Help quality checking my future house (new build)

Hey guys, I could use some help spotting some problems related to my new build. If you see anything weird please let me know. This will be more like a BS thread so feel free to have discussions about things. I will take pictures along the way.

Disclaimer: I am far from an expert on this subject so I'm asking for advice here since everyone is going to be far less biased than local people I will talk to.

Just an FYI this is a townhome.


See my latest posts for updates

 

DWV (drain/waste/vent) and possibly chase for other stuff like water lines, furnace vent, etc. Standard slab rough-in piping. They will end up inside walls. Looks like the circled one will be in a utility closet off the garage, most likely a furnace vent, maybe a chase for incoming water line.

 

The circled ones are other townhome lots, but mine is the one that is all duct taped together. Should I mention something about them fixing this?

 

Nope. Nothing to fix. It will all come together like magic. Plus, this was all inspected by the local plumbing and building inspectors before the slab was poured. There will be several more inspections, and a Certificate of Occupancy issued to you at completion, which gives you the legal right to live in the house. Until you have the CO, you can't legally move anything in.
Since you have concerns, talk with the general contractor who is building your home. He is the person responsible for completing your home on time. He will be able to answer any questions you may have. Call him, set up a time and meet with him on site. Be prompt, he's a busy guy. Exchange phone numbers, he may need to call you from time to time. Communication is the key.

 

That currogated black pipe is basically used to form a blockout in the concrete for the pvc pipe to come through.

Pipe that penetrate a slab on grade must have a bond breaker: this prevents the concrete from adhering to the pipe and is advantageous if you ever get settlement or heaving. The plumbing goes down to a different depth than the slab and will behave differently as the ground moves over time.

 

As a former Professional Home Inspector in Texas and a "Quality Control" guy for an upscale builder in New Mexico, I totally agree.

 

Is there any reason my particular part of the slab has the corrugated black pipe, whereas all the others have the green pipe? I'm confused as to why they did mine differently than the others. Almost like they ran into some sort of problem?

 

No. They use what's readily available on site and sturdy enough to not collapse until the concrete hardens sufficiently. It's just a sleeve to keep the wet concrete from adhering to the PVC pipe. Corrugated drain tile is actually what's mostly used, because it's crush resistant and there are usually scrap pieces laying around, or in the dumpster.
Under slab pipework may move slightly, in relation to the slab/house because of the temperature difference during prolonged cold weather. You may not ever notice any movement, but it can happen. Imagine how difficult and expensive it would be to repair broken PVC below the slab. Your plumbing inspector would not have approved the slab work without frost heave protection.

 

Ah okay thanks! I guess that explains why each of those sleeves has gravel piled into it. I appreciate the explanation!

 

More than likely the green sleeves were filled with gravel to hold the PVC precisely in the proper place, and/or not get filled up with construction debris, or concrete. You'll notice all the pipe ends have protective caps on them.

 

What brand is the pvc pipe?

 

No clue, I'll probably roll back over there sometime this week and take a look just to see how things are going.

 

This

 

Hey guys, they finally started framing.

 

Coming along quickly with framing

 

Whats the deal with what looks like truss nailing plates on the short stud to plate connections above the window in pic 2 ?

 

Can you circle what you mean? I can go back and take better pics.

 

The silver hardware connectors top and bottom of the short studs above the window in pic 2

 

I'll try to scoot by there and take a look. They probably already put vapor barrier over it though