As a certified/licensed general carpenter myself, I couldn’t agree with you more Marcel. I guess they figure that the building inspector will catch all the mistakes.
The last job I just built, was $2,000,000 + Visitors center for a Botanical Gardens. All wood frame and very little structural steel. The Drawings by an Architect of Washington, D.C. designed it.
What it was was a picture of what he wanted and eave elevations. That was it. The Project was not designed in Detail. I finished the job. I did the redesigning to make it look like his picture.
The Structural Engineer walked through to inspect his six steel columns with a collar beam up at 24’ and a ridge beam at 30’. No problem. Gave him an education as to how to make practical field installed connections at 30’. What he had designed had no practical installation value or safety insight to the condition. He agreed.
The Architect charged 50 percent more than local Architects, was chewed down on his price, and still did 50 percent less in design criteria that local Architects would have done.
When I was done, it looked like his picture and would not talk to me. I went through 62 RFI’s and literally designed 50 detailed sketches for my framing contractor. This was ridiculous. The job complete, the Owner congratulated me, gave me a memento, and publicized in the local paper for a job well done. My Company that I work for, went the extra mile. We do have to work in this State and don’t plan to move and we need the work, so why would anyone chose to work in any other way?
To answer your question, yes, I can build without Architects stamp. The regular house is controlled by the IRC and covers the Engineered Truss system and foundation/floor framing. What’s left?
And no my jobs will not give you or any other HI as myself more work. Not on my job. Sorry. But I know of plenty in this area that will.
Marcel 
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Well, you did have drawings.
Brian;
I had an Architectureal Diploma in Architectural Drafting in 1973, and the drawing I had to build this Building were not even close to what any normal person should of had. Believe me. ;;; 
Marcel
That sure is what I found many times over the years. The best plans drawn usually come from someone with real field experience.
Not to add fuel to the fire, but …
Are steel posts required to be tied to steel I-beams? Or is this dependent on local jurisdictions and seismic activity areas?
The bottom is constrained in basement slab.
Yes bolted or welded or the metal strapps wrapped around bottom of i-beam.
Well ,if they are using an engineered lally column it would depend on the manufacturers guidelines.
http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/LCC.html
Keep in mind this only pertains if they used engineered steel, and structural welding programs, and engineered welding rod .
:twisted:
My point is as an AZ HI I am required to call out any columns I see, that being said I would not hazard a guess as to if said column is installed correctly. Where is the upside for me as a HI???
Call out any columns you see? You mean columns that are in question as to installation or other signs of distress?
SYSTEM: STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS4.1 The inspector shall observe:
A. structural components](http://www.btr.state.az.us/AZ%20Ashi%20Standards.htm#Structural Component) including:
- [LIST]
- foundation.
floors.
walls.
columns.
ceilings. - roofs.
I definitely flagged it as a concern, but I believe local jurisdictions overlook these issues as we (like many areas of the US and Canada) have not been prone to sustained high winds and/or large or high seismic events and activity …yet.
Has your area ever been prone to inferior construction practices???
Uhhh… nope… not that I can recall:roll:… but thanks for asking!;-)
You are killing me William. ROTFLMAO:D
Some type of connection is required, and if it’s a simple bearing end it could be a small weld on each side of the beam where it meets the plate (hidden from the photo view).
We have had Tornadoes in my area. We have also had our fair share of Terra Mottos although minor tremblers at best.
This is ironic, because one post that was on before showed the same problem with top plate orientation to the beam support, which was wood.
This time it is of steel construction and the orientation to the beam is wrong.
The top post plate is to thin and the top plate should have been bolted with four A325 bolts.
There appears to be a seam in the pipe column and this would indicate that it is of a schedule 20 in lieu of a schedule 40 for this type of steel beam support.
Not knowing the support load, Seismic activity zone and jurisdiction it falls under for local code requirements, all this is speculation.
Minimum weld requirements for this installation in lieu of structural bolts would be two 1/4" fillet welds on both sides of the post cap bearing 1" long.
I definitely would have called this out to be revived and recommended a structural Engineer to evaluate.
Marcel
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And I always thought you were a carpenter Marcel?
NICE
Brian;
That is what happens when born in the Aroostook County in Maine. You get to be a Jack of All Trades and Master of none. LOL;-) I guess a CMI is out of the question. ha. ha.
Marcel
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