspector that the joists
are only 2x8s so by the time I get right-angle drill in there I'll
have no room for a drill bit. He says all I can tell you is the code
requires '7" imbedment of 1/2" bolts within 12" of the end of a board
and spaced no more than every 6 feet'.

I ask him what have other people used in the past and he tells me he
is not allowed to recommend products and I should call around to
different manufacturers. Fair enough, I call Simpson, KC Metal
Products, USP Connectors and Red Head; none of them could reccomend a
product to me other than 1/2 bolts that can be screwed in to the depth
required. Does me no good I can't drill a hole that deep and even if
I could I couldn't get the bolt in.
~7 1/2"vertical clearance - 1 1/2" for the sill means the most I could
go is 6" deep.

I call the DCA in NJ (dept. in charge of code compliance) and talk to
the head engineer. He starts telling me about the 7" imbedment of
1/2' bolts etc. I ask him for some guidance and he tells me it is
incumbent on me to submit a plan that meets or exceeds the anchor bolt
specs. Of course my question is "What are the specs for the anchor
bolts"? He starts again with the 7" imbedment, I interupt and ask him
what the pullout rating and the shear strength of those 7" bolts is.
He tells me he doesn't have that information. WTF! How am I
supposed to find a product that meets or exceeds the specs when he
can't tell me the specs?

NJ didn't write their building code, they just adopted the ICC and
made a few modifications to suit a few jerk-off politicians/slumlords
in Trenton so I call the ICC. I get the same speech about the code
requires 7" bolts... Again, he can't give the specs for anchor bolts
just that they need to be 1/2" bolts imbedded 7".

I can't be the only idiot that had termite damage to a house with 2x8
floor joists but I may be the only idiot that tried to get a permit to
fix the damage.

Please tell me there is somebody out there in cyberspace that knows of
a product or method that can be used to retrofit anchor bolts in
limited clearance situations and will meet code...

On Mar 26, 7:24 pm, Limp Arbor wrote:
I need to replace the sill plate in my house so I figure out how I am
going to lift/support everything while I remove & replace. Then like
a good law-abiding citizen I call the building inspector and ask about
the paperwork requirements. He asks me about the job I intend to do
and I explain it and he tells me I need 2 copies of the plan, a
completed permit application and also mentions anchor bolts are
required. I explain that as far as I can tell there are no existing
bolts on the damaged sill plate. No matter, a repair to a structure
requires it is brought up to code.

I do some googling, talk to the guys at 84 Lumber, and submit my
paperwork planning to use Simpson UFPs in place of the anchor bolts.http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/UFP.asp
A few day later I get a call that my application is rejected because
the Simpson UFP is only rated for installation in a concrete
foundation not in concrete block even if the top course is grout-
filled (which is what I have). I tell the inspector that the joists
are only 2x8s so by the time I get right-angle drill in there I'll
have no room for a drill bit. He says all I can tell you is the code
requires '7" imbedment of 1/2" bolts within 12" of the end of a board
and spaced no more than every 6 feet'.

I ask him what have other people used in the past and he tells me he
is not allowed to recommend products and I should call around to
different manufacturers. Fair enough, I call Simpson, KC Metal
Products, USP Connectors and Red Head; none of them could reccomend a
product to me other than 1/2 bolts that can be screwed in to the depth
required. Does me no good I can't drill a hole that deep and even if
I could I couldn't get the bolt in.
~7 1/2"vertical clearance - 1 1/2" for the sill means the most I could
go is 6" deep.

I call the DCA in NJ (dept. in charge of code compliance) and talk to
the head engineer. He starts telling me about the 7" imbedment of
1/2' bolts etc. I ask him for some guidance and he tells me it is
incumbent on me to submit a plan that meets or exceeds the anchor bolt
specs. Of course my question is "What are the specs for the anchor
bolts"? He starts again with the 7" imbedment, I interupt and ask him
what the pullout rating and the shear strength of those 7" bolts is.
He tells me he doesn't have that information. WTF! How am I
supposed to find a product that meets or exceeds the specs when he
can't tell me the specs?

NJ didn't write their building code, they just adopted the ICC and
made a few modifications to suit a few jerk-off politicians/slumlords
in Trenton so I call the ICC. I get the same speech about the code
requires 7" bolts... Again, he can't give the specs for anchor bolts
just that they need to be 1/2" bolts imbedded 7".

