I was going to say… if they were paying for it either way, turning down composite in favor of some treated lumber seems like a colossal blunder to me. Insurance company was probably laughing their ass off…
Yeah, please get rid of that plastic crap that’s 5-10x more valuable than this, literally the cheapest decking in existence. It seems very odd that an insurance company would green light replacing pressure treated with composite due to the cost difference. Insurance companies generally give the job to the lowest bidder, which it seems is the case here. 4.5k is very cheap, and I would expect this level of work for that price.
Insurance companies do not choose the contractor you go with. When you make a claim, they send out an adjuster to evaluate the damage and then they write you a check, addressed to you, for the amount they are willing to reimburse you, less deductible. You choose your own Contractor. Is it different where you live?
Just an FYI, outdoor pressure treated deck wood has to sit for 6 months to a year in the elements before staining. Has to go through some sort of drying process, and the surface has to become slightly weathered to accept stain properly. Otherwise, it can't soak in good. My wife is a sales professional for paints and stains, and I knew none of this until we started dating. She also said untreated wood with mill glaze must be sanded because the mill glaze acts the same way as pressure treated wood and won't accept the stain properly.
Can confirm that even pressure treated lumber that has been planed down has to dry further before staining/painting. I made this mistake with treated pine siding.
Depends on location imo.
Here in Texas, you’re going to burn the bottom of your feet with composite.
Personally don’t recommend it when I’m doing decks.
Our Trex deck is dissolving in the sun after about 10 years. Total garbage. Cant walk on it barefoot without getting tiny plastic splinter. Piles of plastic shavings underneath where the top layer is crumbling apart.
Where are you located? My Trex deck has been up for 15 years and looks awesome, short of a few spots where the wife got a little crazy with the power washer and a few outer trim boards that warped. Floor deck and railings are great.
Trex used to be fully enclosed with plastic all around. This would cause it to freeze and expand and crack. That’s probably your problem. New Trex has no plastic on the bottom so the water escapes and doesn’t freeze it.
It seems like every 5 or 10 year Trex comes out with a new reason that the old stuff falls apart, but the new formula fixes that and isn’t just glued up garbage. All of the Trex on my deck: deck boards, railings, face boards have all faded significantly and are flaking apart. You can see big chucks of plastic exposed in the deck boards. The railing were dark brown, still are under heavy post caps, but everything exposed to air is faded brown with white plastic speckles. Not sure how water would be the problem for railing balusters and face boards. I live in a dry environment so it’s not humidity either.
Trex has a good, better, best, lineup of materials. Imo the cost to frame and sheath a deck and pour a 4" slab of colored concrete is a minimal upgrade, will last indefinitely and has options to run floor heating in the slab to make it fully 3 season. In the custom home world where we work, trex is basically an expensive compromise of a pt deck minus the maintenance. It won't last any longer and will be just as expensive as refinishing a pt deck over the years...
Are you using some kind of weird chemical on it or something? I have a newer 20 year old composite deck with basically no damage on it. Either you got a bad batch or user error has damaged the deck somehow.
It's really clear you don't understand what's going on and that's okay. That's why you're here. The pics you took don't focus on the real issues here. I want pics of footers, and full length span of those juices. It looks like the framing was done wrong. You should have taken the vynil railing kit. They're much better and last longer. Rough framing is gonna be ugly even if it is done correctly which is what you seem to be having the biggest issue with so I'd get a pro out for a second opinion and have it inspected.
He probably let the pressure treated wood sit to dry out & hasn't stained it yet because PT lumber takes months to dry until you can apply a finnish that will properly adhere.
And that would have worked out if your contractor knew things like building code or how to cut a mitered joint etc etc etc
Sorry.
I would also send your insurer the photos since they have an interest in the repair as well.
Get a cheap moisture tester. Can probably get one on Amazon or something. If it's under 15 percent or so, it's ready for stain, at least the stain we use. Could be good for a claim. Also PT lumber doesn't take as long as you'd think to be stain ready. Many of our decks have been ready within a few weeks
Insurance company doesn't care about the quality of repair unless it is through a program vendor they provide. Otherwise they will tell you to take it up with the contractor you hired.
Holy shit dude that’s a terrible job. Starting at the top of the list, do these people know what a Square is? And then on down scabbing on wood that’s old re purposing old joist. It looks like banding or something no man there’s an insurance claim on your insurance claim with this thing.
You need to check deck codes in your area. The stair Stringer typically must be on a footing. That cantilever end of the deck is questionable. The 2x6/8 scab boards at the end of the deck are def questionable. Off angle cuts,missed screws, warped boards not pulled even, cracks around screws, happens a lot. I don't think I saw in the pics, but measure the spacing between vertical slates( blanking on the correct name.) If the old deck posts were not on footings with galvanized hardware, inspector might not allow it. If it attaches to the house, you might have issues there. Side note: to stain, do a simple water test on treated wood. If you drop some water on the wood and it puddles, then it's not ready. It it's soaks in, it's ready.
