The builder
Continued from page 1
Each shortcut may amount to little
savings, but many contractors agree that in a
large complex, it can mean the 'difference
between going broke or making a profit.
"A contractor may start out with a fixed
price and before he knows it, the price of
plywood has doubled, his loan interest has
risen, the roofing costs more and his help is
expecting a raise.
"That's why builders use materials that are
at minimum standards and sometimes
below." one construction worker said.
Area apartment has only two inches of
required by the state building code.
But defects in construction are not the
only casualties of a time-loss due to a
carpenter's mistakes. If the price of the
project is increased, this may be passed on to
the apartment dweller in the form of rent.
"There have been projects that have gone
up over a million dollars due to mistakes and
in most cases, that will be passed on as an
increase in rent," Brooks said.
While he feels many of these points are
major reasons for the lack of quality in
apartment construction, Brooks also feels
builders have a different philosophy in
constructing homes and apartmetns.
"Apartments are supposed to be built
better than homes because they receive more
wear. But builders still use more substandard
materials in apartments than they ever
would with homes," Brooks said.
Others, however, feel that the faults are a
result of inefficient inspection. According to
city law, each apartment must go through
five different inspections: one for its
foundation, a second for its framing, a third
for its plumbing, a fourth for its electrical
and heating w ork and a final inspection once
the apartment is finished.
It is this final inspection that some
builders feel is inefficient. - -
"On the whole they do a pretty good job,
but 1 could call in an inspector for my wall
and after he left, take out all the studs and
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can just about get away with anything. -apartment owner
he'd never know it," George Tate, apartment
owner and builder, said.
"The builder can just about get away with
anything," he added.
"If he really wants to, the builder can do
anything. The inspections are made before
the walls are covered up so he probably
could go back and pull out anything he
wanted to," Ken Davis, structural inspector
for Chapel Hill said.
"But we do make surprise inspections so 1
would hope that sort of thing wasn't going
on."
Some residents, however, feel it is up to
Siaff pnoio Dy Alien Jernigan
ceiling insulation, not the six inches
the previous tenants to enforce the quality of
construction.
"1 think it's the fault of whoever is living
there not to get the mistake corrected," Billy
Williams said.
But even if the apartment is built poorly.
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many people either won't look for faults or
have no idea where to start.
"On the list of priorities, price comes first,
then location and then design. Structural
soundness is near the bottom of the list,"
Tate said.
For those who want to know how to
recognize a well-built apartment, the
following is a list of suggestions from
construction workers and builders:
Heating and insulation If at all
possible, check the attic and wherever the
furnace is located. There should be at least
six inches of insulation in the attic and if it is
possible to glance inside the walls, there
should be about three inches there.
However, since these regulations were
only added to the building code in 1975,
before complaining about missing
insulation, make sure the apartment wasn't
built before then.
Also check the furnace ducts. If these same
ducts are used for air-conditioning, they are
required by law to be insulated.
Appliances Since many apartments
now include dishwashers, garbage disposals,
stoves and refrigerators as standard features,
make sure all of these work.
Check the kitchen fan. If it is the type that
blows out the air right above the stove, it is
required to have a charcoal filter in it
(builders say the other type is better
anyway).
And if the refrigerator is on when you
walk in, one builder suggests to unplug it.
Much can be learned from the way it shuts
off. If it sounds like a broken crop duster that
may be a sign of future trouble.
Walls and floors Beginning with the
walls, use a bright light (200-250 watts) and
scan the walls. This enables you to see any
flaw that's there. If you notice the studs are
two feet apart, the builder was taking short
cuts. Be careful.
If you notice cracks in the walls or on the
edge of the ceiling, don't panic. Usually, this
only means settling has occurred. But if the
apartment is new or the crack's are many, this
might be something else.
Rayvon Williams has suggested that the
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potential dweller look at the carpet. Had he
noticed that the carpet was rotten
underneath, he might have been warned of
his calamity.
If there are any sags or slopes in the floor,
however, be cautious. This is a definite sign
of faulty construction. If the apartment is
furnished or even if it is not try moving
the furniture around. Many times a sagging
floor or a weak piece of plywood may not be
noticed until a sofa is placed on it.
Bathroom Check this room out
thoroughly. State law requires the floor to be
waterproof, so look for cracks in the
caulking one sign is loose tile.
The tub should have an overfill hole and
make sure all bars, towel or otherwise, are
very secure to the walls. And don't forget to
test the water. One lady, recalls a builder,
had her pipes tapped into a sewer line.
Doors and windows Check the
windows. It is not unheard of for all the locks
to pop off the first time they are used, so test
them.
Check both doors and windows for air
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with the key if possible.
Painting If you are the least bit fussy
about cleaning, make sure the walls are
enamel. This appears as a glossy finish. It is
easier to clean and it lasts longer.
The paint job can also tell you just how
much effort might have been put into the rest
of the apartment.
Many of these things may seem like
common sense and some may seem a bit
strange to the person showing you around,
but these checks can save you money and
inconvenience later.
But remember that not all the state codes
were made 20 years ago, when the apartment
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Monday, February 14, 1977 The Daily Tar Heel 5
might have been built. If there are any
questions, the building inspector can help.
"We wish more people would call when
they see these things. If there is a rTthn ye
will contac' ?1t i , ' : ,
done about it," Davis said.
Even if you check the construction
thoroughly (as Rayvon Williams did), it
might pay to ask the owner about calamities
such as floods -i cucd-M-
"You might be the onl on.' v. :! t a v-i . .
guarantee against a bathroom falling mvrur
bedroom, but if that ever happens you'll also
be the only one who's protected against it."
Williams said.
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