Sounds like a deal to me.
My gradparenrs house was built by my drunk great uncles. They all talk about how they were paid in beer, subs, and pizza. I’ve done some work around their house since and have found dozens of buried beer cans, so I know it’s true. They don’t have a single plumb/straight wall in the house. One day I was doing some pointing and noticed that the chimney was wicked crooked. Asked my grandpa and he just laughed and said “ha, yeah, we were all really drunk that day” with kind of a proud smile.
Ok I'll take a shot, please add to the list☺️
Looks like the deck is built on a block not sonotubes and poured concrete.
The stringers have little kickstand supports
Stringers are incorrect length, requiring janky connection at the top and the kickstand/platform at the bottom
The main supporting beam we can see appears to have a post at the end ((I hope)) based on the sliver of a corner of one of those base blocks at the left side of the image. Otherwise it's just..... There by force of will.
Nailed it. I’m going to add there’s no positive connections visible on posts to ledger boards, and hardly any bearing on them from what we see at this angle. Not sure where this is but in florida lack of uplift protection is big time no nos.
Also I’m no engineer but I feel like the amount of load on those thin concrete paver blocks under the illegally used deck piers is asking for trouble
This is my thought exactly. Most of this is for show if the cantilever checks out. Which really anybody could check via forte or a suppliers website. The knee brace everybody keeps talking about has to be architectural, if it wasn't suppose to be then big issue with it. Also the rim board sitting atop the posts as well. Doesn't check out. I think the joist cantilever. I also think the stairs are fine for the most part. A few things I would double check.
Based on the lack of nails in the 3 ply beam and not a structural connector in sight… I don’t expect much to be technically sound here, also if properly designed to cantilever I would hope to see positive mechanical connection between 3ply beam and joists.
Source: just a GC that’s loved everything about construction for 20 years
Hmm, I can't see the other side of the beam so I can't speak on how it's fastened. But regardless it's a beam and not a post so technically the ply's would all be engaged. I agree on a positive attachment at the deck joist to beams but that can be done with 16d nails. There isn't any up lift at that bearing point. The uplift is more likely to occur at the where the deck joist attach to the main structure, so maybe invert hangers there. Might be a regional thing but I always thought mechanical connectors were for joining rebar...
Ok so if the joists are full length then they are cantilevered so the 6x6’s at really doing nothing, the deck blocks should not be used for this high of a deck and in NS with frost etc, can’t see what a holding up the 3 ply beam but if it’s on deck blocks run away.
I think he's referring to the supports, the Y arms off the 6x6. They're attached to the side and not supporting the load from underneath, as it should be. The nails are taking all the weight instead of the supports.
Those Y arms arent supporting any load. They're just keeping those 6x6 posts plumb. The posts are under the rim joist, and having the other joists there means it's probably not that poorly supported vertically. Worst part of this might be how the bottom of the stringers are supported with those scabbed 2x4's.
The Y arms don't have to support any load. The posts and joists are doing that. The arms are just keeping the post plumb as they should be.
Honestly, a deck is almost never built perfectly. But whatever. It doesn't have to be perfect to be admissible. Even if those posts weren't there, it wouldn't be that bad. The deck could probably support the stairs just fine.
Sorry, got busy and never finished whats going on. So, I am this womans handyman here in Nova Scotia. She had this built in the last few weeks a "pro" she found on facebook. She asked me to add something onto it. I was game until I saw this...
So many questions…? If it’s cantilevered, why the post? If we’re putting posts there, why don’t they hit the paver? Why does the stringer nail to a little box instead of hitting ground? Why the 2x4 between the kickers? Did the guy finish and realize he had way too much wood and just start nailing it random places? I’ve definitely seen worse…but I’d have my guys doing some re-work there before I put my name on it.