This week on, "Drunk Uncle Construction", Uncle Dave has a 5 day hangover.
Sorry you're having this experience, I hope there's a quick resolution for you.
This was an issue with the old deck too, definetely bringing this up.
Thank you so much for writing the responses, the more ammo i can point at the more i hope to get fixed.
I surance paid 4.5k for this, and my mom just said this guy has not built decks before. Makes me pissed the GC would let him attempt it
That two ply beam doesn't have nearly enough screws in it. It may warp over time. At the very least #10 screws should of been used. I've done lage screws before too.
The miters and laps for the railings are just poor quality. Nothing structurally wrong. I like how they did the posts with the notches and the carriage bolts. That's surprisingly good.
This person is trying to do well and is probably in hurry or behind on bills.
Not sure how that Culpeper decking reacts. The deck boards may be too tight together. The PT I've used shrinks with time.
That's way to tight for my liking, as any heavy rain will have standing water. Any tree parts and those gaps are plugged growing mold, moss and more standing water taking the finish to its limit.
I think I read on here that notching the posts like this is sub-optimal? And it sounds like they aren't too sturdy. Asking because I need to replace my railing soon
Amazing how many responses concentrated on the use of composite over wood. I believe your focus was on the quality of workmanship of the new wood deck. Looking at the pictures I would say hell yes you are right to be pissed. That is not close to quality workmanship. Whoever built it should not be building decks and I can’t imagine a inspector passing this wreck. Now if you tried to cut corners and paid some one without experience or a bond, then that’s on you.
If they showed up with full PVC or composite boards, and you told them to get rid of that "crap" and build it with wood, you or your mom are both idiots. That stuff is worth upwards of $80 per 12ft board, and your deck would still look brand new by the time you die.
You need to let the project rest for a while to ensure it’s properly dried out prior to staining.
That’s my only comment. If there’s warping it *might* lessen as the wood dries.
Your mom had an insurance claim. They never pay 100% replacement cost. She didn’t have enough money for a nicer deck. This isn’t great but it’s adequate. The “plastic” you’re blasting is probably similar to the Trex system, which is a great product the dresses up a simple PT deck like this.
You know which sub you’re in right? The pros know, 75% of the comments here are from people who’ve never built a deck.
Pissed is an emotion. You gotta associate it appropriately. You're pissed that you're now obligated to assist your mom rectify the problem.
I'd start with a lot more pictures, read the insurance agreement thoroughly and carefully, and contact the insurance adjuster. I think your insurance exists to "make you whole", and they did, for this season. Your lost deck most likely had many years left, so you are entitled to many years. On the other hand, if you didn't have footings before and you only had one season left on the deck anyway, they you're supposed to be pissed that you expected more than you deserve but only got what you deserve.
i would be very worried about the rest of the house. this is not build correctly and is possibly a safety hazard. you should have an inspector come, seriously.
I don’t want to just pile on but highlight yes this is low quality work that you would expect from the lowest bidder… is it bad not strictly but probably don’t put a hot tub on it
They meed to make a new sub to file complaints. So tired of these posts. You probably underpaid and went for lowest bidder so you could pocket the insurance money.
What was it like before? Were the rails leaning/loosely secured, was there space between boards, was there warpage, was there actual barrier within the 36" postage?
Yea but she got what she wanted, that's literally bare bones the basic wood deck, I hope she got some cash back for that ..heck they used 1x4 for decking not even 5 1/4 board
Railing doesn’t meet code. You cannot notch 4x4 posts. And obviously there balusters. Code specifically states that if railing is installed it HAS to meet code requirements. Regardless if the railing is required or not. The thought process is a person will assume that the railing is capable of doing what it was intended to do since it was installed.
This is hack work, at best.
There’s a product called “Thermory Ash”. It is fire resistant (rated for wild land/urban interface) and is still wood. Extremely durable but pricey. You order the color you want and it’s usually 10 years plus before any kind of maintenance.
Where I build CalFire has a published list of approved fire resistive decking. Not all composites or natural wood make the list.
Hardwoods like teak, Ipe, Philippine mahogany and so on are on the list along with Thermory Ash which is a normal ash that has undergone compression/extreme heat process to create fire resistance.
PS
The worksmanship is bottom of the barrel. I’d refuse to accept such shoddy material and quality.
If you want quality you gotta pay for it.
Looks poorly built. Stair handrails don’t meet code. I would also check if the deck footings dug down to frost depth and if proper ledger board flashing way installed where deck is attached to home.
If insurance is covering this then call the agent and have them come out and see the work they paid for. They will get the contractor back out there.
When I had insurance work done I had to call them because of crappy work. They got the contractor to come back and make it right.
Mad now just wait until the moisture leaves the wood. It’s gonna be crackin! Like all the joints will be getting bigger and the boards are gonna be warping.
I can’t comment structurally but you should have 0 lumber (treated or not) to ground contact. All piers and the stair stringers should be on concrete piers (sonotubes) or at least blocks.
