This is a contractor installed deck built at the same time as the townhouse.
I can’t believe this kind of stuff actually flies with the county inspector!
That would not pass inspection in my area
Not enought info to make a professional decision.
Bolts are present and it looks freestanding. The 4x4 would be sufficient if is was very low deck and spaced apporatly.
What is it about it you don’t like.
The girders need to be supported by the posts not the through bolts.
It is wrong, and I called it out.
This deck was only 48 inches high, further down the row was a 7 footer and it was put up the same way.
Have you ever seen post and beam construction?
It is all relevant to the load.
Have you ever seen the IRC (or Prescriptive Deck)? It’s all relevant to the code.
Load is 50 lbs per square foot. More for commercial decks and overhangs. You should know this.
I do , but info is vague in this post.
Sorry! I thought the title was pretty clear, “New deck construction.”
Bob;
I must assume that there was a building permit issued for the new home and deck…yes?
Did you also see a building final?
No I didn’t see a final, but you don’t always around here, even after people move in (11 month).
The five decks built on the backs of this single row of 15 brand new town-homes were all the same.
Girder bolted to post, unsupported.
That is an improper connection Robert. You made the right call.
Page 8
Are you both saying that it is an unsafe attachment no matter what the building department approved? Assuming they (building dept.) did not make an error in their interpretation of the code defined detail?
In other words…if it was properly approved per the local code would you still call it out as an unsafe attachment?
I think that might be approved in some places. See page 6 paragraph 10 of the AWC document.
I could be missing something, but I think it would be ok here:
https://www.townofcary.org/Departments/Inspections___Permits/Deck_Design_Assistant.htm
I would. Regardless of what the local inspector says it is an unsafe attachment by the way the bolts load the grain of the beams. IRC doesn’t allow it, Prescriptive Deck (based on the IRC) doesn’t allow it. It is simply not good building practice. A joint designed to sag and then fail.
Baltimore County code is based on the IRC with amendments. I give the homeowner all the appropriate references and let him do what he will with the information.
Yes:
If it was under code 2009 IRC (see page 8 ) http://www.awc.org/publications/dca/dca6/dca6-09.pdf ;
If it was under code 2012 IRC (see page 10 ) http://www.awc.org/publications/dca/dca6/dca6-12.pdf ;
I find defects on green tagged new construction daily. I really don’t care what a municipal inspector signed off on our not. It’s completely irrelevant to my inspection.
Yes, I would document this as a defect, but I would’t get all worked up about it. At least it’s not a ledger face nailed to a cantilever.
I see those fairly often as well:
This photo is representative of a whole neighborhood of identical town homes less than 20 years old. Of course its called New Town.
None of the ledgers are flashed.
A few weeks ago I did an inspection after the county final, and there was a non safety glass window within 24 inches of a door on the hinge side. A few months ago I did one and the main disconnect was outside by the meter. They used a three feed to the sub panel inside and wired it like a main panel.
Those were just the things that surprised me. There were of course other defects. I’m not sure how approval from the county is a relevant argument. If they got everything right, I wouldn’t do so many new construction inspections.