[UpperWestEnder]

After the bottom fell out of the real estate market, I saw construction stop on two townhouses on 18th Street and Beall west of Durham. It looked like in Houston's weather the wood was decomposing. I was shocked when I drove by again almost exactly a year later. The builder had finished the unit on the left. I mean any prospective buyer can clearly see what is under neath the stucco other exterior finishings. I'm originally from up north and wood doesn't look like this after a year exposed to the elements. It's practically fuzzy there's so much mold on it! Can one really get this past building code? Isn't it a possibility the structural integrity of that framing has been compromised? Am I just over reacting to discoloration?

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[heights]

You need to save those pictures for when the house on the right gets finished and goes up for sale. Then you can print it and just slip a few in the "For Sale" flyer box in front of the house to warn the prospective buyers. I was thinking about taking pictures of poor condition of those "Intown Condos" or whatever they're calling that re-habbed apartment complex at 15th and Heights. I thought prospective buyers might want to know about the months of accumulation of pigeon droppings in the attics, walls, etc, but I see the pigeons are still roosting there, so they already know.

[BryanS]

UpperWestEnder, on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 3:35 PM, said:

It's practically fuzzy there's so much mold on it! Can one really get this past building code? Isn't it a possibility the structural integrity of that framing has been compromised? Am I just over reacting to discoloration?

1.) Not mold. Mold needs warm, moist, DARK places to thrive, not full sunshine.
2.) Yes, it's already passed several code inspections. More to go, as they finish it.
3.) Nothing has been compromised.
4.) Yes. You are over reacting.

I'd be more concerned with the one that is finished (with stucco). This unfinished one needs hardi-plank and then call it done.

[musicman]

anything with pressed wood is low quality.

[UpperWestEnder]

BryanS, on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 7:01 PM, said:

1.) Not mold. Mold needs warm, moist, DARK places to thrive, not full sunshine.
2.) Yes, it's already passed several code inspections. More to go, as they finish it.
3.) Nothing has been compromised.
4.) Yes. You are over reacting.

Thanks Bryan! I should have figured out it's not mold. But the visual impact of the discoloration is what got to me. It was pretty much blonde wood when they both first went up. My gut says I can't find #3 to be true because it's been a year exposed to the elements and it's only pressed wood, but I agree I'm having a visceral reaction to the framing's appearance as opposed to making an evaluation because I'm a structural engineer and I know about these things. (I'm not.)

[Urbannomad]

UpperWestEnder, on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 7:47 AM, said:

Thanks Bryan! I should have figured out it's not mold. But the visual impact of the discoloration is what got to me. It was pretty much blonde wood when they both first went up. My gut says I can't find #3 to be true because it's been a year exposed to the elements and it's only pressed wood, but I agree I'm having a visceral reaction to the framing's appearance as opposed to making an evaluation because I'm a structural engineer and I know about these things. (I'm not.)

I live very near these and you couldn't pay me to buy one of them. Even our builder was shocked that a builder could/would use that wood and the city would let them. He had even been in talks with the city to get them torn down, but that was a long, complicated process obviously.

Maybe someone could make a technical argument otherwise, I don't know, but if you have a frame and floor that has set out exposed the elements for more than one year (closer to 2 if I remember correctly) with no roof or wrap there will likely be some effect on the wood. Bottom line, there is too much new construction to buy this junk. And this is coming from someone who lives nearby that doesn't want to see a vacant, unmaintained home next door, but doesn't want to see some unknowning person get stuck with this headache either.

[longhornguy]

Anybody notice the White Label Townhomes next door to Reign Lounge are getting to be in the same condition? The house-wrap was coming off last time I drove by. Thing is, with these th's everybody has seen how long they've been dormant, it would be an impossible sell once/if they ever get finished.

[barracuda]

Well, at least speaking for myself, I would be be very concerned. Unfinished wood can without a doubt lose strength and warp when exposed to a year's worth of gulf coast moisture. The cheap pressed wood that they appear to have used is only designed to withstand weather during the normally brief construction process, usually up to about two months.

In the unfinished unit, the pressed wood is clearly beginning to warp and separate already. I also expect that there is mold growing inside the house. Hopefully the builder is cleaning any mold and replacing damaged wood before finishing the house and not simply covering it up to save costs.

But aside from all that, I think those things are incredibly depressing, even the finished one.

[Porchman]

BryanS, on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 7:01 PM, said:

1.) Not mold. Mold needs warm, moist, DARK places to thrive, not full sunshine.
2.) Yes, it's already passed several code inspections. More to go, as they finish it.
3.) Nothing has been compromised.
4.) Yes. You are over reacting.

I'd be more concerned with the one that is finished (with stucco). This unfinished one needs hardi-plank and then call it done.

I'm concerned with them both. The one on the left looked the one on the right before being stuccoed-up. The pressboard on the right one is warped so one would imagine that the builder would have to strip back to the studs. Stay tuned!

longhornguy, on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 11:03 AM, said:

Anybody notice the White Label Townhomes next door to Reign Lounge are getting to be in the same condition? The house-wrap was coming off last time I drove by. Thing is, with these th's everybody has seen how long they've been dormant, it would be an impossible sell once/if they ever get finished.

