Post Tension Cables

[Bearbarrow]

Howdy everyone. We are building a home and I have a question for any builders out there. Where our home is at we have all clay soil. Our soil has been chemical injected and they are laying post tension cables. They have two cables on the outside perimeter but none on the interior grade beams/trenches. The builder says that one is correct but online and other homes that I have seen being built did have two in all trenches. Is that ok or should they all have two?

[Bearbarrow]

The top picture is the inside of home with nothing in bottom and the second is the outside and you can see the two cabels. Also the bottoms of the trenches do not have the plastic.

[BertramBass]

An engineer usually designs the slab per a soils report. My houses usually have a top and bottom cable, but in theory a slab could be designed without. Is there additional rebar?

[Gclyde28]

Do what the engineering drawings call for and then have him inspect it and sign off on it.

[Bearbarrow]

The outside corners have some rebar but nowhere else.

[BertramBass]

I've never seen a cable terminate like the bottom one in the bottom pic. But then again it could just not be finished... Usually it is attached to the form board.

[Bearbarrow]

Do what the engineering drawings call for and then have him inspect it and sign off on it.

I asked for those drawings last night he got PO and called off the pour today. He said he has "been building for 38 years and no one has ever questioned this". I said that is ok to call off but I wanted to see the drawings.

[Bullseye07]

Coming from commercial construction to seeing my own house built has been rough for me as residential rules go against a lot of commercial standards.

Our engineer and the concrete company didn’t want a vapor barrier at the bottom of beams, like yours. I was told that due to the depth of the beams, moisture coming up would not be an issue as long as the sides are covered.

You really don’t need PT through the beams either. If you have brick, make sure to have additional rebar for your brick ledge at the exterior.

[Bullseye07]

I asked for those drawings last night he got PO and called off the pour today. He said he has "been building for 38 years and no one has ever questioned this". I said that is ok to call off but I wanted to see the drawings.

He should have no problem showing you the drawings, however if you’ve never looked at structural drawings, you probably won’t be able to tell much.

[Gclyde28]

I asked for those drawings last night he got PO and called off the pour today. He said he has "been building for 38 years and no one has ever questioned this". I said that is ok to call off but I wanted to see the drawings.

In theory, if everything is built per the drawings and the engineer signs off on it you should be covered. We take lots of pictures for documentation as well just to have them on file in case we ever need them.

[fbchunter]

Him getting upset that you questioned says a lot about him. The fact that he delayed the pour says to me there may actually be an issue

[Bearbarrow]

He should have no problem showing you the drawings, however if you’ve never looked at structural drawings, you probably won’t be able to tell much.

My father is a commercial builder and that is where a lot of these questions are coming from. From the beginning he has said no you need this or that in the design of our home. I have had them adjust the depth of slap in a few places because only 3-3 1/2" in some places, had some floor drains off just a tad, etc. I think that might be where some of the frustration is coming from with our builder?? I am thankful for my father!!

[BertramBass]

I asked for those drawings last night he got PO and called off the pour today. He said he has "been building for 38 years and no one has ever questioned this". I said that is ok to call off but I wanted to see the drawings.

If you are building a home, and it is a custom, you should have a copy of the plans with the structural designs attached. We do not give them out on spec homes, but the HO usually has a copy on a custom. Sometimes there are structurals for the framing as well, and not just the slab.

[fbchunter]

Both house slabs I have had poured have had vapor barriers in the beams as well from what I remember. From my past experience many times when a builder changes something and you feel it’s not the standard or normal, do research because many times it’s to cut corners or costs. And pretty often your hunch is correct

[125Dad]

I asked for those drawings last night he got PO and called off the pour today. He said he has "been building for 38 years and no one has ever questioned this". I said that is ok to call off but I wanted to see the drawings.

I would have told builder bob that just because he has been building them for 38 years does not mean he has been doing the right.

Ask the concrete guy if you can look at his drawings?