Sorry for limited pic my work tablet doesn’t have internet. This double decker balcony is pulling away from the home. Aern’t the supports supposed to be cantilevered through the home? These just rest on a ledger board which was bolted to the block.
I already called it out as unsafe I’m just trying to learn a little more. The home had experienced some settlement but on the other side and was pretty solid overall. Built on a steep hill.
Is that wall made of CMU or is it a brick veneer? You can have a ledger attached on a brick veneer as long as the fasteners tie into the wall framing behind the brick, not into the brick alone. Looks like that’s what you have going on there. No bueno…
I’ve installed ledger boards into CMU walls before, but we had structural L shaped anchor bolts embedded into grouted cells while the wall was being built. If this approach isn’t used then the anchors should go all the way through the wall with some sort of plate on the inside to dispers the load.
There was brick veneer to the left but the back wall itself was structural CMU all the way. I was more wondering about the 45 degree angle of the supports. I’ll try and post more pics. I know it is unsafe either way just for future references.
Start carrying a roll of yellow caution tape so you can rope off access to these soon-to-be-accidents.
Sorry for the bad angles I was zooming in from the balcony door. And the bottom of the back yard was a literal hill in the rain and mud. Just trying to get around without slipping lol.
I told the listing agent. She said she was going to get the seller right on it. Commission on the line man. lol
Inaccessible. They are definitely notched over the wall but how far I can’t tell.
Picture sucks but the joists in the crawlspace do appear to line up with the (lower) balcony joists. I was limited in what I could see but at least one of them appeared to terminate in the crawlspace and not go through.
Chris, just some some advice, taken or not, I do not take pics in dark areas using a flashlight. I turn off my flashlight and headlamp and let my camera (phone) flash do the work. Much better results and the flash is not limited a specific area. Pretty much illuminates the whole frame.
With that said, it could be possible that the joist are cantilevered, but I think you’re making the right call. It should be looked at further than what “we” can see.
You’re probably right. I didn’t realize that. To be honest I didn’t spend a lot of time on it because I didn’t feel it was safe. Just snapped some pics and kept moving.
It looks like the original cantilevered balcony was replaced and those angled strut/posts have some limitations. Mainly there is an outward force pulling the balcony off the house that was not taken into account. My old partner was an engineer and he used to bark about this all the time. Assuming nothing is rotted out it may actually be a fairly easy fix. When it’s done right you’ll often see shear anchors like these installed sideways.
Simpson HDU5-SDS2.5 13-3/16" Predeflected Holdown w/Screws
It’s going to be an engineered thing and there are lots of ways to do it.
Wow! Two decks, and the only support for both is a lousy ledger board? Surprised its still there.
Very similar recent post here:
For protocols for similar inspections, check out EEE or 3E inspections, from a State that has them. Exterior Elevated Elements.
Another tragic accident waiting to happen! I liked the idea about the yellow caution tape. Use a lot!
Another example of why you check out a deck/balcony before walking on it.
Absolutely! I saw it first thing and was like nope lol
