OT: Roof collapse in Oakland

[Zeldas Open Roof]

As noted - there are no housing code police who ensure patio roofs can hold dozens of drunk people .

extremely valid point there and i agree.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Actually, there very much is a housing code police. Whether they do their jobs or not in the city I have no idea, but I have to deal with my code inspector all of the time just a wedge shot outside of the city border.

But as you said, porch roofs aren't designed for that kind of load anyway. This isn't a code enforcement failure.

As an edit, a residential roof live load per the IBC is only 20 pounds per square foot. With all of the people up on that porch roof 20 psf was most likely exceeded by quite a bit.. Not saying everything was sound with the construction. It looks like the roof was added many years later than the original construction and had a flimsy attachment to the brick wall. But still, sometimes it's just people do dumb shit

Yeah I mean my very amateur look , does seem the support beams are 4x4, which explains why the ties to the house failed , but as you noted - mostly built to only hold 1-2 people for repairs .
Not dozens of people likely moving and dancing

I mean if you are doing renovations and projects requiring a building permit - certainly the inspectors will be by .

Are you saying they do random code checks for existing construction?

 

[Richard A]

Actually, there very much is a housing code police. Whether they do their jobs or not in the city I have no idea, but I have to deal with my code inspector all of the time just a wedge shot outside of the city border.

But as you said, porch roofs aren't designed for that kind of load anyway. This isn't a code enforcement failure.

As an edit, a residential roof live load per the IBC is only 20 pounds per square foot. With all of the people up on that porch roof 20 psf was most likely exceeded by quite a bit.. Not saying everything was sound with the construction. It looks like the roof was added many years later than the original construction and had a flimsy attachment to the brick wall. But still, sometimes it's just people do dumb shit

Thanks for the IBC for the weight load per sq feet. In my post I stated that the weight load of the kids on the roof far exceeded the load that the roof could hold. But I couldn’t remember the numbers. As you stated the roof was added later and if you look at the picture after the roof collapse the roof was never attached to the house.

 

[Conemaugh]

Yeah I mean my very amateur look , does seem the support beams are 4x4, which explains why the ties to the house failed , but as you noted - mostly built to only hold 1-2 people for repairs .
Not dozens of people likely moving and dancing

I mean if you are doing renovations and projects requiring a building permit - certainly the inspectors will be by .

Are you saying they do random code checks for existing construction?

Sorry for the delayed response. Yes, inspectors can and sometimes do random code checks for existing construction (at least in my borough). I received a letter this winter about making a 125 year old external stair case code compliant. The stairs drop about 30".... right at the IBC limit. So I have to add a handrail.

A number of years ago my water line sprung a leak in the front yard. I dug a hole and repaired the old lead water line and the guy showed up while I was in process. He forced me to have the water company come and pressure test my repair, but he made the phone call and they were there within an hour.

Of all places, I would assume Oakland is the place where inspectors and landlords know each other very well. If not, Pittsburgh government and Pitt shit the bed again.

Regarding the stairs, my inspector just did a borough walk through checking for external things. It pissed me off to high heaven at the time, but I got over it pretty quickly. He has been very understanding about me fixing up an old house and letting me run with it without getting a building permit for every little thing. I would like to think inspectors in Oakland should and could do a lot more.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Sorry for the delayed response. Yes, inspectors can and sometimes do random code checks for existing construction (at least in my borough). I received a letter this winter about making a 125 year old external stair case code compliant. The stairs drop about 30".... right at the IBC limit. So I have to add a handrail.

A number of years ago my water line sprung a leak in the front yard. I dug a hole and repaired the old lead water line and the guy showed up while I was in process. He forced me to have the water company come and pressure test my repair, but he made the phone call and they were there within an hour.

Of all places, I would assume Oakland is the place where inspectors and landlords know each other very well. If not, Pittsburgh government and Pitt shit the bed again.

Regarding the stairs, my inspector just did a borough walk through checking for external things. It pissed me off to high heaven at the time, but I got over it pretty quickly. He has been very understanding about me fixing up an old house and letting me run with it without getting a building permit for every little thing. I would like to think inspectors in Oakland should and could do a lot more.

There aren’t dedicated Oakland inspectors.
It all goes through 311 for any complaints for any city related things
Including when trees fall on electric wires , etc

 

[Richard A]

Sorry for the delayed response. Yes, inspectors can and sometimes do random code checks for existing construction (at least in my borough). I received a letter this winter about making a 125 year old external stair case code compliant. The stairs drop about 30".... right at the IBC limit. So I have to add a handrail.

A number of years ago my water line sprung a leak in the front yard. I dug a hole and repaired the old lead water line and the guy showed up while I was in process. He forced me to have the water company come and pressure test my repair, but he made the phone call and they were there within an hour.

Of all places, I would assume Oakland is the place where inspectors and landlords know each other very well. If not, Pittsburgh government and Pitt shit the bed again.

Regarding the stairs, my inspector just did a borough walk through checking for external things. It pissed me off to high heaven at the time, but I got over it pretty quickly. He has been very understanding about me fixing up an old house and letting me run with it without getting a building permit for every little thing. I would like to think inspectors in Oakland should and could do a lot more.

There’s a code or ordinance in the city that you can’t replace an existing garage. About 10 years ago I know someone who was building a new garage to replace the old garage. The building inspector came out to shut the project down. $500 in the inspector’s pocket the project was completed. In the city off the “bag” is big enough you can do what you want. That’s the city.