No permits were pulled for the remodel and none pulled for the electrical change out either, issues with the panel also. My licensed contractor friend was the one that suggested to me there be strongbacks installed every 2 ft and bottoms that should be resting on the edge of concrete footing. I recommended a licensed contractor to evaluate and estimate repairs.
Welcome back, Clayton!
It is nice to see you on the forum again…and sharing about checking the permits.
sincerely,
Larry
The thing people forget about tapcons is that they have something called a “critical distance.” This is essentially the required unadulterated meat in the masonry substrate in order to achieve full capacity. So if a fastener has a critical distance of 4 inches, not only can’t you put anything else into the masonry closer than 4 inches, there also has to be 4 inches of sound, stable masonry all around the fastener in order for the fastener to reach maximum capacity.
So it’s more than just looking at the rated load of the fastener. You have to look at everything. And installing a tapcon in the web of a damaged CMU like they did is still a big fail.
Here’s why a PE should be involved in the repair: the ledgering method shown in the photo is a non-prescriptive construction method. Even if tapcons have ICC-ES approval for use in fully grouted CMU (which they do, in ESR-1671), the method itself is still non-prescriptive. It’s not in the IRC. So a code inspector is going to require a PE to prepare a design plan. Now, a GC could probably fool the building department by creatively filling out the permit by describing the work as “wall and floor repair”, but when that inspector comes out to do the final, he’s not going to be happy. And home inspectors and PEs like me are going to spot and eat that stuff up all day long: “Recent non-prescriptive construction techniques observed in crawlspace. Recommend that the owner and township provide documentation on approval of the technique observed. See Photo 1.” When I get pushback on these from sellers, all it takes is one letter from a PE to the building code official, and all of a sudden the seller is required to get a PE to sign off on it. Which 99% of the PEs out there wouldn’t do, #1 because they’re familiar with ESR-1671, and #2 they won’t know if the cells are fully grouted or how long the tapcons are.
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So what would be the least expensive method to fix it?
Yeah, I’m curious too, considering what was posted is a complete mess.
Great question.
But we can’t pay for your expertise, Mr. P.E. Darren. 
Great comments… yea I would just note improper fasteners used to attach the deck to the home… I do agree additional support could be warranted but those tapcons can’t be relied on to secure the deck over time and use.
This is not a deck attachment, it’s the main floor system of the house, with the rim/band joist attached/secured to Hollow CMU’s.
And if it was a deck attachment that would also be wrong. You cannot attach the ledger board to hollow CMU’s.
Thanks for the correction… it was a quick response in the middle of a bunch of office work. I should have paid closer attention.
Waiting?
Hand grenade or large backhoe…
We see that a lot don’t we?
Wonder how big that area is and how long it has been like that, just out of curiosity.
No problem. I was assuming you may have looked at it too quickly.