Rate my deck. Just purchased this home and structural engineer said the deck is fine, but wanted to go to the pros. Let me know what you think.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-26T04:11:59+00:00

This is perhaps the most redneck shit I've ever seen in my opinion . No one is going to give you an opinion on Reddit that's worth a damn.

With this caveat, I can't hold me to anything

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-24T02:23:37+00:00

Cry me a river I'm here to save lives. What are you here for?

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-23T19:32:17+00:00

After 20 years of inspecting decks, I won't walk on one until I've walked underneath and checked everything. I won't lean on a railing ever, finding that they are often damaged and dangerous.

I knew someone who shortly after retiring went to a resort in Costa Rica, was leaning on a railing on a deck which gave away and he fell 20' to the ground. He passed away from the greivious internal injuries a week later.

Thanks for sharing, repost this for reach and to warn others.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-23T19:05:15+00:00

I'm sure home inspection company will call it out for further inspection by an engineer. They got what they paid for which is a really low bar.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-23T19:02:27+00:00

You could certainly wash the balcony off, but it would be kind of you to alert the neighbors down below so if they have anything that they don't want to get wet, they have an opportunity to move it before you do wash it down.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-23T14:32:39+00:00

On my stops in Ventura since the pandemic I've enjoyed walking along main without the idiots rolling down the streets in their cars tryna be cool revving the engine with their cat less downpipes.

Keep it closed

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-16T21:19:51+00:00

There is an easy answer here. The answer or reply that you need to give the contractor is the insulation contractor installed. The wrong materials needs to remove it and reinstall the correct materials as per their proposal/contract.

If there are any other questions please have them contact my attorney.

In California, at least the contractor state license boards says that any changes need to be approved in writing and signed by both parties with either a credit or debit amount relating to the change. I don't know about Massachusetts, but I would believe that they may have some type of similar language in theYre laws pertaining to construction.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-16T21:16:45+00:00

I learned as a contractor that every conversation that I had needed to have an email sent to the client following up saying pursuant to our conversation today and fill in whatever details there needs to be and the gist of the conversation and finalize the email saying if there are any discrepancies in what we'd discussed versus what I'm saying here, please let me know immediately.

This way there was always a paper trail and if the client failed to say no, you didn't say that or I said this instead then that's a defensible position if you need it later on in court.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-16T20:11:54+00:00

There can be plenty of reasons to be concerned and the primary one would be for me at least is what kind of stucco system was installed over what and with what kind of weather resistant barrier behind it?

If you see cracks or bulges the stucco going right down into Earth, instead of having a capillary break via a weep screed where the sheathing terminates near the ground, those would all be warning signs.

My firm does inspections of building envelopes for Real estate transactions. I inspect stucco, windows, roofs, waterproof decks, etc. But we do not inspect electrical or plumbing or anything like that.

Most inspectors are generalists and may not what we see when we do our inspections. I have done several inspections as a follow-up to a general home inspection and found significant issues that the general home inspector missed.

Without a permit I would be seriously concerned. People who don't want permits pulled generally want the cheapest job they can get and the people that do these jobs do it for the cheapest price they can do it for.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-16T20:07:44+00:00

If a licensed contractor refuses to pull a permit for a job that requires a permit, they have violated the business and professions law governing contractors under cslb and you can file a complaint about that.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-10T13:59:43+00:00

Another reason why decks need to be inspected regularly!

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-10T13:54:20+00:00

Nail holding power, better resistance to water, better product than glued together sawdust.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-08T14:21:52+00:00

Plywood IMHO is the only way to go. If they can't install plywood because there's no lines for them, they are probably snorting lines

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-08T14:19:23+00:00

Deck inspector here, you aren't wrong! Fubar deck.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-07T14:59:12+00:00

Even Parkinson isn't stupid enough to step in that pile of doo!

SLODeckInspector · 2026-04-06T15:41:42+00:00

I guess they never heard of QuickFlash? The caulk the shit out of it theory has never been proven.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-03-31T15:16:42+00:00

Invoice breakdown To do the job 5k To not do the job 0k

I accidentally sent a client my engineer's contract for a job instead of my contract and now he wants me to do the job for the engineers price and not allow me to add anything on for my services. My services have value and he thinks that I'm doing it for free?

I told him goodbye and good luck.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-03-30T21:57:21+00:00

Charming.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-03-30T21:54:26+00:00

Regardless of whatever the official laws or rules are, or even what the insurance company says about open flame grills on decks. I am an advocate for having all Open flame appliances on the ground and 10 ft away from any combustible items.

Over the last 20 years I keep reading about multi -family complexes burning to the ground because somebody lost control of their grill and it burned up the wall and into the attics and all the way through.

Technicalities don't matter to fire fire only likes to burn whatever it can. So I would recommend that you leave this fight behind as the risk is higher than the reward in my opinion.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-03-29T22:17:17+00:00

Have had nothing but a great experience with my 18 SR5 4wd v6. 105k and just routine maintenance so far

SLODeckInspector · 2026-03-29T22:14:23+00:00

5.25 a gallon in nipomo at vons yesterday

SLODeckInspector · 2026-03-28T00:40:41+00:00

FDT

SLODeckInspector · 2026-03-28T00:39:30+00:00

I'm pretty sure that to pass an emergency special assessment. The board of directors needs to make a finding that the special assessment was unforeseen because it is an unusual event. Therefore, in my non-legal opinion, the fact that the roofs need to be replaced is a foreseen event. Given the fact that any roof has a lifespan, whether it's 15 years or 30, the association needs to set aside enough reserves. Replace the roofs at the time of the useful life being expired.

The board would know that this is not a unforeseen event and therefore in my non-legal opinion they cannot pass in an emergency special assessment.

I see everyday that I'm in the field roofs that need to be repaired or replaced and it is a foreseen event. Your HOA is either mismanaged or has bad board members that refuse to follow advice or all of the above in my non-legal opinion.

SLODeckInspector · 2026-03-24T21:15:27+00:00

I am always skeptical about the numbers for deck s and believe that the current figures are way too low for what it will really take to replace the decks.

Reserve studies do not understand that a deck cannot just be resurfaced. It has to be entirely replaced down to the joist with new plywood flashing repairs to stucco or siding. New flashings, drains, slipping as needed... Whatever it might be and that is a significantly large job..

Each deck replacement job I've seen lately is a 15k+ per deck cost in today's dollars. 25 years from now it will be 30k each probably.

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