Originally Posted By: rcloyd This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Adequate splash blocks? Unless you can get em 5 feet long I do not believe they would be adequate. The over dig from the construction of the home is 3 feet or greater. Most splash blocks are only 2 feet in length.
If you use them, you are sure to introduce large amounts of water into the rather loose unconsolidated soil around the foundation. This is mainly a concern where the soil is expansive or collapsible. Freely draining soil types such as sand or gravel are ok with splash blocks.
Originally Posted By: tallen This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Here in Az we call it soil perculation.
It is very rare to see the 6" for every 10’ grading.
I think with an average of 11" of rain per year this is a common and normal .
Most homes are at about 2" for every 10' , but like I said this is common practice here. I only bitch when the interior elevation is below the exterior or within 2"..
-- I have put the past behind me,
where , however, it now sits, making rude remarks.
Originally Posted By: mpatton This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Gerry writes
Quote:
The deck appears to be a later addition to the home
Exiting from the door was a heck of a first step. 
If I had to guess the deck was probably original and this house is a market home, built for sell without a buyer at the time of the start of construction.
The sliding doors exiting onto the deck is the reason for presuming that "a deck" was part of the original construction. On this type of home/deck I recommend checking the steps/connections very close. Around here quite often the homeowners add the steps not the builder.
-- Michael Patton
AA Home Inspection
Serving Northern KY & Greater Cincinnati OH
Originally Posted By: roconnor This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I agree with Todd that the posts really should be anchored to the slab now that I look at the rest of the overall picture, and the one buried in the ground should be treated for ground contact.
Those posts bearing on a slab may be acceptable if the slab is thick enough, or has thickened edges/areas (including where the posts sit on the slab) if subject to frost heave. Its very hard to tell that just looking at the slab. The original post didn't mention any movement of the deck or slab, or any cracking of the slab near the posts ... but I take that with a grain of salt as I dont know.
About the bracing, it's hard to tell but there may be a rigid connection of the post to the framing, which can also be combined with decking designed as a diaphragm or horizontal diagonal braces below the framing. Otherwise knee braces or cross braces would be needed.
The other really important thing about elevated decks is making sure there is a solid connection of the deck to the house framing. Inadequate deck connections are responsible for a lot of deck failures.
If in doubt, or if it looks like bracing or a solid connection to the house is missing, have an SE evaluate that ... 
-- Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee
I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong
Originally Posted By: tallen This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
My Mother just had her patio roof extended. She used a licensed contractor and had prints made up.
They put a footer in under every support post and used J-bolt anchors and steel brackets to keep the posts off the ground and give them something to tie the anchors to. This was required by the AHJ and on the prints.
I really don’t see the reason for using J-bolt anchors instead of a regular red head, but that’s what the prints called for.
Anyone know why they called for J-bolts?? Seems like overkill to me.
-- I have put the past behind me,
where , however, it now sits, making rude remarks.
Originally Posted By: Kirk Smith This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Just imagine big brother and friends playing football in the backyard and little Johnny is swinging on his airplane swing and little Susie is cooking on the play stove and one of the brothers buddies goes shoulder first into the support post!!..Enough said!!!
Originally Posted By: kmcmahon This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I think some of you get a little happy with calling in a PE. You call a PE in and his fee will be more than that deck is worth. A contractor with deck building experience and a good reputation is all the evaluation you would probably need + he would include the evaluation for free with his free quote.
Originally Posted By: roconnor This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
State laws do not permit contractors to perform structural evaluations … however if it’s clearly just a repair then recommending a contractor is the right call.
Just my 2-nickles as an SE also ... 
-- Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee
I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong
Originally Posted By: kelliott This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Thanks everybody, this kind of response helps relieve the doubts. I went looking for resources, and I didn’t have anything that was specific enough to give me confidence in what I wrote up.
Somebody earlier mentioned the roof. I walked the roof, and the ridge was straight enough, the pic just got a little convoluted because of the angle I guess. It DID have 2 nice big fat roofing nails sticking out of a ridge shingle I couldn't have seen from the ground, and 3 more at the bottom of the flue flashing.
I suspect this whole subdivision is going to look just like this. They're all cookie cutter houses, and you're right, they were built before owner. They can sell em as fast as they can build them down there.
I didn't mention the stair stringers, because they're under 36"width, so didn't think that called for 3rd stringer?
I wrote the posts up as no evidence of anchoring, no evidence of footing that would extend below the frost line, and post contact with concrete would create moisture/rot problem. Recommended professional carpenter. I did give the posts a swift kick, and they didn't budge, but then, they're carrying a fair amount of weight, so that still didn't satisfy me they were locked down. I didn't really see anything that looked to me like they had moved, and eyeball said they were still perpendicular, but...
Client was dismissed about 20 min into inspection. Probably had to pack for holiday wkend Sure wish he'd stuck around. I was stuck for most of it with Realtor who took a snooze in his truck.
