In short: The bracket was there and the joist was in it. What was missing were the nails that make the bracket do its job.
Fitted is not fixed
We photographed a joist hanger in a Werribee frame that had been fitted but never nailed off. The joist sat in the bracket, so it looked finished. Without its nails, though, the hanger was not holding the joist at all.
Bolts from the engineering
On another Werribee frame, bolts shown in the engineering were missing from a structural connection. The fix is quick before plaster and difficult after it.
Bracing panels
We also recorded a bracing panel narrower than the 900mm its detail was written for. Short panels need their own detail, and the builder was asked to confirm it with the engineer.
Why frame stage
These are all items that disappear behind plaster within days. The frame inspection is the only practical time to catch them.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Werribee. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