I can't be the only idiot that had termite damage to a house with 2x8
floor joists but I may be the only idiot that tried to get a permit to
fix the damage.

Please tell me there is somebody out there in cyberspace that knows of
a product or method that can be used to retrofit anchor bolts in
limited clearance situations and will meet code...

You have my sympathies.
The last time I had to work with a building inspector, they were
extremely helpful (Loveland, CO, about 1990 or so).
The looked at the plans, photocopied some data about roof joists and
said what I was doing looked OK. They did the inspections, etc.
I didn't ask them for specifics about brands, etc., which they
probably should not be doing.

As for your specific problem--danged if'n I have a clue.

In article
,
Limp Arbor wrote:

I need to replace the sill plate in my house so I figure out how I am
going to lift/support everything while I remove & replace. Then like
a good law-abiding citizen I call the building inspector and ask about
the paperwork requirements. He asks me about the job I intend to do
and I explain it and he tells me I need 2 copies of the plan, a
completed permit application and also mentions anchor bolts are
required. I explain that as far as I can tell there are no existing
bolts on the damaged sill plate. No matter, a repair to a structure
requires it is brought up to code.

I do some googling, talk to the guys at 84 Lumber, and submit my
paperwork planning to use Simpson UFPs in place of the anchor bolts.
http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/UFP.asp
A few day later I get a call that my application is rejected because
the Simpson UFP is only rated for installation in a concrete
foundation not in concrete block even if the top course is grout-
filled (which is what I have). I tell the inspector that the joists
are only 2x8s so by the time I get right-angle drill in there I'll
have no room for a drill bit. He says all I can tell you is the code
requires '7" imbedment of 1/2" bolts within 12" of the end of a board
and spaced no more than every 6 feet'.

I ask him what have other people used in the past and he tells me he
is not allowed to recommend products and I should call around to
different manufacturers. Fair enough, I call Simpson, KC Metal
Products, USP Connectors and Red Head; none of them could reccomend a
product to me other than 1/2 bolts that can be screwed in to the depth
required. Does me no good I can't drill a hole that deep and even if
I could I couldn't get the bolt in.
~7 1/2"vertical clearance - 1 1/2" for the sill means the most I could
go is 6" deep.

I call the DCA in NJ (dept. in charge of code compliance) and talk to
the head engineer. He starts telling me about the 7" imbedment of
1/2' bolts etc. I ask him for some guidance and he tells me it is
incumbent on me to submit a plan that meets or exceeds the anchor bolt
specs. Of course my question is "What are the specs for the anchor
bolts"? He starts again with the 7" imbedment, I interupt and ask him
what the pullout rating and the shear strength of those 7" bolts is.
He tells me he doesn't have that information. WTF! How am I
supposed to find a product that meets or exceeds the specs when he
can't tell me the specs?

NJ didn't write their building code, they just adopted the ICC and
made a few modifications to suit a few jerk-off politicians/slumlords
in Trenton so I call the ICC. I get the same speech about the code
requires 7" bolts... Again, he can't give the specs for anchor bolts
just that they need to be 1/2" bolts imbedded 7".

I can't be the only idiot that had termite damage to a house with 2x8
floor joists but I may be the only idiot that tried to get a permit to
fix the damage.

Please tell me there is somebody out there in cyberspace that knows of
a product or method that can be used to retrofit anchor bolts in
limited clearance situations and will meet code...

I doubt it's the suggestion you seek, but a local architect might be in
a position to help you. First, he may be able to design something
structurally equivalent that *can* be retrofitted, and second, he can
probably get it rubber stamped down at the Department of Bureaucrats.

Limp Arbor wrote:
I need to replace the sill plate in my house so I figure out how I am
going to lift/support everything while I remove & replace. Then like
a good law-abiding citizen I call the building inspector and ask about

Snipped for brevity

I can't be the only idiot that had termite damage to a house with 2x8
floor joists but I may be the only idiot that tried to get a permit to
fix the damage.

Please tell me there is somebody out there in cyberspace that knows of
a product or method that can be used to retrofit anchor bolts in
limited clearance situations and will meet code...