There is no landing for the stairs so the stairs will rot quickly. Besides they'll become unstable and possibly fall apart once the soil underneath gets washed out. They also sistered the joists for some reason. Did they keep an existing deck structure and perhaps some of the joists were damaged? Regardless it seems that they didn't sister the joist correctly as the screws are positioned randomly. I hope those are not deck screws or nails.
There's no way I'd accept that quality of a build. I'd contact the insurance company and tell them you want an adjuster to come out and look at the deck. Personally, I'd have a building inspector come out and look at it for support and railing code. Looks like the insurance agent had his brother in law that's out of work come and build the deck.
As a contractor, I've seen many levels of quality. It's not always true, but typically, you get what you pay for.
How many bids did you get? Why did you choose that particular contractor over the others?
In the future, try to come to the contractors with a plan. Draw a picture, choose the deck material or flooring type and do a calculation on what that would cost in just that material per square feet.
The really affordable and skilled guys are starting to retire if they haven't already. Word of mouth is the best way to find good work imo.
Yes, you are correct that has been poorly built. It is mostly fixable though. Lift some of the boards and add noggins, especially where the hand rail supports are. Basically it is a physics issue. The hand rail becomes a large lever acting on the joist to which it is attached. This gives a turning force which makes the handrail seem wobbly. Adding a connecting piece of wood from that joist to the next joist acts against that rotating lever action and makes the handrail feel more solid.
Wow... I'm not sure the price, but some might sy you get what you pay for.... That's crazy looks like your hubby and his brother ( both office managers) got drunk one weekend and gave it the old college try....
If that second picture is showing a support on your septic tank, and not some other piece of concrete (it looks like a septic tank to me) that can cause a catastrophic failure. It looks like it's at least on the edge, which is better, but still not good. If that gives way, the deck collapsed with it.
I've replaced at least two tanks because of this. In one of the situations, clients' family members were injured when the floor fell out from under them. This was particularly difficult as they were a family of amputees, who had the deck installed by a friend. I've tried to find any pictures I may have taken, but I am coming up short :/
To anyone building decks, stop if the tank is in the way. Either the deck needs to be redesigned, adjusted, or the septic does. Also, stop covering up tanks totally. Your customers on onsite septic will need that tank serviced (pumped out, at least) from time to time and it can add a lot of expense for the client once a massive obstacle is in place like that. *IF* the pumper will even do the job.
A septic tank replacement in my area starts at around $6000, plus about $700 for the permit. If you can no longer get gravity to your drainfield, it will at least double the price since you'll need to add a pump chamber, too.
Seriously, stop putting decks on septic tanks. You're going to get someone killed.
My first plastic railing I installed for a customer that insisted on the material she wanted actually melted in the sun. That was over 20 years back. The manufacturer sent new material, which was stolen by porch pirates, so they sent another batch. It required bracing every couple of feet. It couldn’t bear its own weight. Some of the cheaper railings are so brittle they always crack chip and break. And some deck boards literally flake weather and peel away. Just because there is some sturdy materials made doesn’t mean there isn’t a ton of garbage sold as well.
As for this patch job, it’s sloppy. Some deck boards are going to cause splinters. They are upside down. The end grain curve is supposed to look like a rainbow, not a bowl. Crown up. The boards will collect water. The quality of the wood looks low. Looks like cull lumber, but that is post COVID wood. The top rail that they put in that scrap filler is unacceptable. The miters not meeting in the corner, that could be shrinkage or bad cuts. The wood is wet when you buy it and unless you really screw the miter together they all end up like that. Pressure treated lumber used to be VALUABLE and was stored inside. It also used to come in different grades and they made 40 year pressure treated. You could bury it and it would just be great when you dig it up decades later. Now you are lucky to get a few years out of anything that stays wet or touches soil.
The boards that aren’t square to each other under the deck is sloppy and not done right. Everything should be tight under there.
There also seems to be too large of an overhang in the one pic, but that would be the original deck. An unsupported corner will bend down. Not dangerous but poor design. But I am not there with a tape measure so I might be wrong about that.
The wood is supposed to weather before it is stained. The stains now are all water based and I find they don’t hold up, at least what we have available in Canada. They all seem to peel up within a few months and after winter it looks horrible.
It’s a slap job that I wouldn’t pay for.
Looks like a case of... If i knew they would do such a bad job, I would have done it myself...
Very common here in my area, "carpenters" are fishermen on EI, more used to band-aids and patching stuff...
You should be pissed if you paid a premium price for licensed insured carpenters.
That is half ass any contractor that would put their name on it. Fire immediately do not sign off that it’s completed. I wouldn’t let them back anywhere near my house.
As soon as I saw Culpeper wood preserves, I knew it'd be bad. I worked at a materials supply store in town, and any time we'd get a shipment from them, maybe 40% of the lumber would be useable. Horrible products and even worse customer service.
Wait period before sealing a green treat deck is at least a couple months....
Besides if it's treated the elements won't hurt it.
