But understand this: there will be terrifying times in the last days. People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, as they make a pretense of religion but deny its power. Reject them. For some of these slip into homes and make captives of women weighed down by sins, led by various desires, always trying to learn but never able to reach a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so they also oppose the truth—people of depraved mind, unqualified in the faith. But they will not make further progress, for their foolishness will be plain to all, as it was with those two.
You have followed my teaching, way of life, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, persecutions that I endured. Yet from all these things the Lord delivered me. In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked people and charlatans will go from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known [the] sacred scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
- someone who you know who has similar values to yours? - or "a racist, a bigot and a misogynist"? someone who trashes other people? - or do you trust political parties that are financed by billionaire corporations and billionaire PACs?
the fix to our dysfunctional government is simple--stop voting for lousy candidates who don't represent your values. If you vote for a republican or a democrat, then it's not the person who you voted for who is in control--it's the party--the hand that holds the puppet/money strings. In the next election--national, state or local--vote for someone who shares your values who is not a republican or a democrat. even with their billion dollar donors, the republican and democratic parties will shrivel up and die if no one votes for their lousy candidates.
it's enough to make a native Virginian puke. had enough? who do you trust?
- someone who you know who has similar values to yours? - or some neo-nazi, racist, bigot pig? - or do you trust political parties that are financed by billionaire corporations and billionaire PACs?
the fix to our dysfunctional government is simple--stop voting for lousy candidates who don't represent your values. If you vote for a republican or a democrat, then it's not the person who you voted for who is in control--it's the party--the hand that holds the puppet/money strings. In the next election--national, state or local--vote for someone who shares your values who is not a republican or a democrat. even with their billion dollar donors, the republican and democratic parties will shrivel up and die if no one votes for their lousy candidates.
under section 401.3 of the virginia residential building code (https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/document/VRC2012/chapter-4-foundations) and paragraph 6 of section 19.2-8 of the code of virginia (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title19.2/chapter1/section19.2-8/), I am submitting my formal complaint of violation of the virginia building code. Specifically section 401.3 of the virginia residential building codestates "Surface drainage shall be diverted to a storm sewer conveyance or other approved point of collection that does not create a hazard to the dwelling unit. Lots shall be graded to drain surface water away from foundation walls. The grade shall fall a minimum of 6 inches (152 mm) within the first 10 feet (3048 mm)." The grading at our house, located at 148 daniel ct., strasburg, does not slope away from the foundation walls as required. This has resulted in several inches of standing water in our crawl space.
Our certificate of use & occupancy is attached. Please note that our house meets the time requirements set forth in paragraph 6 of section 19.2-8.
Should you reject my formal complaint, then I request a meeting at county offices with you and other county personnel or outside consultants involved in the decision not to issue a notice of violation of the building code to the builder for this violation. *
Comments on Lellock plan (builder alan toothman's engineer)
1. Contrary to what’s stated in “proposed improvement”, there are no physical barriers that prevent grading between 144 and 148 from conforming to the approved 2003 grading plan and R401.3.
2. The Lellock plan does not conform to the letter or the intent of R401.3 of the Virginia Residential Building Code (see note 4 in “project notes”). The purpose of R401.3 is to direct runoff a minimum of 10 ft. away from foundation walls. The Lellock plan does not do this.
3. The Lellock plan does not conform to the approved 2003 grading plan. The 2003 approved grading plan, with ground sloped away from foundation walls for a minimum of 10 ft., conforms to R401.3.
4. The Lellock plan directs runoff to a french drain that is located next to the landscaped area that is approximately half the distance from the foundation wall as R401.3 requires. As conceived, runoff in the french drain will saturate soil around and under it and foundation walls. This violates both the letter and the intent of R401.3.
5. Grading per R401.3 keeps runoff away from foundation walls by diverting it to a surface swale 10 ft. minimum from foundation walls. Runoff in a properly graded swale will intercept surface runoff and will not saturate soils near foundation walls as the Lellock plan will.
