Personally, if it takes 5 of them to do the job, I'd be more comfortable with a steel post. What did he do to reinforce the foundation below this point?

Yes, point loads have to be transfered to the foundation properly.

If this gang of 2x lumber is, indeed, holding up the second floor; what is holding it up? To clarify, what is underneath the 2x column?

There is a huge beam underneath the "gang of lumber 2x4s" that is resting on some more lumber and that's resting on the foundation. My concern was about the quality of the lumber of these 2x4s and what can be done to improve its quality and make it more structurally sound given the dark parts and splices missing (eg. filling it with something)?

Thanks so much!

You can replace it with steel and make sure that the foundation below is actually designed to be a load point. Usually that means additional concrete work to create a proper footing.

2 of the pieces have have slices off and dark areas in them.

Depends on how much is sliced off and if the dark area is rot or just colour variations. There's nothing wrong with built-up posts as long as they are nailed to Code specs.

If the 2x4s are spliced, they don't count. They each have to be continuous pieces. A pic would help!

Here is a picture:

What do you think based on the picture above? How could we fix it or add structural stability? I don't think the contractor will agree to replace the two end pieces that look most troublesome.

Thank you!!!

It appears that the built up beam they are supporting is about 6" thick.
So, my question is, why did he not build the post up from 2x6's (or for that matter use a 6x6 post), as that would give support to all three members of the built-up girder. A third of your girder is unsupported, and there is no pillow block to distribute the load evenly to the smaller post.
Casey

What is the grade stamp on the 2x4's? They look like "Utility Grade" or worse which would be prohibited by most building codes.

For such a big concentrated load most engineers would specify double 4x4 PSL (parallel stand lumber) posts lag bolted together with metal clips top and bottom.

A steel post would reduce the size of the finished post.

Thank you all for your feedback!!!

What can I do at this point? What are viable alternatives?

Thanks again!!

I forgot to mention that the contractor already passed our town's framing inspection. So if I raise this issue with the contractor he'll probably just tell me that we passed inspection and he'll be right. BUT, I also don't want to worry every time I have a house full of people or there is a storm whether there is going to be a problem.

What should I do? (go to town, ask to put some additional braces, etc.)

Thanks again for your help!

PS. They really do not look good and I'm not imagining it as you can tell from the pictures.

The whole post should be removed and replaced.

Since this is a renovation affecting structural matters, it should have been done with a permit, so building officials would have been able to check your specs.

Passed framing inspection? Sounds odd. Double check.

But it's also possible that if the beam above was pre-existing without a post that no post is in fact needed.

worthy, everything was done by the book. A licensed architect with many years in the business created the architectural plan that was reviewed and passed by our town's engineer. we have permits for all of the work that is part of this remodel!
a licensed contractor with many years of experience framed everything and then a licensed engineer from our town inspected everything and approved.
all pertinent building officials checked the specs at appropriate times.
my question is whether i should go back to the town and check how they could have overlooked it?

The beam at the top is brand new and I know for a fact that the post is necessary for structural reasons.

To go back to my original question, is there a way to reinforce it? unfortunately I doubt my contractor will be willing to replace it with metal or any other kind of supports that were mentioned here.

Thanks again!

You are paying, you can get whatever you want in there.

The missing wood and the dark colour you see in some of those pieces is called "wain" and it is where they have cut a 2x out close to the outer edge of the tree. The colour is bark, basically and the missing area is where the curve of the tree came into the area that wanted to be lumber. Not at all uncommon and if the grade is correct and the nailing schedule correct on the unit, it will work. Although I don't like how it is attached (not) to the beam and I'll assume I wouldn't like how it is attached below either.

That said, I'll go with wanting a 6x6 engineered piece in there. Paralam is special order but it is strong, easy to work with and way better than what you have.

But, I don't think what you have is not going to work, its maybe not the best way is all. Trim will cover it all up, leaving a distant memory whether you spend $2 or $200, eh?

Dear everyone, thank you so much for all of your feedback! I now feel "armed" with resources and adequately prepared for the conversation :)

Thanks again!

Check your architectural plan. It should specify clearly what the post should be. It's not complicated. It should say 5-2x4 at that point, since that's what the contractor put in.

I'm a custom builder and inspectors miss loads of things. On one 3,800 sf house I built and which passed two sets of framing inspections, I was waiting for the drywall shipment while chatting with my construction manager and framing contractor. One of them started wondering about the framing. He then noticed that there seemed to be only one small post holding up half the second floor. Quick as a bunny he put in several more built-up posts at what looked like the right places. Whew! (Apologies to those who've heard that war story before.)

The imperfections you are concerned with are called 'wane' and are typical in construction lumber, and are not sufficient to affect the grade.

As far as consolidating the group and adding additional resistance, encase it with 3/8 struc I plywood.

Here is a link that might be useful: wood wane

Building inspectors have no obligation to you to catch mistakes by the builder or the architect. Why not ask the architect if the work has been done properly?

You don't yet have enough ammunition to challenge the builder unless you want to pay for the new post (you probably will anyway). Read the architect's specification to see what grade of wood is required for structural studs and posts, then look for the grade stamp on the studs. Until the builder can prove otherwise, assume that the adjacent studs are the same grade and find the stamp there. Take a photo of it if you don't understand it.