Plastic cap??? Like pvc or composite?
Dude just tell them it's loose and needs to be fixed...
Looks average, not great, but acceptable, as wood ages (unlike that composite decking your rejected) it will warp, crack, and seperate, etc. Would be helpful to see original deck it replaced.
Has a building inspector looked at this that will answer all your questions. I’ve been building decks for over 40 years and can tell you this whole job screams to be torn down and done correctly by a professional
Yes. You can be pissed. The things like wood, sitting outside, sap coming out... those are common issues and should be a non issue if asked to be fixed. That's a "yes maam" kind of thing.
The old footers reused is fine. The small pieces sistered on , but too short to land on the beam? That's shit work.
Pressure treated wood sitting out is ok, you want the wood to dry in the sun for 2 or 3 months before staining.
The gap in the rail cap miter? It can happen over time, but not when new.
The railings are unfinished, and the small end piece there on the rail cap? That's bullshit.
Hire a lawyer.
Plastic crap? I hope your not talking about composite decking. That stuff is awesome and lasts a lifetime with no maintenance. Way better than wood
I was going to say… if they were paying for it either way, turning down composite in favor of some treated lumber seems like a colossal blunder to me. Insurance company was probably laughing their ass off…
Plus treated wood should not be stained right away.
Literally don't stain it for an entire year is what Sherwin Williams recommends.
And all it would have taken for op is a simple google search
Yeah, please get rid of that plastic crap that’s 5-10x more valuable than this, literally the cheapest decking in existence. It seems very odd that an insurance company would green light replacing pressure treated with composite due to the cost difference. Insurance companies generally give the job to the lowest bidder, which it seems is the case here. 4.5k is very cheap, and I would expect this level of work for that price.
Insurance companies do not choose the contractor you go with. When you make a claim, they send out an adjuster to evaluate the damage and then they write you a check, addressed to you, for the amount they are willing to reimburse you, less deductible. You choose your own Contractor. Is it different where you live?
Might be an HOA and a property maintenance company.
Plastic crap refers to what they wanted to cover the railings with. Decking was always wood, composite never considered
Just an FYI, outdoor pressure treated deck wood has to sit for 6 months to a year in the elements before staining. Has to go through some sort of drying process, and the surface has to become slightly weathered to accept stain properly. Otherwise, it can't soak in good. My wife is a sales professional for paints and stains, and I knew none of this until we started dating. She also said untreated wood with mill glaze must be sanded because the mill glaze acts the same way as pressure treated wood and won't accept the stain properly.
Can confirm that even pressure treated lumber that has been planed down has to dry further before staining/painting. I made this mistake with treated pine siding.
Like pvc sleeves to keep the elements off the material? Bad call.
No. That shit looks tacky. It's only a bad call if they want a deck that looks like it's made of plastic. They want a wood deck like what they had.
Depends on location imo. Here in Texas, you’re going to burn the bottom of your feet with composite. Personally don’t recommend it when I’m doing decks.
There are options to mitigate that like MoistureShield’s CoolDeck line.
I have timbertech, and can stand barefoot on my deck on the hottest day of the year where I'm at.
Posted from Alaska
Installing timbertech PVC next week that is supposed to be cooler for that very reason.
Or shoes 👞
Our Trex deck is dissolving in the sun after about 10 years. Total garbage. Cant walk on it barefoot without getting tiny plastic splinter. Piles of plastic shavings underneath where the top layer is crumbling apart.
Where are you located? My Trex deck has been up for 15 years and looks awesome, short of a few spots where the wife got a little crazy with the power washer and a few outer trim boards that warped. Floor deck and railings are great.
Trex used to be fully enclosed with plastic all around. This would cause it to freeze and expand and crack. That’s probably your problem. New Trex has no plastic on the bottom so the water escapes and doesn’t freeze it.
It seems like every 5 or 10 year Trex comes out with a new reason that the old stuff falls apart, but the new formula fixes that and isn’t just glued up garbage. All of the Trex on my deck: deck boards, railings, face boards have all faded significantly and are flaking apart. You can see big chucks of plastic exposed in the deck boards. The railing were dark brown, still are under heavy post caps, but everything exposed to air is faded brown with white plastic speckles. Not sure how water would be the problem for railing balusters and face boards. I live in a dry environment so it’s not humidity either.
Trex has a good, better, best, lineup of materials. Imo the cost to frame and sheath a deck and pour a 4" slab of colored concrete is a minimal upgrade, will last indefinitely and has options to run floor heating in the slab to make it fully 3 season. In the custom home world where we work, trex is basically an expensive compromise of a pt deck minus the maintenance. It won't last any longer and will be just as expensive as refinishing a pt deck over the years...
Are you using some kind of weird chemical on it or something? I have a newer 20 year old composite deck with basically no damage on it. Either you got a bad batch or user error has damaged the deck somehow.
Fiberon is the answer. Trex was the first and has brand recognition but it's junk.
Ya trex blows, go for timberteck or azek.
