Some Sun City homes were approved for occupancy despite flaws, records show
Homes in Sun City Hilton Head with roof truss problems were checked during construction by Beaufort County building inspectors and approved for occupancy despite flaws, according to building code records. In some cases inspectors approved the homes after noting no deficiencies with the trusses, which are triangular wooden frames that support roofs. In other cases, problems with trusses were identified and repairs ordered, yet the trusses still have problems today, records show. "Obviously it was something that was overlooked," said county building codes director Arthur Cummings.

Some Sun City homes were approved for occupancy despite flaws, records show

Homes in Sun City Hilton Head with roof truss problems were checked during construction by Beaufort County building inspectors and approved for occupancy despite flaws, according to building code records.

In some cases inspectors approved the homes after noting no deficiencies with the trusses, which are triangular wooden frames that support roofs. In other cases, problems with trusses were identified and repairs ordered, yet the trusses still have problems today, records show.

"Obviously it was something that was overlooked," said county building codes director Arthur Cummings.

Cummings said that his inspectors should not bear the entire responsibility for making sure new homes are built correctly.

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"The person that's building the house, as far as I'm concerned, is more responsible for making sure it's done correctly than the inspector," he said. "(The builder is) there during the entire building process."

The county is in the initial stages of an investigation to determine whether trusses in Sun City homes are fastened as specified in construction drawings. Properly fastened trusses have a better chance of withstanding extreme winds.

As many as 2,000 homes in Sun City may be checked by a team of independent inspectors during the county's investigation.

Pulte has agreed to arrange and pay for any repairs that are needed, said Jon Cherry, president for Pulte's South Carolina coastal division.

WHAT THE RECORDS SHOWED

The Island Packet reviewed inspection records for the 15 homes already identified as needing repairs. Those records showed:

• Six homes passed their original framing inspection with no truss-related comments written by inspectors.

One of those homes, located on Star Flower Drive, has some valley trusses not connected or barely connected to the supporting trusses, according to pictures provided by the homeowner. In some spots, the nails don't pierce intersecting beams of lumber. When they did penetrate the lumber, the nails split the wood.

The county's initial framing inspection report for the Star Flower Drive home says "OK to proceed." During the recent follow-up inspection, how-ever, a county inspector wrote "unsatisfactory, nails missing." Both inspections were done by the same inspector.

In the other five homes, the problems cited during re-inspections varied, but mostly related to missing nails.

• In nine homes, original framing inspections turned up at least one truss-related problem needing repair in each home, but all the homes ultimately were approved.

When the homes were re-examined recently, however, inspectors ordered various repairs: more nails, more bracing, mending plates between trusses or other general repairs.

In a home on Amaryllis Lane, an inspector who checked the framing when the home was being built reported problems with two trusses and ordered repairs. Those repairs were made a few days later, according to documents in the inspection file, and the home was approved for occupancy.

When the same inspector returned to the home last month, however, he wrote "unsatisfactory, nails missing." Nine of the 15 homes were described as either "unsatisfactory" or "failed" in the recent inspections. For the other homes, repairs were ordered but the homes were not listed as failing.

'SOMETHING THAT WAS OVERLOOKED'

Cummings says he doesn't know why county inspectors who looked at the trusses during the framing inspections missed problems that are being caught now. He says it's not possible for his inspectors to review connections at every spot where valley trusses intersect with supporting trusses.

"The inspector is not on that job but maybe 20 or 30 minutes doing that inspection," Cummings said, "but for them to be there to look at every connection, that's not possible."

Beaufort County has 14 inspectors. Ten are assigned to southern Beaufort County. They inspect a building several times before approving it for occupancy, examining the foundation, framing, plumbing, wiring and other elements. The local development boom over the past several years has kept inspectors busy.

Almost 7,500 building permits for single-family homes were issued in southern Beaufort County from 2004 to 2006. That number doesn't include Hilton Head Island, which issues its own permits.

Did the county's inspectors miss the truss problems because they were too busy?

"To say that the guys were overworked, I can't honestly sit here and say, 'yes, that was the reason,' and make an excuse," Cummings said. "It was something that was overlooked. ..."

"You're trying to get a simple answer for a complex process that involves so many more things than what you're trying to ask," he said.

The independent review arranged by the county will begin next month, when three out-of-town inspectors arrive to examine 200 Sun City homes. County administrator Gary Kubic hopes the review of the 200 homes will help determine how long it will take to inspect the rest. In all, Kubic said approximately 2,000 homes may be inspected.

Inspectors will review every home with valley trusses that was built after Jan. 1, 2004. That date was selected because it was shortly before Pulte switched from using "hurricane clips" to nails to connect trusses, Kubic said. Hurricane clips are metal brackets that have more holding strength than nails.

The county plans to use inspectors from a private firm, rather than inspectors on its own staff, to avoid potential conflicts of interest.

"The fact of the matter is, because of the attitude that collusion may exist around every corner, we have gone the extra length to try to bring in an independent pair of eyes to try to remove that suspicion," Kubic said.

The firm picked to do the job is Charleston-based England Enterprises, which specializes in making sure building codes are followed. Owner John England said his inspectors will meet with Pulte's engineer to review the truss plans for Sun City's homes so they're educated on what to look for.

"We want to make sure that his designs are adhered to," England said. "Between his design and the building code, we want to make sure that both of them are met."

The company's inspectors will be accompanied by contractors, who will make any needed repairs the same day, Kubic has said.

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