Deck supports????

Originally Posted By: dfrend
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Just inspected a 10 year old home with a deck off the rear. The original deck was added onto about a year ago. They converted it to a screened porch and added a second story addition above it that opens off the master bedroom.


The deck is lag bolted and is about 2 feet off the ground. The outside edge is supported by 6 4x4's whose bottom ends extend into the concrete supports ug into the dirt. The ground water does make contact with the 4x4s at ground level. The upper addition is a fully enclosed sunroom with the roof extending off the main house roof.

My question here is probably obvious. Are the lag bolts and the 6 4x's enough support to hold a second story. Myguess is no, and I am planning on refering them to an engineer. Am I worng here?


--
Daniel R Frend
www.nachifoundation.org
The Home Inspector Store
www.homeinspectorstore.com

Originally Posted By: rcloyd
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Daniel:


The configuration you describe could be dangerously under designed or not designed at all. You are correct to refer to a P.E. I would want to know if the deck conversion had a permit.

Best Regards,


--
Russell G. Cloyd
Intra-Spec Home Inspections
& Code Consulting, LLC
859-586-4591
www.intra-spechomeinspections.com

Originally Posted By: scieslewicz
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Daniel,


That is a definite engineer call. I've yet to see a two story, roofed structure supported by 4x4s (and probably only 8" wide piers). What if the piers were not dug deep enough below the frost line? They may not even be adequate for the deck itself!

Very smart advise to advise an engineer. It doesn't sound like permits were obtained (but then it may all be legit; nothing surprises me anymore).

Sue