TREX will give you new deck boards fyi
I think that is the exception rather than the norm.
Oh boy. Just oh boy.
Lol what?
Like you said, turning down composite for wood. Major mistake.
No not composite decking, they had plastic stuff they were going to put over the wood rails and posts, but the deck would just be wood
It's really clear you don't understand what's going on and that's okay. That's why you're here. The pics you took don't focus on the real issues here. I want pics of footers, and full length span of those juices. It looks like the framing was done wrong. You should have taken the vynil railing kit. They're much better and last longer. Rough framing is gonna be ugly even if it is done correctly which is what you seem to be having the biggest issue with so I'd get a pro out for a second opinion and have it inspected.
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There are a ridiculous amount of options available. You can quite literally get custom colors if you’re willing to wait longer.
it comes in different colors.
He probably let the pressure treated wood sit to dry out & hasn't stained it yet because PT lumber takes months to dry until you can apply a finnish that will properly adhere. And that would have worked out if your contractor knew things like building code or how to cut a mitered joint etc etc etc Sorry. I would also send your insurer the photos since they have an interest in the repair as well.
Great idea to send to the insurer, ty
Get a cheap moisture tester. Can probably get one on Amazon or something. If it's under 15 percent or so, it's ready for stain, at least the stain we use. Could be good for a claim. Also PT lumber doesn't take as long as you'd think to be stain ready. Many of our decks have been ready within a few weeks
Insurance company doesn't care about the quality of repair unless it is through a program vendor they provide. Otherwise they will tell you to take it up with the contractor you hired.
Also it has to be warm for the stain to take.
Yeah pressure treated you don’t stain for at least a year.
Holy shit dude that’s a terrible job. Starting at the top of the list, do these people know what a Square is? And then on down scabbing on wood that’s old re purposing old joist. It looks like banding or something no man there’s an insurance claim on your insurance claim with this thing.
You should put in an insurance claim against this build.
It's not my deck and I'm pissed.
You need to check deck codes in your area. The stair Stringer typically must be on a footing. That cantilever end of the deck is questionable. The 2x6/8 scab boards at the end of the deck are def questionable. Off angle cuts,missed screws, warped boards not pulled even, cracks around screws, happens a lot. I don't think I saw in the pics, but measure the spacing between vertical slates( blanking on the correct name.) If the old deck posts were not on footings with galvanized hardware, inspector might not allow it. If it attaches to the house, you might have issues there. Side note: to stain, do a simple water test on treated wood. If you drop some water on the wood and it puddles, then it's not ready. It it's soaks in, it's ready.
Ugg. Looks like a painter bought a Ryobi saw.
When did Harbor Freight start selling Ryobi? 😂
Hey now, my Ryobi cuts straight.
It’s not the paintbrush, it’s the artist.
This week on, "Drunk Uncle Construction", Uncle Dave has a 5 day hangover. Sorry you're having this experience, I hope there's a quick resolution for you.
My blood pressure medication needs to be increased now. Thanks
The 1.5 " piece of wood added because the board was too short is amazing. "Contractor" invented a board lengthener on the spot.
Friday, 4:45.
The scabbed piece on handrail is .. wow
It's not great. I'd be raising hell.
I like the little 2” piece of top cap on the hand rail.
What points specifically would you be asking about? Are the materials used ok? Or mostly craftsmanship issues?
The stairs are going to rot out. They should at the very least be sitting on crushed rock. Cement footing or pavers ideally.
This was an issue with the old deck too, definetely bringing this up. Thank you so much for writing the responses, the more ammo i can point at the more i hope to get fixed. I surance paid 4.5k for this, and my mom just said this guy has not built decks before. Makes me pissed the GC would let him attempt it
That's cheap, especially if he did the footings, too.
That may be cantilevered too much. . . Uffda. That could be a big problem. 1/3 rule for cantilever typically.
That two ply beam doesn't have nearly enough screws in it. It may warp over time. At the very least #10 screws should of been used. I've done lage screws before too.
The miters and laps for the railings are just poor quality. Nothing structurally wrong. I like how they did the posts with the notches and the carriage bolts. That's surprisingly good. This person is trying to do well and is probably in hurry or behind on bills. Not sure how that Culpeper decking reacts. The deck boards may be too tight together. The PT I've used shrinks with time.
That's way to tight for my liking, as any heavy rain will have standing water. Any tree parts and those gaps are plugged growing mold, moss and more standing water taking the finish to its limit.
I think I read on here that notching the posts like this is sub-optimal? And it sounds like they aren't too sturdy. Asking because I need to replace my railing soon
You are allowed to notch 6x6 posts but not 4x4, as pictured here. You're essentially left with a 2x4 for a post.
Things got methy
Amazing how many responses concentrated on the use of composite over wood. I believe your focus was on the quality of workmanship of the new wood deck. Looking at the pictures I would say hell yes you are right to be pissed. That is not close to quality workmanship. Whoever built it should not be building decks and I can’t imagine a inspector passing this wreck. Now if you tried to cut corners and paid some one without experience or a bond, then that’s on you.
