Contractor / Construction Mags- What is Wrong with this Drywall?

[Beaver]

Water is the first thing I thought. I've seen that shape before. I diagnosed mine with a pen when I sunk it in the drywall.

[old goat]

I looked at a few places around Targhee. Lots of complicated roofs with valleys. Lots of ice damming. I would look at your roof style. May be a little more complicated than the flashing.

This. Square box with a simple gable roof that doesn't shed on the deck, entry, driveway, etc etc. If you can't figure out how to live in that you shouldn't live in the mountains. And the local architects design just as bad as the valley folk.

[goldenboy]

This. Square box with a simple gable roof that doesn't shed on the deck, entry, driveway, etc etc. If you can't figure out how to live in that you shouldn't live in the mountains. And the local architects design just as bad as the valley folk.

Most of the HOA's around here won't allow a simple box, you have to "break up the roofline" as the design guidelines like to say.

[snojones]

Maybe I am reading the photo wrong, but it looks like the joists are what is sagging, not the sheet rock. If the sheet rock is getting wet, it should be sagging NOT THE CEILING JOIST.

I would definitely demand that you have a skilled contractor (if you are not qualified to make that judgement on your own) cut a hole in that sheet rock, and determine the full nature of the problem, before I bought the place. You should not just accept this situation without an answer to just what is causing this sagging ceiling frame. Is the sheet rock around those joist cracked?

I would also check that the walls are plumb. A frequent dyi job, is to take out the joist

[riser4]

Most of the HOA's around here won't allow a simple box, you have to "break up the roofline" as the design guidelines like to say.

Which is yet another reason HOAs suck. I sure as shit would want a simple roofline. Mandated complicated rooflines are just jobs programs that fuck over homeowners. And most of them are fugly.

[::: :::]

Food for thought: consider that what y’all are calling good design is looking at design as a one-issue field, and it is not quite that simple.
Form-making, decoration, aesthetics & urban design are often set aside as merely decorative when they are truly fundamental, if quiet partners, to the more prosaic, utilitarian aspects of how to shape buildings and spaces (shelter, structure, service, access).

[riser4]

Food for thought: consider that what y’all are calling good design is looking at design as a one-issue field, and it is not quite that simple.
Form-making, decoration, aesthetics & urban design are often set aside as merely decorative when they are truly fundamental, if quiet partners, to the more prosaic, utilitarian aspects of how to shape buildings and spaces (shelter, structure, service, access).

Ok, I'm listening.

[tuco]

Most definitely water intrusion caused that damage.

[::: :::]

Ok, I'm listening.

Take for instance: tree lined roads...the trees are completely unnecessary to the function of the road itself. They look great, and they soften the brutalist nature of road construction. But they also slow traffic, which is a result of their size, scale & presence (ie form).

Or poorly considered modernist box buildings...often rightly criticized for being soulless spare prisons, effecting people’s psyche who have to live in/around them

just two examples...not looking to sidetrack this thread

[tuco]

Not quite sure how a simple roof compared to one that has 122 different roof lines fits into that equation

[LongShortLong]

Not quite sure how a simple roof compared to one that has 122 different roof lines fits into that equation

It offends architects and carpenters who enjoy designing and building complex structures. Also offends those who read magazines produced by same.

[tuco]

That's my point: Architect speak.
Form/function

[concretejungle]

Magazines? WTF are you boomers talking about?

[riser4]

It offends architects and carpenters who enjoy designing and building complex structures. Also offends those who read magazines produced by same.

None of those people have to use and pay for the upkeep of these spaces they design and build. I once worked in an architect designed kitchen with a bunch of bells and whistles. It looked great. The schmuck probably never cooked professionally a day in their life. No flow. Everything was in the wrong spot. Too much of some things and not enough of others. Nice view though.

[::: :::]

Not quite sure how a simple roof compared to one that has 122 different roof lines fits into that equation

just cautioning against overly simple in favor of more nuanced efforts — it’s a range, not a binary...and that applies to the issue of rooflines vs snow as well
I’m not defending ornate roofs for the sake of ornament. And I’ll be one of the first to condemn much of what passes for higher end development “design” since its purely visual pastiche. But there is actually a thing that is good design. I’m just raising my hand in a space that is quick to condemn design as pure whimsy.

[riser4]

just cautioning against overly simple in favor of more nuanced efforts — it’s a range, not a binary...and that applies to the issue of rooflines vs snow as well
I’m not defending ornate roofs for the sake of ornament. And I’ll be one of the first to condemn much of what passes for higher end development “design” since its purely visual pastiche. But there is actually a thing that is good design. I’m just raising my hand in a space that is quick to condemn design as pure whimsy.

Ok. Fair enough.

[tuco]

I absolutely get it.
Believe me, I'm glad every building isn't a concrete box

[Kevo]

There is a roof valley on the other side of that and a known flashing issue at the chimney/roof connection. The roof was also replaced and upgraded to metal shingles a few years ago. Best guess is that there was water from either the flashing issue or the roof valley. Water from snowmelt slowly leaking makes the most sense to me, because it is only evident that there was a problem on the 3-4 joists around the stove pipe. Keep in mind that while the outside of that wall would have been cold and snowy, the inside would have had the wood stove going. I think that hypothesis makes the most logical sense to me.

I'm having a hard time understanding how the joists would sag without the drywall cracking. I can't imaging putting a downward or separating force on the drywall wouldn't lead to cracking, but definitely tell me if I'm wrong...

Seller says that the issue was there when she bought 3 years ago and has not progressed. The house is meticulously maintained. There's records for every chimney sweep, every minor repair, etc. Both the current owner and the previous owner have been very on top of all scheduled maintenance, etc.

The other complicating factor is that this issue was discovered inadvertently by my agent after the inspection contingency window while he was picking up some paperwork from the house showing other inspection items had been taken care of (previous owner moved across town and wasn't there). Ugh.

[Kevo]

Also I should add that I'm not worried if it was indeed a water issue. I'll gladly close and get a roofer to replace the chimney cap and the chimney flashing and double check that valley. Seller gave money for that repair after the inspection.

If this issue is structural then I'm pretty worried.

[Kevo]

Here is an exterior view. Roof valley in question is to the right of the vaulted ceiling room. https://photos.zillowstatic.com/p_h/...1000000000.jpg

[m2711c]

I’m not defending ornate roofs for the sake of ornament. And I’ll be one of the first to condemn much of what passes for higher end development “design” since its purely visual pastiche.

Pastiche

pas·tiche /paˈstēSH,päˈstēSH/


noun

• an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period.
  "the operetta is a pastiche of 18th century styles"

verb

• imitate the style of (an artist or work).
  "Gauguin took himself to a Pacific island and pastiched the primitive art he found there"

[liv2ski]

If this issue is structural then I'm pretty worried.

The inspector didn't go in the attic to approve everything???

[tuco]

No attic. Vaulted ceiling

[concretejungle]

Here is an exterior view. Roof valley in question is to the right of the vaulted ceiling room. https://photos.zillowstatic.com/p_h/...1000000000.jpg

That is going to be a wonderful deck to piss off of.

[Mazderati]

That is going to be a wonderful deck to piss off of.

When there are dishes in the sink?