6. The Lellock plan does not adequately address runoff from 144’s roof and landscaped area in front of 144. The surface swale shown in the approved 2003 grading plan will intercept runoff from 144’s roof and landscaping bed at the surface, 10 ft. away from 148’s foundation walls. A properly graded swale will keep the runoff 10 ft. away from foundation walls. This will conform to the letter and the intent of R401.3.
7. The contributing drainage area in the Lellock plan doesn’t include 148’s roof.
8. Considering the many instances in this development where buried flexible plastic pipes--with more fall than the 6” buried flexible plastic pipe in the Lellock plan will have--have dips and low spots, it’s inconceivable that the 6” buried flexible plastic pipe in the Lellock plan will have a uniform 1% (1/8” per ft.) grade. With a surface swale, it’s easy to see if it’s properly graded.
9. What’s to prevent critters with nesting material from entering the outlet end of the 6” pipe and creating obstructions? With 90o connections, how will these obstructions be cleared without great difficulty? Obviously, this is not a problem with a surface swale.
10. Will the trench be exposed? We didn't buy a house with a gravel trench running down the side. In fact, if we had seen a gravel trench running down the side yard, then we would have been alerted to the drainage problems here, and we probably wouldn’t have bought the house. Who, given the choice between a gravel trench or grass, would choose a gravel trench?
11. The Lellock plan does not address the front and back of the house. Grading in neither the front nor the rear of the house conforms to the approved 2003 grading and drainage plan and R401.3. Further, judging from the amount of standing water in the front and rear of the crawl space, much of the runoff is coming in through the foundation walls in the front and the rear of the house.
12. I disagree that the Lellock plan has the same drainage pattern as the approved 2003 grading and drainage plan. Obviously, concentrated drainage from a 6” pipe is not the same as drainage spread out in a 20 ft. wide swale. Depending where the outlet end of the 6” pipe is located (the Lellock plan is not specific), drainage intended for the stormwater management pond in the 2003 approved grading and drainage plan may not end up reaching the stormwater management pond with the Lellock plan.
13. The house on 144 and the house on 148 are not parallel. The space between the houses widens from front to rear.
These partial comments address the overall unsuitability of the Lellock plan (comment #4 of “project notes” in the Lellock plan). The Lellock plan does not conform to the approved 2003 grading plans or R401.3 of the Virginia Residential Building Code.
Lot 148 should be regraded to conform to the 2003 approved grading plan and R401.3.
If the Lellock plan is withdrawn, as it should be, and Lot 148 is regraded to conform with the approved 2003 grading plan and R401.3, as it should be, then further comments that I have on the Lellock plan (e.g. soils data, soil borings’ locations, etc.) don’t need to be addressed.
note: the county didn't respond to these comments.
My name is Ray Koenig. Last November my wife, Jenny, and I purchased a new home located at 148 Daniel Ct., Strasburg. In April of this year we discovered standing water in our crawl space. On June 30 I emailed my formal complaint of a building code violation to Mark Griffey, Shenandoah County building code official, citing section R401.3 of the virginia residential building code (https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/document/VRC2012/chapter-4-foundations). Mr. Griffey told me that he was going to cite the builder, Alan Toothman Construction, Inc with a building code violation. He didn't, opting instead to "reach out" (his words) to the builder. The builder's engineer submitted a plan that does not comply with section R401.3 or the 2003 approved grading and drainage plan for the development (Stony Pointe). I submitted my written objections to Toothman's engineer's plan to Mr. Griffey on July 30. I am a retired (before retirement, licensed) civil engineer and land surveyor, born, raised, and educated in Virginia, and spent most of my 40+ year career working for private engineering consulting firms in Virginia.
We will appreciate any advice or assistance that you can provide in helping us to resolve this matter. I will be pleased to provide any information that you request on this matter and/or to meet with you at a time and place of your convenience. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Ray & Jenny Koenig
*********************************************
Aug 4, 2018
Mr. Koenig,
I am receipt of your e-mail on August 2. I have contacted County Administration and you should receive a letter from the County Attorney next week concerning your problem with drainage.
Conrad A. Helsley, Chairman District 6 Supervisor note: "so goes the head, so goes the snake." citizens of shenandoah county, decapitate the snake in the next local election. *********************************************
At grade, the main object is to get water away from the foundation as quickly as possible. Finish grade should slope away from the building for at least 10 to 15 feet, and should not contain low spots that will make water ponds.