Regardless of who designed the post or who inspected it, the top of the post must provide full bearing for the entire width of the beam and it must be secured top and bottom with something better than toe-nails.

I am curious why you would use an architect and not have him/her review the work for compliance with the contract documents. Where I live, if an architect's name appears on a drawing set, the inspector assumes the architect will inspect the work as it proceeds and many towns require the architect to sign an affidavit stating the building was built according to the design documents.

If no one will assist you, hire an engineer to review the work. I would assume that there are other similar details in the framing and the cost might be well worth the peace of mind. I use an engineer on all of my projects and we inspect the work together. He spots a lot of Utility studs in bearing walls and finds that connection plates are often missing or not properly nailed. These inspections often occur after the building inspector has accepted the work.

Not to beat this dying horse again, but you need to make sure the foundation was properly engineered to be a point load. Placing that hodge podge post on an existing basement floor is a no no. A plain slab isn't strong enough. It should have it's own properly dug footing. That means that unless concrete work was done here, the whole thing isn't resting on a proper foundation.

Thank you so much everyone!!! I will go back to the house this evening and take detailed pictures of everything to post here. My lack of terminology is going to prevent me from answering some of your great questions.
Unfortunately in my town, the architect is not required/ its not custom for him to check the work (I already found out a few days ago). I'll send him another note on the subject though.

Thanks again! Stay tuned :)

I have a similar beam in my house, 2 pieces of steel and 3 microlams.

there are better ways to support that but it may not be necessary, we don't know really how much support that post is taking, the architect should.

assuming the post is strong enough to support, I don't know, the fact that you're not spanning the width of the beam is a bit concerning.

on my house the architect speced in the plans 1 4x4 for the header that is 7 inches wide. We assumed, it needed to be fully supported and used 2 4x4s.

And also, as mentioned above, the architect should be specing a footing in the basement, along with a post under the beam.

Hello everyone,
I just came from the house having taken some more pictures. First, I have to apologize: the lumber is actually 2x6 (2x5.5) to be exact. When I came over there today, I measured it. So the columns actually support the whole beam.
Here are the pictures:

1-support of the column by a beam in the basement and how the beam is supported itself:

2-top section of the column:

3-bottom section of the column:

I went to Lowe's today and they suggested using liquid nail to fill in the gaps and to improve the structural integrity. Does that make sense?

THANK YOU!!!

Not to me.

Now breathe a sign of relief.

Proving again that one picture isn't necessarily worth a thousand words!

To be really picky you could check the nailing pattern. The Code I build under, for instance, requires that nailed together built-up posts be nailed with not less than 76 mm nails spaced not more than 300 mm o.c.

("Oh, there's Mr. Codebook again," as one of my ex-partners used to sneer.")

Liquid nails would be useless but Lowes would make a few bucks.

It appears the 2x6's are not nailed together; is that possible?

Apparently you have yet to investigate the grade stamp; why would you ignore the only available evidence of the structural capacity of the wood?

It's interesting that the basement beam is a PSL but the post is just beat up ungraded 2x6's. I would be surprised if the architect's spec asked for that odd combination.

Since you won't show us the spec or the grade stamp; what do you expect us to tell you in the complete absence of structural information?

You are totally right about the grade stamp! I did not see it there but I will look for it again tomorrow.

Thanks again!

It appears the 2x6's are not nailed together

I was wondering about that too but assumed they were power- nailed together with virtually headless nails.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Read a Grade Stamp

That beam support in the basement scares me!

I'm not a builder, my partner is tho and we sure wouldn't let anything looking like that happen. What do you guys who actually know what you are talking about think about it?

Looks like a basement window was filled with ply and a chunk of blocking nailed to it and the beam rests on that. What goes on below? How do you expect a window frame to support the end of that beam?

What I'd be doing right now, if this was my place, is getting a structural engineer in for a full report.

I'd also develop arthritis in my cheque writing hand, slow right up on those things until everyone, including this architect, is on the same page and moving forward as you want them to.

Looks like a basement window was filled with ply and a chunk of blocking nailed to it and the beam rests on that.

I didn't notice that pic. Two pieces of 2x12 (?) nailed together sitting on the window framing. Assuming the beam has to ultimately bear on the foundation below the window framing, that doesn't strike me as a secure way to transfer the load. I'm no professional, merely a licenced builder from time to time. Just what kind of engineer approved and stamped those plans??

I'm thinking: remove the bottom of the frame, then use concrete blocks tied with rebar into the existing foundation and filled would be a sounder solution.

The blocking supporting the basement girder appears to be vertical double 2x10's on a PT 2x4 sill plate on a masonry foundation wall under a 7" wide PSL member.

Without knowing the actual girder size and span it is impossible to know if 3" is enough bearing, however, IMHO the beam should be laterally braced on the left side and everything should be secured together with metal angles, straps, and/or plates.

Perhaps the builder intends to add the joint connection hardware later and add Timberloc screws to the built-up post. These things sometimes get overlooked when the drywall starts so it's best to do them sooner rather than later. I've never known a building inspector to care about structural connections not prescribed in the nailing schedule of the building code.

