Fellow Inspectors, Hi
This week I run into a twonhouse inspection were I noted a deck built as a cement slab and visually supported by THREE (3) strong columns in the cantilever side (exterior) edge of the slab. However (refer to pictures, Please!) and the dwelling side, were we usually see the ledgerboard attached to the house RIM board, I could not make (by visual obserbation) sense of 1)How this cement slab was attached structuraly to the house. It was face-to-face (kissing) the Brick veneer; 2) I did not see/find any expansion joint treatments (no room for dilatation and contraction); It was pretty obvious this two streuctures were made from different materials, expecting different contraction expansion coefficient.
I appreciate your comments on this subject. i have requested further information from the seller/listing agent regarding county blueprints permits that the contractor may have submitted for this project.
In this last pixcture, You can appreciate the size of the strong columns used to support the cement deck on the outer side, but no sig of any similar structural support on the side of the dwelling/house.
Not much can be seen from the rear patio (exterior). Behind that white/dirty wall are the 3 steel beams that you can see in the other photo.
These pictures illustrate the Water ponding effect on the small retaining wall on the left. The enclosure has a very poor design regarding the storm/rain water management. No gutter, no downspout, no drip edge flashing, grading was flat… I doubt the enclosure paneling is pressure treated lumber!?!
Need a full view of the rear of home. In the last picture I see a single “lally” post (steel column). Is that what you’re referring to? Area under the slab enclosed?
For a better idea of what was done, you should look at the neighboring concrete decks. Looks like this homeowner just walled in the underside of the concrete deck. Well, maybe not the homeowner on second thought since the wiring and hvac disconnect are attached to this space. But still it would be best to look at the neighbors
Hard to tell from your pictures but #4 shows a concrete surface extending past the bricked exterior wall complete with a control joint cut in it. Picture #3 looks like weepholes at the base of the brick wall suggesting that it might well be a concrete floor possibly into the home as well but without more that is not known. In any case the least we appear to see is concrete from the outer edge, into the bricked wall area (past the door) and under the baseboard and possibly into the home. If so then the supports at the outer edge might be sufficient with a large support question of what might be covered over and under the brick wall.
Did you get a chance to look inside of the conditioned area to see if the floor was also concrete?
The slab could be just sitting atop a free standing steel framework.
Is that one of the I beams in picture #2 ?? And is it on the brick wall side of the enclosure? Better pics (that are not marked up) of the inside ceiling would help…
