Any significant and challenging undertaking requires a strategic, and comprehensive plan. Without this plan and road map, it would be like navigating in the dark and therefore exposed to many unknown risks.
While having comprehensive drawings and excellent con- tractors are prerequisites to a good building, an accurate and detailed plan and checklist is crucial. Without this, a project may face significant delays, incur unexpected costs, inherit unwanted design defects, face conflict with subcontractors and/or clients, legal complications and ul- timately and accumulatively, deciding the fate of the proj- ect, delineating between success and failure.
This topic will be discussed for the first time in this edi- tion, and will continue for several subsequent editions. The writer welcomes readers’ feedback and collaboration on this topic.
FRAMING PRE-OPERATION CHECKLIST
Make sure to have temporary power at the job site
Make sure to have structural drawings at the job site
Make sure to have floor joist layouts from the lumber supplier
Make sure to have elevator shop drawings at the job site
Make sure to have roof truss shop drawings at the job site
Make sure to have skylight(s) shop drawing or instructions*
Make sure to have nuts and washers for bolting the subfloor to the concrete foundation walls
Request from the steel company to deliver steel beams for 1st floor and
make sure to have enough metal shims delivered for adjusting the steel beams on top of the wall platesOrder the first-floor materials from the lumber supplier. (You may order both floors at the same time or order the subfloor and partition of the first floor in two deliveries, depending on job site)
Order necessary adjustable jacks for temporary support of the subfloor before installing the permanent steel columns or bearing walls of the basement
Order the crane for placing the steel beams on top of foundation walls (if it is not part of framer’s contract)
Make sure to have rough-openings of the windows and exterior doors from the window company
* If applicable.
- Check steel beams number, length, joints bolt holes, and connection locations according to the structural drawings
- Check gaskets to be installed on top of concrete foundation walls before installing 2 by 6 plates
- Check the wall plates to be bolted properly by nuts and washers to the foundation dowels
- Check the joist and wood beams to be installed according to the lumber company floor joist layouts
- Check the opening(s) of the staircase with the stair company
- Check the opening(s) of the elevator(s) according to the elevator company shop drawings*
- Make sure the height of the first finished floor is according to the surveyor’s mark
- Make sure the joist hangers are installed according to the drawings
- Make sure the level and locations of the steel beams are based on the drawing (flush/drop)
* If applicable.
SECOND FLOOR FRAMING STAGE CHECKLIST
Check the size and location of wood or steel beams of the second floor according to the structural drawings
Check the size and location of the floor joist according to the lumber company floor layout
Check the size and number of necessary bolts for sandwich beams
Check the thickness of plywood based on the structural drawing and checking to be installed properly to the joist with glue and nail (screw)
Check all fire stoppers
Check the opening of the second
floor staircase(s) with the stair
company
Check the opening of the elevator
and necessary structural framing based on the elevator shop drawings *
Check the layout of the second floor prepared by the framer based on architectural plans
Check the location and size of windows and exterior doors based on the rough opening drawing
Check the lintels on top of windows and exterior doors based on structural drawings
Check the heights and space between studded
Check the bearing walls based on structural drawings and roof truss shop drawings
Check the installation of the vapor barrier on the top of exterior wall plates before installation of the roof trusses or roof hand framing
Coordinate the top of plates heights and necessary items with truss supplier layout.
Check the blocking or bridging of tall studs according to the building code *
Check the blocking or bridging of tall studs according to the building code*
Check the height of interior doors
Make sure all temporary railing all around the voids and temporary stairs with railing and all safety operations have been done on all floors
19. Order the roof material and roof trusses to be delivered
ROOF STRUCTURE STAGE CHECKLIST
Make sure vapour barriers have been installed on top of all second floor studds and some part of first floor studds which the lower roof structure will be installed on
Make sure all second floor studds are leveled and squared at the corners
Make sure all necessary beams which are need for roof trusses or skylights have been properly framed
Order the crane for placing the roof trusses and roof material on top of the second floor studds (If it is not part of framer’s contract)
Check all point loads under the girder trusses carried down to foundation walls or steel beams
Make sure to apply proper bolting to the sandwich girder trusses according to the structural specification and drawings
Check that all corner truss hangers are installed
Check all bracing of trusses have been properly done according
to the roof truss shop drawings
Check that all nailing of trusses are done according to the truss
shop drawings
Check that all hand framing of roof structures are done according to the structural drawings
Check all necessary beams have been installed according to the truss drawings
Check all roof clips for installation of roof plywood
Check all coffered ceiling in incorporated in roof trusses
Check proper installation of jack trusses to the girder trusses according to truss shop drawings
Check all necessary framing around the sky lights according to the structural drawings
Check ventilation spaces between truss over hangs and exterior studds
Check installation of front door(s)
Make sure to provide enough openings on roof plywood foattic ventilation by the framer
Checkallhandframingofroofstructuretobedoneaccordingto the structural drawings
Check the thickness of roofplywood according to the drawings
Check the stoppers by plywood at the top of exterior walls for holding the attic insulation
Check all windows and exterior doors to be installed according to the drawings and properly nailed and/or injected by low-pressure foam to the framing (after the roof framing is done)
Make sure labours working on the roof have harness and safety equipment for working all around the job site
Check that the framer has provided the attic Hatch(es)
