Installing Gables on a house?

Question

I am building a house out of stone/stucco. The front of the house was supposed to have 4 decorative gables. Now the stone and stucco is complete and have noticed they were left off. My builder said they are for decorative purpose only...and serve no other purpose. They are attached to the front of the stucco and stone. I disagree and think he is just trying to cover his *** now that he screwed up. Do people actually just attach them for looks? I thought they were called vents for a reason...to vent your attic.

Answer 1

First of all the building inspector is just that and not a construction consultant. He/She is not qualified to tell you how a project should be done, they simply and rather loosely tell you if a project is up to code. Many building inspectors have less knowledge than a 3rd year apprenctice. The building inspector will simply check to see if a permit was issued. If your proposal states that 4 gable vents were to be installed then get out your proposal and insist that they be put in as stated in the proposal. If you do not have a written proposal that is detailed enough to show this, consider that a lesson learned.

I constantly lose jobs to contractors who either low ball the price, or do not list specifics on their contracts. I list everything from floor joist size and spacing to thickness of drywall, manufacturers name/ style of ceramic tile to color of grout. Any future work you have done needs to have this type of proposal with detail.

Yes some gable vents are decorative, however that does not mean they do not have ventialtion benefits also. You said your home was stucco and stone - I would assume that the gables are stucco. This is not a difficult task to cut in the vents in stucco. A grinder with a diamond blade, the actual vent and a couple hours labor for each. The framework of the gable back behind does not need removed, just simply cut out the gable sheating to allow air flow into the attic. If it is stone this takes a little longer, and a small steel lintel is needed above the gable vent. I would say maybe 4-5 hours to cut a gable vent in through stone.

I take it your builder is not yet finished with the house so you need to watch him/her from now on. You have the purse strings also (which is a big deal). You could say " We both know the gable vents were to be installed, when you put them in - I will pay you your next draw. From now on we will discuss everything you are planning to do to eliminate any future deletions on your part."

Some Contractors ruin it for the rest of us. Those kind of people require a short leash and a high level of scrutiny. Your builder has caused a red flag to appear - don't ignore it.

Answer 2

Gables are the pointed section of wall below the inverted "V" formed by two planes of the roof. The devices that I think you're are talking about are triangular shaped and fitted into the wall just below the roof. They are NOT gables, but are called Gable Vents.



If this is what your are talking about, then whether the contractor is telling you the truth or not about them just being "decorative" depends on whether or not there is ADEQUATE other ventilation method(s) provided in the roof construction.



All building codes REQUIRE adequate attic ventillation, and specify the total amount of opening required relative to the square footage of the attic area.



1. Tell your contractor this and then ask to show you the required ventillation devices. If he cannot, or will not, then stop dealing with him, don't argue with him, and contact your local building Inspection Department.



2. Give them the approximate square footage of the attic area, and ask them how many square inches, or square feet of attic ventillation is required, AND the methods of venting allowed.



3. Then when you understand the process, go back to the house when the contractor is not there, and look for the attic vents.



There are several methods of venting. Gable vents, Ridge vents which attach along the Ridge [very top, center of the roof, and are often concealed by being covered with shingles, leaving a thin gap between the vent and the roof below], Slotted and screened vents all along the underside, and length of the Eave overhang, many small round vents with [2 to 3 inch diameter] louvres [slots] in them.



4. IF you cannot find any attic ventillation method, then go bact to the Building Inspection office, and ask for an Inspector to come check it for you. If proper ventillation has been provided, the s/he can point it out to you, and IF there is no ventillation, or it's inadequate, then s/he will "make" the contractor do it right.



This step 4 is going to piss-off your contractor, but if it wasn't done properly, then you could have serious moisture, and possibly MOLD problems "down the road."



IF there is "other," adequate ventillation for the attic, then your contractor is right, and there is no need for Gable vents, and cosmetic simulated "fakes" could be applied IF you wanted them for asthetic reasons.

Answer 3

Are you talking about gable vents? In many instances they are in fact used to vent attics, however it seems that many are being used for decoration nowadays to carry a special motif. You may want to have an inspector come to evaluate your home and make sure the attic has sufficient vents.