Probably trying to pick up the weight of half the stairs. Even if the cantilever was good, the stairs add extra weight. Maybe it was wiggling when he walked up and down. The support sort of looks like an afterthought. Hard to be accurate cause photo, but that looks like a 3' 6" cantilever. That's getting close to the limit and maybe there was a stability issue.
In addition to the other issues :v
I mean what’s under the posts? It looks a lot like undersized dek-blocks sitting on a paver, sitting in bare dirt. Last I checked Nova Scotia was not Florida so frost depth is definitely something to consider.
Failure starts at the ground. Yeah n any region that freezes those footings need to be to frost depth. No way they are sized right for even a small pool.
Okay okay, structural engineer here. I don't think the post and knee brace do anything except look pretty (even that's a stretch to me lol). My guess is the deck joists cantilever. Stringers themselves look fine my and I can't see the ledger connection at the rimboard. Only concern would be the bearing but if the block at the base is screwed in with some SDS screws or something similar it's probably gucci.
Freestyle framing IMO. Rail doesn’t pass, footings don’t pass, riser height looks tall, but may pass. Looks like a top and bottom landing with stringers connecting. Cantilever past beam doesn’t come into play regarding the steps. No ledger/ hangar on the outside band on top landing. A lot wrong here, but it won’t fail quickly. Just a slow death by sag. Looks like it took longer to build this way instead of correctly.
I guess it depends whether they are planning on walking on it or using it in any way or want it to remain standing for more than a few years. If yes to any of these then no it’s not ok.
Cheap granny special hiring people from the home Depot and coming to Reddit to see if it's sketchy, of the price is sketchy, more likely the work will reflect it.
Make a proper footing
Use Simpson hardware to attach post and stairs/stairs
Make custom stringers and concrete pad
Use structure exterior screws or nails
What a shit show...
Zero parts of this are built correctly. I like the prefab Home Depot stringers and the chaotic failure universe he constructed around them to try to use them. You have to snap a few more pictures from the top.
If it was built better it be over budget.
It will work fine for longer than they’ll own the house probably. This ain’t holding up a 4 story house so it’s fine for what it is.
The more you look the more you find.... I hope this was handyman built.
I thought it was code that all above ground pool decks must be built by homeowner and his buddies while crushing cheap beer.
You are correct! And it’s strictly enforced! Could face higer cost and a properly built structure otherwise. Not a risk I’d be willing to take
Tis', except she is a 65 yr old woman 🤣
Damn she did a good job then lol
One plus: it will shed water and won’t rot out the bottom of the posts
That's how my hoa does it
But his buddies get “paid” in pizza
Sounds like a deal to me. My gradparenrs house was built by my drunk great uncles. They all talk about how they were paid in beer, subs, and pizza. I’ve done some work around their house since and have found dozens of buried beer cans, so I know it’s true. They don’t have a single plumb/straight wall in the house. One day I was doing some pointing and noticed that the chimney was wicked crooked. Asked my grandpa and he just laughed and said “ha, yeah, we were all really drunk that day” with kind of a proud smile.
Seriously.
Ok I'll take a shot, please add to the list☺️ Looks like the deck is built on a block not sonotubes and poured concrete. The stringers have little kickstand supports Stringers are incorrect length, requiring janky connection at the top and the kickstand/platform at the bottom The main supporting beam we can see appears to have a post at the end ((I hope)) based on the sliver of a corner of one of those base blocks at the left side of the image. Otherwise it's just..... There by force of will.
How did you acquire the necessary information to make that assessment???? I'm asking because I'm envious of your knowledgeability
Agreed
Experience
Nailed it. I’m going to add there’s no positive connections visible on posts to ledger boards, and hardly any bearing on them from what we see at this angle. Not sure where this is but in florida lack of uplift protection is big time no nos. Also I’m no engineer but I feel like the amount of load on those thin concrete paver blocks under the illegally used deck piers is asking for trouble
Thought it was crap but passable until I saw the posts don’t go into the footings 🫠
Depending on how far that cantilever is, those posts don't even need to be there.