Swales: if one or more sides of the building face an upwards sloping hill, slope the finish grade away from the building for at least 10-15 feet, and then shape the finish grade at that point into a swale that itself continues to carry water around to the downhill side of the building.
A swale, illustrated by Carson Dunlop Associates' sketch at left, is a nice word for a "gentle ditch" - it does not have to be deep.
Foundation ditches: Do not do what we have found at some flooding basements: an in-slope grade problem that was trapping surface and roof runoff against the house was "fixed" by digging a ditch right against the foundation wall in an attempt to carry water away. The ditch digger simply had built a water trap to guarantee that water would be sent against the foundation wall.
the builder, alan toothman construction, doesn't get it.
the builder's engineer doesn't get it.
the shenandoah county building official doesn't get it.
the shenandoah county attorney doesn't get it.
the district 6 representative and chairman of the shenandoah county board of supervisors doesn't get it.
the shenandoah county administrator doesn't get it.
the assistant shenandoah county administrator doesn't get it.
what's so hard to get?--it's not rocket science. other questions:
does toothman, griffey, bowman, helsley, lellock, smith, price, or vass have several inches of standing water in their basements or crawl spaces because the builder of their house didn't follow the approved grading plan or the state building code?
does toothman, griffey, bowman, helsley, lellock, smith, price, or vass have a 75 ft. long exposed gravel trench in their yards? that wasn't there when they bought their house? that was being shoved down their throats by their county government?
how would griffey, bowman, helsley, lellock, smith, price, vass, or any other citizen of shenandoah county, virginia, or any other local government feel if they received the same treatment from their local government that we got?
but, the real question is: why does shenandoah county "reach out" to law-breaking builder alan toothman construction inc. who violated the building code, i.e., broke the law, instead of supporting its own law-abiding citizens? it doesn't "pass the smell test".
virginia shenandoah county helsley strasburg stony pointe toothman
under section 401.3 of the virginia residential building code (https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/document/VRC2012/chapter-4-foundations) and paragraph 6 of section 19.2-8 of the code of virginia (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title19.2/chapter1/section19.2-8/), I am submitting my formal complaint of violation of the virginia building code. Specifically, section 401.3 of the virginia residential building code states "Surface drainage shall be diverted to a storm sewer conveyance or other approved point of collection that does not create a hazard to the dwelling unit. Lots shall be graded to drain surface water away from foundation walls. The grade shall fall a minimum of 6 inches (152 mm) within the first 10 feet (3048 mm)." The grading at our house, located at 148 daniel ct., strasburg, does not slope away from the foundation walls as required. This has resulted in several inches of standing water in our crawl space.
Our certificate of use & occupancy is attached. Please note that our house meets the time requirements set forth in paragraph 6 of section 19.2-8.
Should you reject my formal complaint, then I request a meeting at county offices with you and other county personnel or outside consultants involved in the decision not to issue a notice of violation of the building code to the builder for this violation.
Sincerely,
Ray Koenig
approved grading plan (2003)
the ground slopes 15% towards Koenig’s house.
Section 401.3 of the Virginia Residential Building Code
calls for the ground to slope away from foundation walls
at 5% for 10 feet (the 2”x4” on the ground is 10 feet long).
Failure to meet this building code requirement has resulted
in several inches of standing water in Koenig’s crawl space.
New Light in Crawlspaces | Building Science Corporation unless the unreinforced slab is built on uncontrolled (not an "engineered " soil, e.g. contains organic material), uncompacted, fill--and is cracked--and the cracks in the slab cause the ceramic tiles in your entryway, kitchen, bathrooms, laundry room, etc. to crack. as for crawlspaces, where are all the "tiny people with good workmanship? ... They all have gone on to fame and fortune in reality TV cable shows."
face it, folks. the quality of new houses in the US from top (roof) to bottom (foundation) in the last 50 years has gotten worse while the quality of goods and services in other US industries has more than doubled.
