[TowerTalk] Height of tower foundation with respect to grade

[David Branson KC0LL]

One other comment about grade height and inspections. 
The "grade" can sometimes be what ever you have the dirt to when they inspect it. So,,, if you dirt is 6 inches below the top, and it is inspected and passed, later the dirt could be raised back to where ever you want it to be, problem solved. I once build a garage on my house here in Pima County and on inspection they looked at it and said I had to tare the wall down and redo it because the siding absolutely HAD to be 6 inches above grade (dirt). So I called the next morning and said I had rebuilt the garage, they said NO WAY. I said come out and look. When they got there they found my wall 6 inches+ above the dirt. I had not raised the wall but had lowered the dirt. They B***ed and mooned but what could they do? The rules said 6 inches and I was 6 inches above the "new" grade. So they had to pass it. True story.
 

David F. Branson

Senior Technician
Action Communications, Inc. 
Tucson, AZ 
520.792.0326
520.792.2709 fax
KC0LL at comcast.net
www.kc0ll.net
www.ActionCommunications.com

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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: hdmc38 at bellsouth.net 
  To: W7CE ; towertalk at contesting.com 
  Sent: Sunday, April 05, 2009 12:48 PM
  Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Height of tower foundation with respect to grade


  I agree if you have a permit and reviewed plans that show the the base 6" above grade then that's what the inspector will want to see. Or a plan revision read that as PITA. I assume when say you sidewalk you mean a walkway on your property and not a public side walk in front of your house. The 6'' is not only for water drainage but is also part of the foundation. I think the point is to maintain the base design and keep the water from puddling at the tower base. My Rohn 45 base is approx 5' x5' x5'. The plan calls for 6" above grade. This tower is bracketed to the house. When we formed the base at the backside against he house foundation we started at  6 1/2"  ABG sloped and away from the house to the front at 5''. Giving 1 1/2 "slope for drainage, broom finish. There is also a 1/2" piece of expansion joint between the the two foundations. The inspector was happy and so was I! Of course no permit makes you the engineer. The one that is held liable. That's all. It's now your c
   all. If you install a tower or any other permitable structure and get a permit and inspections If nothing happens it's all trash. On the the other hand if somehow someway something does go wrong and it can.Then that paperwork is gold. Last time I checked gold was close to $1000.00 an once.JMHO. Good luck and always follow the  K7LXC golden rule and you will be fine.
  --
  73 K4XZ Joe Patrick 
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