Every once awhile I run into some odd construction details. It’s hard to tell if the awkward solutions are built as-intended by their designer, or if they created on the spot. I usually take a few photos and they end up being erased off my phone when it’s time to manage my phones memory.
I thought that creating a library of those details may be an interesting exercise. Here it goes:
1. Rotted exterior walls in a multi-family development
In early spring of 2026, a contractor called me for a consultation on a multifamily renovation project. His scope of work was to replace wooden decks and handrails on the balconies. Once he started the work, he realized that he was supposed to attach the handrails to the totally rotted wall. The buildings were built in 1980s and did not have any building wrap. The plywood sheathing underneath the vinyl siding was totally rotted. The contractor went ahead and removed portions of the siding to evaluate the damage. The band board was missing. The anchor bolts supporting the balconies were missing and the band boards that were to support the balconies were not even there…. I advised the contractor to inform the owner about the discovery. It needed to be addressed immediately for the health and safety of the occupants.
2. Spliced 12′ high wall
The photo on the left shows a wall that was to be built between two commercial tenant spaces. The wall needed to be continuous from the floor to the roof deck. The contractor ordered the studs from Amazon and they came in 8′ long sections, so the contractor came up with the illustrated spliced wall solution. After failed inspection, the project structural engineer got involved and provided the sketch on the right. In order to save the work, diagonal bracing would have to be installed at every 4′. As you can imagine, this was not an acceptable solution for the owner. Unfortunately, the entire construction progress had to be removed and restarted (no cost to the owner).
The pain of remodeling after a DIY-er
The house was originally built as a ranch. Years later another owner converted the attic in a habitable space by adding stairs and two upper bedrooms. The problem was that the ceiling joists between the 1st and 2nd floors were only 2×6 which would not be substantial enough for a 20′ span. As shown in the photos the owner decided to add some beams and support them with plumbing hangers….! It’s impressive that the system actually worked 🙂