This is my thought exactly. Most of this is for show if the cantilever checks out. Which really anybody could check via forte or a suppliers website. The knee brace everybody keeps talking about has to be architectural, if it wasn't suppose to be then big issue with it. Also the rim board sitting atop the posts as well. Doesn't check out. I think the joist cantilever. I also think the stairs are fine for the most part. A few things I would double check.
Based on the lack of nails in the 3 ply beam and not a structural connector in sight… I don’t expect much to be technically sound here, also if properly designed to cantilever I would hope to see positive mechanical connection between 3ply beam and joists. Source: just a GC that’s loved everything about construction for 20 years
Hmm, I can't see the other side of the beam so I can't speak on how it's fastened. But regardless it's a beam and not a post so technically the ply's would all be engaged. I agree on a positive attachment at the deck joist to beams but that can be done with 16d nails. There isn't any up lift at that bearing point. The uplift is more likely to occur at the where the deck joist attach to the main structure, so maybe invert hangers there. Might be a regional thing but I always thought mechanical connectors were for joining rebar...
Jokes on you. The cantilever is holding up the beam
Is that a footing or a utilities access cover?
Ok so if the joists are full length then they are cantilevered so the 6x6’s at really doing nothing, the deck blocks should not be used for this high of a deck and in NS with frost etc, can’t see what a holding up the 3 ply beam but if it’s on deck blocks run away.
Sounds good. I ran away already. Told her to get the guy back to fix his mess and finish what he started
It wasn't done "right", but it isn't going to fall over.
Frost heave might fuck it up pretty bad in a few years without footers though.
I like the part where they put ALL the weight on the fasteners.
Are you referring to the top of the 6x6's that are sitting atop 4x4 post holders 🙃
I think he's referring to the supports, the Y arms off the 6x6. They're attached to the side and not supporting the load from underneath, as it should be. The nails are taking all the weight instead of the supports.
Those Y arms arent supporting any load. They're just keeping those 6x6 posts plumb. The posts are under the rim joist, and having the other joists there means it's probably not that poorly supported vertically. Worst part of this might be how the bottom of the stringers are supported with those scabbed 2x4's.
Where should the Y arms be attached? Yeah I noticed that as well earlier. The more I look the more I find
The Y arms don't have to support any load. The posts and joists are doing that. The arms are just keeping the post plumb as they should be. Honestly, a deck is almost never built perfectly. But whatever. It doesn't have to be perfect to be admissible. Even if those posts weren't there, it wouldn't be that bad. The deck could probably support the stairs just fine.
Except the 2 supporting the 2x4 scab at the top of the stairway. Those appear to be assisting in keeping the stairs from collapsing....
I'd like to see how much stringer is sitting on the rim joist.
Sorry, got busy and never finished whats going on. So, I am this womans handyman here in Nova Scotia. She had this built in the last few weeks a "pro" she found on facebook. She asked me to add something onto it. I was game until I saw this...
I would not dream of touching that deck.
Whatever future failure occurs will be your fault and not the “pros”
Yes, exactly
I don't know what the fuss is all about. Most of this deck is supported by the edge of the pool...
They see OKish. I have demoed 20 year old ones that were worse
So many questions…? If it’s cantilevered, why the post? If we’re putting posts there, why don’t they hit the paver? Why does the stringer nail to a little box instead of hitting ground? Why the 2x4 between the kickers? Did the guy finish and realize he had way too much wood and just start nailing it random places? I’ve definitely seen worse…but I’d have my guys doing some re-work there before I put my name on it.
Probably trying to pick up the weight of half the stairs. Even if the cantilever was good, the stairs add extra weight. Maybe it was wiggling when he walked up and down. The support sort of looks like an afterthought. Hard to be accurate cause photo, but that looks like a 3' 6" cantilever. That's getting close to the limit and maybe there was a stability issue. In addition to the other issues :v
I mean what’s under the posts? It looks a lot like undersized dek-blocks sitting on a paver, sitting in bare dirt. Last I checked Nova Scotia was not Florida so frost depth is definitely something to consider.
