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Quadrant Homes and Woodinville Lumber: Seattle, WA
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Location: |
Seattle, WA |
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Climate Zone: |
Marine |
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Subdivision: |
N/A |
Evaluation
Start Date: |
December 2001 |
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Completion Date: |
December 2002 |
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Objectives: |
To evaluate potential improvements in jobsite safety, construction cost, and quality achieved by implementing an advanced lateral design method and an innovative shear wall holddown. |
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General Construction Information: |
Two-story, entry-level home typical of regional design. |
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Significant Results: |
- Number of holddowns was cut by more than half (from 36 to 17) with the re-engineered design; saving almost 25% ($88) on material cost
- New design improved jobsite safety
- Process required more time (2.6 hours) in wall panel plant to install metal connector plates in new holddown design
- Redesigned holddowns took longer to install—total of 6 man-hours to install the new hardware, compared to total of 2.5 man-hours to install the existing hardware
- New process eliminated a second framing inspection, saving time and money
- New design resolved an aesthetic problem in which holddowns were causing bulging of the vinyl siding
- Builder has adopted new lateral engineering analysis for designing all its new homes while retaining the existing hardware solutions
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