Coincidentally, musicman and I gandered out the window of the Drinkery at that dormant development the other evening. Similar to those which are the subject of the post, they are really beginning to look...uh rustic. musciman observed that you cannot leave Tyvek exposed to sun for extended periods of time without it degrading. The hard western sun on those units would explain why much of the wrap is flapping in the wind.

[august948]

UpperWestEnder, on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 7:47 AM, said:

Thanks Bryan! I should have figured out it's not mold. But the visual impact of the discoloration is what got to me. It was pretty much blonde wood when they both first went up. My gut says I can't find #3 to be true because it's been a year exposed to the elements and it's only pressed wood, but I agree I'm having a visceral reaction to the framing's appearance as opposed to making an evaluation because I'm a structural engineer and I know about these things. (I'm not.)

I read somewhere that the easiest way to destroy a building is to cut an 18 inch hole in the roof and then stand back. Mother nature will take care of the rest.

[margokorin]

Not sure if I read it here or somewhere else.. but the townhouses next to reign are actually owned by the same investment group that built reign. Of course that makes no sense to me, but whatever. I dont know how anyone in their right mind would buy anything next to that place. If I remember correctly, they were an ICON devlopment. ICON has some reallty nice looking super contemporary townhouse in the Rice Military area. Im interested to see how it all will unfold, they have been abandoned for at least 6 months now.

[Scott08]

I ride my bike past the OP's townhouses at least weekly. They sat between 1-2 years and then the one on the left was finished up in just a month or so. I'm no scientist, but I can see no way that sitting in the elements that long hasn't damaged the framing of the house. I'd be amazed that anyone would buy it with its twin rotting away 2 feet away. There are examples like this all over the inner city.

[gto250us]

UpperWestEnder, on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 3:35 PM, said:

After the bottom fell out of the real estate market, I saw construction stop on two townhouses on 18th Street and Beall west of Durham. It looked like in Houston's weather the wood was decomposing. I was shocked when I drove by again almost exactly a year later. The builder had finished the unit on the left. I mean any prospective buyer can clearly see what is under neath the stucco other exterior finishings. I'm originally from up north and wood doesn't look like this after a year exposed to the elements. It's practically fuzzy there's so much mold on it! Can one really get this past building code? Isn't it a possibility the structural integrity of that framing has been compromised? Am I just over reacting to discoloration?

These things are a piece of Crap. But, some poor slob will end up buying them and be happy. There are tons of houses in Houston that are just a crappy. I is amazing what gets built and sold in this town. Oh yeah, it passes code. The problem is that Houston codes are a joke.

[RedScare]

gto250us, on Monday, August 17, 2009 at 4:13 PM, said:

Oh yeah, it passes code. The problem is that Houston codes are a joke.

I am not finding that to be the case. I just went through permitting and the review process was anything but lax. I haven't found inspections to be a once-over either. I've passed everything, but it is obviously because the people working for me know what they are doing. Watching the inspectors and listening to what they are looking for, it is clear that they are not glossing over things.

As for those two houses, sure they look like crap, aesthetically, and design wise. But, many of the posters are confusing the OSB cladding for structural members. The OSB does not support anything. It is there to lend rigidity to the structure laterally during high wind events. The discoloration is not a problem. The bigger issue is that after getting wet too many times, the glue in the OSB can begin to degrade. I would also look closely at any plywood that was exposed for the same reasons. The studs are not glued, and therefore do not have this problem. Being exposed to the weather means they are also exposed to sunlight, drying them out. While eventually the studs will degrade, it won't be in a year.

If the OSB were replaced, and the rest of the structure inspected for defects, I'd bet this house would stand up just fine. It would still be ugly, but it would be structurally sound.

[cj1]

musicman, on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 7:08 PM, said:

anything with pressed wood is low quality.

So do you mean plywood is bad too, since it's also "pressed wood" ? I think what you mean to say is anything built with OSB board is low quality and that a rather common and misguided statement. Certified OSB is comparable in every way to structural plywood and stronger on some points, none the least of which is that it's far more environmentally friendly because there is less wood waste and it can be made from faster growing wood sources.

If you're argument is that older houses have much more structural integrity on average than new houses, I wouldn't disagree with you because back in the day, they could be built relatively cheaply from strong, old-growth woods like oak, cedar and cherry. Obviously, that's not practical for all the housing going up today unless you're willing sacrifice the precious few forests we have left. I doubt you are so perhaps it's time to give this bunk a rest.

[musicman]

cj1, on Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 2:43 AM, said:

So do you mean plywood is bad too, since it's also "pressed wood" ? I think what you mean to say is anything built with OSB board is low quality and that a rather common and misguided statement. Certified OSB is comparable in every way to structural plywood and stronger on some points, none the least of which is that it's far more environmentally friendly because there is less wood waste and it can be made from faster growing wood sources.

If you're argument is that older houses have much more structural integrity on average than new houses, I wouldn't disagree with you because back in the day, they could be built relatively cheaply from strong, old-growth woods like oak, cedar and cherry. Obviously, that's not practical for all the housing going up today unless you're willing sacrifice the precious few forests we have left. I doubt you are so perhaps it's time to give this bunk a rest.

when exposed to moisture there is definitely a difference between plywood and what is on the townhome. yes they are both pressed but plywood is more resistant to warping/expansion/shrinkage than the osb. I personally wouldn't use it where it could come in contact with any moisture should a breach occur. if you want to purchase a house with roof decking (or any part) made of osb, that's your prerogative, I wouldn't.