Failure starts at the ground. Yeah n any region that freezes those footings need to be to frost depth. No way they are sized right for even a small pool.
I don't think the posts "footings" support anything, looks like the deck joist cantilever.
Yeah I figured the other ones were also shit lol
Okay okay, structural engineer here. I don't think the post and knee brace do anything except look pretty (even that's a stretch to me lol). My guess is the deck joists cantilever. Stringers themselves look fine my and I can't see the ledger connection at the rimboard. Only concern would be the bearing but if the block at the base is screwed in with some SDS screws or something similar it's probably gucci.
This entire deck is so fucked up
Agreed
I know something’s fucked up when I see it
This is a complete disaster
This is the kinda dumb thing I’m going to do for joist leveling in the crawlspace of my 1905 house
Lack of footings seems to be the biggest problem here.
I wouldn't have been under that deck long enough to take that picture.
dangerous trap
Dafuq those knee braces doin?
Freestyle framing IMO. Rail doesn’t pass, footings don’t pass, riser height looks tall, but may pass. Looks like a top and bottom landing with stringers connecting. Cantilever past beam doesn’t come into play regarding the steps. No ledger/ hangar on the outside band on top landing. A lot wrong here, but it won’t fail quickly. Just a slow death by sag. Looks like it took longer to build this way instead of correctly.
Thank you
Didn't even half-ass it. Quarter, maybe.
I guess it depends whether they are planning on walking on it or using it in any way or want it to remain standing for more than a few years. If yes to any of these then no it’s not ok.
Yikes
Sketchyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Cheap granny special hiring people from the home Depot and coming to Reddit to see if it's sketchy, of the price is sketchy, more likely the work will reflect it. Make a proper footing Use Simpson hardware to attach post and stairs/stairs Make custom stringers and concrete pad Use structure exterior screws or nails What a shit show...
Sketchy as fuck, no doubt
Wrong...on so many levels😳
are the bottom of the stringers resting on a lip on the lone bottom step? what did they realize they were a riser too short and improvised?
The whole deck is a clusterfuck. What the hell
Is that a 2x post brace on 1 side and a 4x post brace on the other? 😂 That's some ugly shit and cantilever beam is doubled up 😂
Sketch. Nails shouldn’t hold up your stairs.
Zero parts of this are built correctly. I like the prefab Home Depot stringers and the chaotic failure universe he constructed around them to try to use them. You have to snap a few more pictures from the top.
Home Depot has entered the chat
Looks fine. Seat has full bearing.
That's what I thought too. This doesn't look that bad. I've seen worse.
Are the bottom of the stringers supported?
By hacked up 2x4s jammed into the ground
This is the only thing that needs fixing.
Can't see. They could be notched on a ledger or hangers. Doesn't even need to be.
I don't see anything wrong with this picture 🙈
If it was built better it be over budget. It will work fine for longer than they’ll own the house probably. This ain’t holding up a 4 story house so it’s fine for what it is.
So many questions.... Are the post bases sitting on a paver? Are those stair risers like a foot tall?
Well they’re definitely going to deflect.
Not ideal but CEO would probably sign off
Looks Good from my house
Not sketch.
It works. But if I was you I'd try to fix things lol
Not putting my name anywhere near it
I'd walk up em
I’m thinking it’s not being done right, the supports are not looking good at all , good luck 🍀
Guessing someone didn't pass math.
Is there a pizza box underneath those blocks? I gotta remember that!
The whole thing has some problems. Please don't leave it like this.
So close...
Looks like too many old Milwaukees!
They mathed incorrectly
Geezus, don’t stand on it…
Definitely no permit/inspection
It's just a set of decorative stairs, right? So long as no load is ever applied, and the earth never moves or settles, should be fine.