HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Home Builders of Ames recommendation dated September 8, 1994 13R
Home Builders of Ames
Box 864 Antes, IA 50010.0864
September 8, 1994
TO: City Manager Steve Schainker
Mayor Larry Curtis
Ames City Council Members
Jeff Pearson & Building Staff
The following information was gathered from telephone interviews with building officials
from other major cities within Iowa. The purpose was to recommend a common set of
specifications for the Ames area builders to follow in our foundations and poured concrete
basement walls. We are attempting to create a guideline for our local building officials to use
which will maintain the high standard of construction without causing an unnecessarily large
increase in the construction costs of the average new home. It is necessary for you to
understand the guidelines we would like to see implemented are already considerably more
demanding than the cities listed in the attached table.
It is extremely important to note that the most important difference between the Horne
Builders' plan and the Board of Review is not in the amount of reinforcing, but in the hours of
time to implement. Our suggestion allows for steel to be placed on existing wall ties in the
forms and does not require the time-consuming process of pretying the reinforcing steel.
Approximately 18 to 27 additional hours of erection time will be necessary for the Board's
suggestion with an additional cost of labor and materials of approximately $537.00 to $752.00
per home depending on the foundation size and complexity. This cost would be above the
$238.00 to $297.00 additional cost suggested to be added per home by the Home Builders'
alternative.
We, as the Ames Home Builders, welcome the attempt to maintain our high construction
standards but we do not wish to see unnecessary changes increase the already high cost of new
housing. We feel the Building Board of Appeals is restrained by strict engineering guidelines
and ask the Council to realize the Home Builder's foundation alterations as the correct approach.
Sincerely,
rrr�
Tom Donner, President
Ames Home Builders
Concrete
City Footing Wall Reinforcing Steel Reinforcing Steel Code for
Inspection Inspection in Footings in 8'0" Wall Enforcement
Ankeny Yes Yes 8"x16" concrete with (3) #4 bars horizontal 1991 Uniform
(2) #4 bars continuous Verticals on 7'0"centers Building Code
(UBC)
Clive Yes Yes 8"xl6" concrete (3) #4 bars horizontal 1991 UBC
1 or 2 #4 bars Verticals on 4'0"centers
continuous
(determined by floors)
Council Bluffs Yes Yes 8"x16" concrete #4 bars 8'0" on center 1991 UBC
(2) #4 bars continuous Vertically and
horizontally
Davenport Yes No 8"x16" concrete No rod required 1991 UBC
No rebar
Des Moines Yes Yes 8"x16" concrete 3 (#4) bars horizontal 1991 UBC
1 or 2 #4 bars Verticals on 4'0"centers
continuous
Dubuque Yes Yes 8"x16" concrete (4) #4 bars horizontal 1988 UBC
No rebar No verticals
Iowa City Yes No 8"x16" concrete (3) #4 bars horizontal 1991 UBC
(2) #4 bars continuous No verticals
Johnston Yes Yes 8"x16" concrete (3) #4 bars horizontal 1991 UBC
(2) #4 bars continuous No verticals
Marshalltown Yes Yes 8"xl6" concrete (3) #4 bars horizontal 1991 UBC
(2) #4 bars continuous No verticals
Mason City Yes Yes - After 8"x16" concrete No rebar required 1991 UBC
wall is (2) #5 bars continuous
poured
Sioux City Yes No 8"xl6" concrete No rebar required 1988 UBC
(2) #4 bars continuous
Urbandale Yes Yes 8"xl6" concrete (3) #4 bars horizontal 1988 UBC
(2) #5 bars continuous #4 bars on 3'0" centers
vertical
Waterloo Yes Yes - After 8"xl6" concrete (2) #4 bars horizontal 1991 UBC
the wall is (2) #4 bars continuous #4 bars 4'0" on center
poured
West Des Moines Yes Yes 8"x16" concrete (3) #4 bars horizontal 1991 UBC
(2) #4 bars continuous No verticals
Ames Home Builders Yes Yes 8"x16" concrete (5) #4 bars horizontal 1991 UBC
Suggested Plan (2) #4 bars continuous #4 bars - 2'0" on center (With
vertically alterations)
Grade 60 steel
Building Board of Yes Yes 8"x16" concrete #4 bars 18" on center 1991 UBC
Review (2) #4 bars continuous Both vertically and (With
Suggested Plan horizontally (6 bars) alterations)
Grade 60 steel