Perhaps the builder intends to add the joint connection hardware later and add Timberloc screws to the built-up post.

Being generous, are we?

I am accustomed to finding builders busy installing the required fasteners when I visit a site. Could just be a coincidence.

I looked and looked and there is no stamp on any kind from any side. What does that mean?

None of the studs on the job has a stamp?

Did the architect issue a specification for this job? Is he/she actually an architect?

My guess is that the stamps are probably on the other end (the one that's facing the other pieces). My architect did specify a grade level but that does not help if I can't find the type that was installed for comparison.
I'm meeting with the contractor tomorrow / Friday. I will try to convince him to implement one of the many great suggestions offered in this thread.
I'll keep you posted :)

Thanks again!!!!

lucik, I emailed this to my business partner. We hold rentals together but he is a Red Seal carpenter for years, a builder and certified building envelope remediation expert. He holds no truck with the Internet, believing it makes too many "experts" who only get in his way and/or ignore advice given.

he probably says about 17 words in a day and everyone listens when he does say something and his reply to me was "I wouldn't allow any of that in a garden shed."

Do with that as you will.

Sounds like what my father would say about some of his colleagues in the medical profession: "I wouldn't let him operate on a dog."

I talked to the foreman of my contractor this morning and he offered to join the column by connecting it with bolts. I also mentioned the idea posted above to use some kind of brace to better connect the post to the beam in the ceiling and the floor. He did agree to add some bolts (like the ones that hold together the ceiling beam) to connect the column. I'll have to talk to his boss to get the top/bottom brace.

For the basement support: one side rests on a concrete wall, the other side is the one on wooden pieces inside an old window. He said the outside will be covered by cement to protect it from weather elements. But of course that won't add to the structural integrity - rather it will just make sure the wood doesn't rot.

Is this sufficient or must I insist that they remove the whole thing?

Thank you!!!

P.S. I really appreciate all of your comments and concerns. I am just trying to understand what we can do. As some of you mentioned, certain options are equivalent even if one is better than another. I understand that the architect could have designed it better and the builder could have done it better but at this point its rather pointless to think about what they should have done. I need to decide about what I am willing to accept as minimum satisfactory but insist that they do it. Leaving it as is - is obviously not an option, thanks to all of your most useful feedback. You all gave me the "backbone" / will /strength to go to them and say that I'm not satisfied. I don't want to sound like an overbearing client to them, yet I was a quality job.

So now I wait for your comments regarding whether you think the solution from my post above is satisfactory :)

Thanks again!

Are you saying no one knows what grade of studs were used or that they refuse to tell you? It is the responsibility of the builder to prove that he met the contract spec, not yours. This is where I would be explaining how to be sure the next requisition for payment will be approved.

I don't understand what the concern is about the beam in the window opening. Obviously the exterior face of the opening is covered with plywood sheathing and I assume that will be covered with some kind of weather/air-barrier and/or cladding. I don't see anything in the photo that suggests that work won't be completed properly but you should follow through to be sure.

As for bracing, the end of any beam must be prevented from rotating when loaded. I suppose it's required by code but any experienced carpenter should know to do it.

Offering blanket criticism about the quality of work from a few photos isn't helpful. Until someone tells me the grade of the lumber, I can see nothing wrong with the work other than an absence of more conservative connection detailing and, of course, nailing at the post. Counter-sunk Timberloc screws from each side would be fine if they are 4" or longer.

I've seen the best carpenter's I know make worse mistakes.

Here is what they did today: inserted some type of big nails from both sides of the "column". Please see attached picture:

What do you think?

Nailing meet Code here. (Though if it were mine, there would be three nails across, not one and it would be done while the post was being made, not once it's up.)

the end of any beam must be prevented from rotating when loaded.

Agreed.

When I get dimensional lumber, the shipping receipt gives the grade, but I don't recall seeing the Stamp itself on the lumber, except for ply and OSB.

worthy, they do have three little nails going across at about 3 heights but they looked so tiny. the new nails are roughly 1/3 inch in diameter and look better to me but who am i to judge...

Should I also put up a fight to get them to attach the column to the floor and ceiling or is it ok now that the nails were added? What do you think?

The post is 5 1/2" x 7 1/2". How will it be finished and what will the final size be?

macv - that's a very good question. the architectural plan says: "decorative millwork surround".

You need a qualified second opinion on all that.

A few hours of a consulting structural engineer won't break the bank.

I don't want to tell you its wrong because I'm not qualified but it doesn't look right. I'm less "concerned" about the built up post than I am the window pocket that beam sits in.

metaxa, that's probably what I'll end up doing.

Thank you all again for all of your most useful and insightful advice!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't see anything wrong with the post at all.

John

We don't know the structural loading for this post or the grade of the wood so it is impossible to say if it is adequate just from looking at it.

However, it is unlikely that the post is over stressed if it is only carrying one floor. I would be more concerned about the moisture content. Excessive shrinkage could cause some problems later. For this reason the grade stamp is helpful. If there is no stamp I would assume the wood is not kiln dried.