NLV: Codes solve building woes

Art Nadler

Monday, Feb. 10, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

A year after establishing tougher building codes, the North Las Vegas Building Safety Department is confident it has controlled home-defect construction problems.

The department, in conjunction with the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, has developed a new set of guidelines that includes deeper footer posts, thicker cement floor slabs and removal or remixing of problem soils.

"We have had no new problems since we began last January (1996)," said North Las Vegas Public Works Director Gary Holler. "Everything seems to be working magnificently."

The new regulations call for up to 30-inch footers instead of the standard 12 inches, floor slabs 6 inches thick instead of 3 1/2 inches and reconditioning of soils.

These types of problem soils are found in some areas of North Las Vegas and Las Vegas:

* EXPANSIVE SOIL: Consists of dried-out clay that expands with force when wet. Homeowners can trigger this when they water their lawns or when it rains.

* COLLAPSIBLE SOIL: This is dried-out soil that sinks when wet.

* SUBSIDENCE: A condition whereby land sinks as a result of groundwater being pumped out.

Holler said the city has a special tractor with a drilling device that can test ground moisture up to 4 feet deep. This way, he said, inspectors can see if contractors are building according to code.

"You stabilize moisture under the slab and provide stiffer footers," Holler explained. "If you are on clay soils, you should be concerned. Ask the developer what he has done to make sure the problem has been fixed."

Holler recommends that anyone thinking of buying a home first obtain a copy of the soil report from Clark County or the responsible city building department.

Holler said building department representatives are available to explain soil reports to consumers planning to buy homes in new subdivisions.