virginia shenandoah county strasburg stony pointe toothman
- someone who you know who has similar values to yours? - or someone who trashes other people? an instigating bully who divides (instead of a leader who unifies)? a foul-mouthed womanizer? a person who separates children from their families simply because they seek asylum or a better life in the USA? who doesn't keep his promises? who is a charlatan and a liar? - or someone who thinks that they're above our laws, conducting government business on private, unsecured email, failing to protect classified government documents? who has no more regard for an innocent child than to support killing that child moments before the child would have been born? - or do you trust political parties that are financed by billionaire corporations and billionaire PACs?
the fix to our dysfunctional government is simple--stop voting for lousy candidates who don't have values similar to yours, and who don't represent our country. If you vote for a republican or a democrat, then it's not the person who you voted for who is in control--it's the party--the hand that holds the puppet/money strings. In the next election--national, state or local--vote for someone who shares your values who is not a democrat or a republican. even with their billion dollar donors, the republican and democratic parties will shrivel up and die if no one votes for their lousy candidates.
that the quality of construction of new houses over the past 50 years is poor when compared to the quality of homes built 50 years ago. basic systems, e.g. structure, roof, floors, windows, weather protection, HVAC, appliances, etc., are less reliable in many new houses today than those built 50 years ago.
why? the reasons are probably many--
builder incompetence and greed
decline in skilled labor
government's failure to protect consumers
consumer reticence
a costly legal system that protects builders more than it protects consumers
whatever the reasons, the chart is clear--while productivity and quality of non-agricultural products have more than doubled over the past 50 years with advances in technology, productivity and quality in construction have declined, despite advances in technology. many who bought new houses in the past 50 years are left with fixing builder messes at their own expense--the ones that can be fixed--while the productivity and quality of new homes continue to decline.
what's the solution? I honestly can't tell you. It looks to me like the trends that are so obvious in the chart will continue--bad news for new home buyers--that's you and me.
4. if the slope (S) is 0, then the velocity (V) is 0 and the flow in the gutter (Q=V*A) is 0.
5. if the slope is 0.0014, then the square root of the slope is 0.037. the velocity and flow in the gutter are very small--near zero.
6. if the gutter is full, and the slope is 0, or near 0, then all or most of the water coming off the roof overflows the gutter.
7. there are two outlet pipes from downspouts--mine and my neighbor's. 8. the pipe on the right is buried. look closely--only a small part of the top can be seen.
9. question: where will the water go? answer: nowhere--this is a fact.
close-up of the buried pipe
10. if the open end of the pipe from the downspout is buried, with nowhere for the water to go, then water backs up in the plastic pipe from the downspout.
11. when the plastic pipe from the downspout is full, then water backs up in the downspout.
12. when the downspout and the gutter are full, then water coming off the roof flows over the gutter and washes out the ground beneath it.
close-up of the washout
13. this is a new house, purchased less than one half year ago.
14. the house has a one year warranty.
15. the builder says that the gutter is not level. fact: the gutter is level or very near level. (in other words, "don't believe your lying eyes.")
16. the builder says that the plastic pipe is not buried. fact: the plastic pipe is buried. (in other words, "don't believe your lying eyes".) 17. fact: the buried pipe looks the same today as the day that we bought the house.
18. the builder says "it's not our problem." 19. fact: the builder created the problem by installing the gutter level, or near level. 20. fact: the builder may have created the problem by installing a gutter that is too small for the roof area and rainfall intensity. 21. fact: burying the outlet end of the plastic pipe created the problem. 22. fact: we did not bury the outlet end of the plastic pipe. it was buried the day that we bought the house. 23. fact: the builder created the problem.
builder: Alan Toothman Construction Inc., Woodstock, VA
also,
grading and drainage look like they were done by Rube Goldberg
most of the crawl space is flooded
floors creak
HVAC is poor
inside trim is sloppy
virginia shenandoah county strasburg stony pointe toothman
in the next election--national, state or local--vote for anyone except a democrat or a republican. soon the republican and democratic parties will dry up and die. nothing will be better for the United States of America.
PS similarly, by refusing to patronize dishonest and biased media, they too will shrivel up and die--a triple win for honesty in government, for integrity in reporting the actions of government, and for us.
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