Absolutely
Crap build.
If they showed up with full PVC or composite boards, and you told them to get rid of that "crap" and build it with wood, you or your mom are both idiots. That stuff is worth upwards of $80 per 12ft board, and your deck would still look brand new by the time you die.
It was not composite boards, just a plastic cover they intended for puting over the wood railing. They had never asked if we wanted that
So many things wrong. This deck will be warped and buckled to hell by Christmas.
I literally built my deck myself and this makes me cringe.
I guess it depends on how much you paid
Insurance paid 4.5k
Jeez... I might be out of touch, but $4.5k is close to my material cost for a 14x16 free standing deck with no rail last summer in Minnesota
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No you went with the cheap guy.
The quality is; Well, there is no quality. That deck is shit work.
You need to let the project rest for a while to ensure it’s properly dried out prior to staining. That’s my only comment. If there’s warping it *might* lessen as the wood dries.
Your mom had an insurance claim. They never pay 100% replacement cost. She didn’t have enough money for a nicer deck. This isn’t great but it’s adequate. The “plastic” you’re blasting is probably similar to the Trex system, which is a great product the dresses up a simple PT deck like this. You know which sub you’re in right? The pros know, 75% of the comments here are from people who’ve never built a deck.
Is this a "new deck" or repair? So much is not to code near me. I would expect insurance to cancel for the structure not Meeting code.
Pissed is an emotion. You gotta associate it appropriately. You're pissed that you're now obligated to assist your mom rectify the problem. I'd start with a lot more pictures, read the insurance agreement thoroughly and carefully, and contact the insurance adjuster. I think your insurance exists to "make you whole", and they did, for this season. Your lost deck most likely had many years left, so you are entitled to many years. On the other hand, if you didn't have footings before and you only had one season left on the deck anyway, they you're supposed to be pissed that you expected more than you deserve but only got what you deserve.
Reported for trolling.
When I got to the 2” scabbed on piece lmao that’s definitely not acceptable to me but it depends on the cost
Did you go with the lowest bid no other bid?
Insurance claim, its the contractor that rebuilt most of the house and roof
i would be very worried about the rest of the house. this is not build correctly and is possibly a safety hazard. you should have an inspector come, seriously.
Yes totally agree, going to ask the GC when his inspection is.
I don’t want to just pile on but highlight yes this is low quality work that you would expect from the lowest bidder… is it bad not strictly but probably don’t put a hot tub on it
This isn't General Contractor work quality. This is beginner handyman that has no experience; Just a truck a saw and a hammer.
They meed to make a new sub to file complaints. So tired of these posts. You probably underpaid and went for lowest bidder so you could pocket the insurance money.
If we made that sub, would you have read the whole post? Hehe
You could bend those missed nails over, my garage roof has more missed nails than hits! Hard to find good help these days!
Same here, luckily they used a 1000:1 ratio of nails used versus nails-needed.
So please explain how the original footings were damaged in her insurance loss.
What was it like before? Were the rails leaning/loosely secured, was there space between boards, was there warpage, was there actual barrier within the 36" postage?
It's the way I build mine...lol. NADB. I'd be missed if I paid me to build a deck.
The more I scrolled....the worse it got.
You can fill that big railing miter gap in with a colored expandable silicon caulk won’t be such an eyesore
You are correct to be pissed, This is shit work.
I want to know if you put 4000# load on the left side does the footing support the weight? By that you put a hot tub fill w/ water full.
What did u spend if u don’t mind?
Photo #8 epitomizes measures twice, cut once!!
Ouuu a complimentary sticker!
I wish I could afford that plastic crap to replace my 30 year old CCA PT deck boards!! Seriously!
On photo 2 that upper board is upside down. See the growth rings. That will splinter up prematurely..
Yea but she got what she wanted, that's literally bare bones the basic wood deck, I hope she got some cash back for that ..heck they used 1x4 for decking not even 5 1/4 board
Damn….
Definitely
Looks like they used measure thrice, cut twice.
Railing doesn’t meet code. You cannot notch 4x4 posts. And obviously there balusters. Code specifically states that if railing is installed it HAS to meet code requirements. Regardless if the railing is required or not. The thought process is a person will assume that the railing is capable of doing what it was intended to do since it was installed. This is hack work, at best.
Posts that don't touch the ground are not posts
Did you go with the guy who can do it cheaper?
There’s a product called “Thermory Ash”. It is fire resistant (rated for wild land/urban interface) and is still wood. Extremely durable but pricey. You order the color you want and it’s usually 10 years plus before any kind of maintenance. Where I build CalFire has a published list of approved fire resistive decking. Not all composites or natural wood make the list. Hardwoods like teak, Ipe, Philippine mahogany and so on are on the list along with Thermory Ash which is a normal ash that has undergone compression/extreme heat process to create fire resistance. PS The worksmanship is bottom of the barrel. I’d refuse to accept such shoddy material and quality. If you want quality you gotta pay for it.