You have run up against the new world order. Do not be afraid,
there is a way out, but it will cost you a little bit in time and
money. Find an engineer (ask around about this and try to find
an independent engineer rather than a huge engineering firm).
Tell him your problem and give him some photos and a drawing
(hand drawn with dimensions is fine). He will give you a detail
and a letter to submit with your permit application. He will
have to come out and inspect and write another letter for you
saying that he has inspected the installation and that it is OK.
The city will bow to his expertise and give you your
inspections and finals.

BTDT many times. The city does NOT do engineering, but they will
accept almost anything that an engineer says if he is willing to
put his stamp on it.

The engineer will most likely spec a simpson product with the
same rated pullout, etc as the citys' code requirement. The
reason that the building dept. cannot answer those types of
questions is because they don't know the answer. They just
inspect what the code tells them to look for.

This is a repair, and usually you don't need to pull a permit for
a repair, but since you already started that process, you may as
well live with it. If it were me, I would make the repairs
without the permit, but then I know what to do and can do it to
code without having an engineer spec everything for me. That is
what I do for a living.

Good luck.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

On Mar 26, 7:24 pm, Limp Arbor wrote:
I need to replace the sill plate in my house so I figure out how I am
going to lift/support everything while I remove & replace. Then like
a good law-abiding citizen I call the building inspector and ask about
the paperwork requirements. He asks me about the job I intend to do
and I explain it and he tells me I need 2 copies of the plan, a
completed permit application and also mentions anchor bolts are
required. I explain that as far as I can tell there are no existing
bolts on the damaged sill plate. No matter, a repair to a structure
requires it is brought up to code.

I do some googling, talk to the guys at 84 Lumber, and submit my
paperwork planning to use Simpson UFPs in place of the anchor bolts.http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/UFP.asp
A few day later I get a call that my application is rejected because
the Simpson UFP is only rated for installation in a concrete
foundation not in concrete block even if the top course is grout-
filled (which is what I have). I tell the inspector that the joists
are only 2x8s so by the time I get right-angle drill in there I'll
have no room for a drill bit. He says all I can tell you is the code
requires '7" imbedment of 1/2" bolts within 12" of the end of a board
and spaced no more than every 6 feet'.

I ask him what have other people used in the past and he tells me he
is not allowed to recommend products and I should call around to
different manufacturers. Fair enough, I call Simpson, KC Metal
Products, USP Connectors and Red Head; none of them could reccomend a
product to me other than 1/2 bolts that can be screwed in to the depth
required. Does me no good I can't drill a hole that deep and even if
I could I couldn't get the bolt in.
~7 1/2"vertical clearance - 1 1/2" for the sill means the most I could
go is 6" deep.

I call the DCA in NJ (dept. in charge of code compliance) and talk to
the head engineer. He starts telling me about the 7" imbedment of
1/2' bolts etc. I ask him for some guidance and he tells me it is
incumbent on me to submit a plan that meets or exceeds the anchor bolt
specs. Of course my question is "What are the specs for the anchor
bolts"? He starts again with the 7" imbedment, I interupt and ask him
what the pullout rating and the shear strength of those 7" bolts is.
He tells me he doesn't have that information. WTF! How am I
supposed to find a product that meets or exceeds the specs when he
can't tell me the specs?

NJ didn't write their building code, they just adopted the ICC and
made a few modifications to suit a few jerk-off politicians/slumlords
in Trenton so I call the ICC. I get the same speech about the code
requires 7" bolts... Again, he can't give the specs for anchor bolts
just that they need to be 1/2" bolts imbedded 7".

I can't be the only idiot that had termite damage to a house with 2x8
floor joists but I may be the only idiot that tried to get a permit to
fix the damage.

Please tell me there is somebody out there in cyberspace that knows of
a product or method that can be used to retrofit anchor bolts in
limited clearance situations and will meet code...

Ain't the People's Republic of NJ great? Wonder why so much work gets
done w/o a permit?

The People's Republic of California isn't any better.

I may be the only idiot that tried to get a permit to fix the damage.

Not the only but one of the few........


this product should do the trick

http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/UFP.asp

cheers
Bob

PS Robert Allison's advice about getting an engineer is the way to go
(now that you've started the process)