I am a new inspector and just inspected a house yesterday in Florida that was built and permitted and CO’d in 2005. I’m a GC, and I know that the codes at the time would have required clips at a minimum, plus half-inch decking and 8D nails spaced 6" in the field. Unfortunately, it’s a cathedral ceiling throughout with no attic access. I pulled a soffit vent to see if I could get a Ferret camera in somewhere but the wall sheathing runs all the way to the ridge.
I’m working on the wind mitigation. Is there any way that I can prove the roofing details to Citizens with permit documentation etc, or do they absolutely require photos in all cases. Just wondering if there are any options or if the client (and me) are out of luck on this one.
The form requires photos for straps-clips-nails-spacing.
If you want to select code compliance & submit with the build permit I’d be surprised if it is not rejected.
Thanks for your responses. I appreciate it. I pulled a couple of soffit vents, and the wall sheathing runs to the ridge, so the only visible truss/rafter is the one along the rake (which generally has different nailing requirements than field spacing). Removing more soffit panels wouldn’t really help.
So from Dominic’s suggestion, you would typically just explain to the customer that there’s a good chance based on the year the home was built that they could get additional credits if they do a roof cut or drywall cut? I just feel bad - wish I had an x-ray camera. I know what’s up there but I just can’t prove it. It had a 2018 reroof with metal and they did a fantastic job on the work. I suppose taking off a panel and doing a roof cut is an option as well - but thinking drywall cut might be almost as easy. I have a hard time not thinking like the GC that’s going to do the work - but as an inspector, I’m just wondering the best way to convey or explain the situation. Again, I really appreciate the advice.
It doesn’t come up frequently, but it does happen that certain structures have no visible or accessible attic or RTW locations. Since the form is about “verification”, evidence of some type is necessary.
Just explain it to the client, FWIW I’ve had clients call a handyman or contractor to open drywall in a closet or bedroom to expose the structure, and others had to scrape spray foam on several attic trusses, since they were trying hard to show mitigation features for the form.
Nowadays, the discounts are potentially huge, so the cost to repair the ceiling is negligible.