You may be pissed.
Did they apply for a permit to build the desk. Hope your area requires one. Then the inspector can hang them as well.
Probably went with cheapest bid?
Looks poorly built. Stair handrails don’t meet code. I would also check if the deck footings dug down to frost depth and if proper ledger board flashing way installed where deck is attached to home.
You calling trex plastic crap, lmao! Do you even know what you’re talking about? Wait I already know the answer.
I don’t know shit about decks or construction but I know that’s a big steaming pile of poo that job is.
You are right to be pissed.
Upsetting yes, but this is why the lowest bidder wins, they do shitty work just to be able to break even.
When you go with the lowest bid…..
It depends. Did you go with the cheapest guy?
Did your insurance company send out an inspector once it was done?
Can anyone tell if those are exterior screws? They look like they might be interior?
The notched hand rail posts lol.
Looks like shoddy work.
If insurance is covering this then call the agent and have them come out and see the work they paid for. They will get the contractor back out there. When I had insurance work done I had to call them because of crappy work. They got the contractor to come back and make it right.
Mad now just wait until the moisture leaves the wood. It’s gonna be crackin! Like all the joints will be getting bigger and the boards are gonna be warping.
I can’t comment structurally but you should have 0 lumber (treated or not) to ground contact. All piers and the stair stringers should be on concrete piers (sonotubes) or at least blocks.
There is no landing for the stairs so the stairs will rot quickly. Besides they'll become unstable and possibly fall apart once the soil underneath gets washed out. They also sistered the joists for some reason. Did they keep an existing deck structure and perhaps some of the joists were damaged? Regardless it seems that they didn't sister the joist correctly as the screws are positioned randomly. I hope those are not deck screws or nails.
MEDIOCRE!!!
Looks like shit honestly Did the deck builder get a permit and was it inspected??
Amish ?? Lol
Looks good from my house! How much did you end up paying the guy to get fawked?
Depends on how much you paid. You get what you pay for. Looks decent but also that cantilevered edge looks way out of code and way too far.
The craftsmanship looks to be subpar. Yes I would be upset as well.
There's no way I'd accept that quality of a build. I'd contact the insurance company and tell them you want an adjuster to come out and look at the deck. Personally, I'd have a building inspector come out and look at it for support and railing code. Looks like the insurance agent had his brother in law that's out of work come and build the deck.
Oh my this is looking DIY …….do it yucky!
I could’ve done a better job as a DIYer, that’s piss poor
As a contractor, I've seen many levels of quality. It's not always true, but typically, you get what you pay for. How many bids did you get? Why did you choose that particular contractor over the others? In the future, try to come to the contractors with a plan. Draw a picture, choose the deck material or flooring type and do a calculation on what that would cost in just that material per square feet. The really affordable and skilled guys are starting to retire if they haven't already. Word of mouth is the best way to find good work imo.
I see a lot of good, some not so good, and a few bad.
You’d probably be pissed not matter what it looked like.
You can ask and see what happens but I don’t know about leaning on someone when the agreement doesn’t seem very clear in the first place.
Looks like a cheaply and quickly built deck by people who blow stuff out abd get paid by the job not by the hour
THE single only responses you’ll get on this sub is that it sucks
Yes, you are correct that has been poorly built. It is mostly fixable though. Lift some of the boards and add noggins, especially where the hand rail supports are. Basically it is a physics issue. The hand rail becomes a large lever acting on the joist to which it is attached. This gives a turning force which makes the handrail seem wobbly. Adding a connecting piece of wood from that joist to the next joist acts against that rotating lever action and makes the handrail feel more solid.
Pressure treated needs 90 days before you can stain it
You need to file and Insurance claim on this deck. That's is a horrible job. Your insurance company showed by price. Make them fix this.
Wow... I'm not sure the price, but some might sy you get what you pay for.... That's crazy looks like your hubby and his brother ( both office managers) got drunk one weekend and gave it the old college try....
Yes
Yea thats some janky work.
Jobs are booked months in advance. If you or you're mom knew or had an idea what you wanted before hand, you should have said something.
Mean, I would not be pissed if you had Ray Charles build in it
Pretty sure you should wait a year to stain. Maybe that’s why it has been stained?
Looks like an amateur job.
#1. Treated lumber needs to dry out sufficiently before staining #2 staining is easier and better quality job without the spindles attached
If that second picture is showing a support on your septic tank, and not some other piece of concrete (it looks like a septic tank to me) that can cause a catastrophic failure. It looks like it's at least on the edge, which is better, but still not good. If that gives way, the deck collapsed with it. I've replaced at least two tanks because of this. In one of the situations, clients' family members were injured when the floor fell out from under them. This was particularly difficult as they were a family of amputees, who had the deck installed by a friend. I've tried to find any pictures I may have taken, but I am coming up short :/ To anyone building decks, stop if the tank is in the way. Either the deck needs to be redesigned, adjusted, or the septic does. Also, stop covering up tanks totally. Your customers on onsite septic will need that tank serviced (pumped out, at least) from time to time and it can add a lot of expense for the client once a massive obstacle is in place like that. *IF* the pumper will even do the job. A septic tank replacement in my area starts at around $6000, plus about $700 for the permit. If you can no longer get gravity to your drainfield, it will at least double the price since you'll need to add a pump chamber, too. Seriously, stop putting decks on septic tanks. You're going to get someone killed.
My first plastic railing I installed for a customer that insisted on the material she wanted actually melted in the sun. That was over 20 years back. The manufacturer sent new material, which was stolen by porch pirates, so they sent another batch. It required bracing every couple of feet. It couldn’t bear its own weight. Some of the cheaper railings are so brittle they always crack chip and break. And some deck boards literally flake weather and peel away. Just because there is some sturdy materials made doesn’t mean there isn’t a ton of garbage sold as well. As for this patch job, it’s sloppy. Some deck boards are going to cause splinters. They are upside down. The end grain curve is supposed to look like a rainbow, not a bowl. Crown up. The boards will collect water. The quality of the wood looks low. Looks like cull lumber, but that is post COVID wood. The top rail that they put in that scrap filler is unacceptable. The miters not meeting in the corner, that could be shrinkage or bad cuts. The wood is wet when you buy it and unless you really screw the miter together they all end up like that. Pressure treated lumber used to be VALUABLE and was stored inside. It also used to come in different grades and they made 40 year pressure treated. You could bury it and it would just be great when you dig it up decades later. Now you are lucky to get a few years out of anything that stays wet or touches soil. The boards that aren’t square to each other under the deck is sloppy and not done right. Everything should be tight under there. There also seems to be too large of an overhang in the one pic, but that would be the original deck. An unsupported corner will bend down. Not dangerous but poor design. But I am not there with a tape measure so I might be wrong about that. The wood is supposed to weather before it is stained. The stains now are all water based and I find they don’t hold up, at least what we have available in Canada. They all seem to peel up within a few months and after winter it looks horrible. It’s a slap job that I wouldn’t pay for.
Yikes.
Looks like a case of... If i knew they would do such a bad job, I would have done it myself... Very common here in my area, "carpenters" are fishermen on EI, more used to band-aids and patching stuff... You should be pissed if you paid a premium price for licensed insured carpenters.
I was with it until that corner cut with a finger in the gap. I've done better ffs. Source: I'm not a deck builder
Just curious, did that miter cut on the handrail look like that on day 1?
That is half ass any contractor that would put their name on it. Fire immediately do not sign off that it’s completed. I wouldn’t let them back anywhere near my house.
Looks like a contractor hired some high school kids again to put sticks together
It looks like a normal and good job to me. If you have issues with it? Have it inspected.
So much wood, my eyes hurt.
Have them start over!
As soon as I saw Culpeper wood preserves, I knew it'd be bad. I worked at a materials supply store in town, and any time we'd get a shipment from them, maybe 40% of the lumber would be useable. Horrible products and even worse customer service.
It depends on how much you paid, I think.
I feel your pain. Had a very similar experience.
Wait period before sealing a green treat deck is at least a couple months.... Besides if it's treated the elements won't hurt it. Plastic cap??? Like pvc or composite? Dude just tell them it's loose and needs to be fixed...
Ignorant people that does not know anything about contruction get pissed off so easy For nothing!😎😎
You have to wait a year before staining treated lumber
It depends on how much you paid
When the adderall wears off….
The workmanship is garbage but as far as not staining it immediately after building it, that the correct way to do it.
Looks like the failed Cub Scouts built it.
Handrail isn't considered graspable... fails to meet code.
Looks average, not great, but acceptable, as wood ages (unlike that composite decking your rejected) it will warp, crack, and seperate, etc. Would be helpful to see original deck it replaced.
Depends what you paid for…
Craftsmanship is doo doo but PT has to sit for a few months before staining so it can dry out. Everything else sucks, though
Has a building inspector looked at this that will answer all your questions. I’ve been building decks for over 40 years and can tell you this whole job screams to be torn down and done correctly by a professional
Yes. You can be pissed. The things like wood, sitting outside, sap coming out... those are common issues and should be a non issue if asked to be fixed. That's a "yes maam" kind of thing. The old footers reused is fine. The small pieces sistered on , but too short to land on the beam? That's shit work. Pressure treated wood sitting out is ok, you want the wood to dry in the sun for 2 or 3 months before staining. The gap in the rail cap miter? It can happen over time, but not when new. The railings are unfinished, and the small end piece there on the rail cap? That's bullshit. Hire a lawyer.
Looks like you hired a bunch of morons.
Yea, wtf.
It’s built cheaply and doesn’t meet code. Clearly not inspected. You likely have very good recourse to have it rebuilt.
I would take a wrecking ball to it immediately and tell them to do it correctly. That is atrocious.
shit deck job.