This Gets The Prize ..

 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 08-31-2008, 06:25 PM   #1
Pro
 
Joe Wood's Avatar
 
Trade: General Contractor
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Diego
Posts: 150

This Gets The Prize ..


for the absolute worst built deck I've ever seen and I just had to post this. . Now look, I never bash another person's work and STG I'm only posting this because of how pathetic it is :-)

So I get a call for a possible job putting cable railing up on a "trex like" deck already built 4 months ago. I get there and see why they need a railing ..
Attached Thumbnails
This gets the prize ..-img_2160.jpg  

__________________
http://woodsshop.com/
Joe Wood is offline  
Warning: The topics covered on this site include activities in which there exists the potential for serious injury or death. ContractorTalk.com DOES NOT guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained on this site. Always use proper safety precaution and reference reliable outside sources before attempting any construction or remodeling task!

Old 08-31-2008, 06:32 PM   #2
Pro
 
Joe Wood's Avatar
 
Trade: General Contractor
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Diego
Posts: 150

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


I get down and start looking at the framing ..

hmmm, the post's look like fence posts set in concrete, not looking too good, I wonder how deep those holes are .. on this steep slope ..

then I see the 4x4 "beam" and 4x4 "joists" and I start to worry .. "look" I said to myself, how everything's just nailed together, and isn't that post already leaning a bit?
Attached Thumbnails
This gets the prize ..-img_2162.jpg  
__________________
http://woodsshop.com/
Joe Wood is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 06:36 PM   #3
Pro
 
davy crockett's Avatar
 
Trade: Remodeling
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Charleston,SC
Posts: 192

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


That's the beauty of Craigslist, it's a great day for a bargain!
davy crockett is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 06:38 PM   #4
Pro
 
Joe Wood's Avatar
 
Trade: General Contractor
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Diego
Posts: 150

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


Then I look up, to see how the rest of the "beam" looks (OK, my first time using an emoticon, and this is just how my face must've looked)

Attached Thumbnails
This gets the prize ..-img_2167.jpg   This gets the prize ..-img_2166.jpg  
__________________
http://woodsshop.com/

Last edited by Joe Wood; 08-31-2008 at 06:46 PM.
Joe Wood is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 06:41 PM   #5
Handle It!
 
MALCO.New.York's Avatar
 
Trade: Everything The Union Guys Do Not Want To Do
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Brooklyn, NY ~ Haverford, PA
Posts: 9,364

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


What are you talking about??? It is a perfectly fine deck!!!






















Until you look at the footings, the joists, the railings and the supports!!!!!
__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-cnizLDEE
MALCO.New.York is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 06:49 PM   #6
Member
 
Agolk2's Avatar
 
Trade: Insurance Restoration and Remodeling Contractor
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Washington, D.C. Area
Posts: 61

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


See that post strap in the background? They must've run out of em and didn't feel like making the trip back to home depot.
__________________
Andrew Golkin
ANG Visuals
www.ANGVisuals.com
(703)898-4430
Agolk2 is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 06:50 PM   #7
Pro
 
Joe Carola's Avatar
 
Trade: Framing Contractor
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Caldwell, New Jersey
Posts: 1,541

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Wood View Post
for the absolute worst built deck I've ever seen and I just had to post this. . Now look, I never bash another person's work and STG I'm only posting this because of how pathetic it is :-)

So I get a call for a possible job putting cable railing up on a "trex like" deck already built 4 months ago. I get there and see why they need a railing ..
Joe,

Not only is that deck a crime, it's a big accident waiting to happen. I would tell the people that. Who gives a sh!t about bashing someone's work. I wouldn't even call it work.Whoever did that isn't even a contractor or should be called one.

You obviously know that you can't even possibly give them a price on putting cables on that piece of sh!t. You can't work on that.
__________________
Joe Carola
Joe Carola is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 06:51 PM   #8
Full Service Renovations
 
MAD Renovations's Avatar
 
Trade: Residential Renovations
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 1,296

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


WOW!!!!

Did the HO's actually pay someone for that. That deck on the side of a cliff is unsafe at best.

Good Luck on that job... I would either convince them to remove and re-build or run as fast as you can.

Cheers
MAD Renovations is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:02 PM   #9
Curmudgeon
 
neolitic's Avatar
 
Trade: carpentry/remodeling/"Yes M'am we do"
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Beech Grove, Indiana, Birthplace of the "King of Cool"
Posts: 11,707

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


Back here, that would be called
a toboggan.

I would be careful about sticking
my head under there.
__________________
Put your location in your profile!
(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)
neolitic is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:07 PM   #10
Pro
 
Joe Carola's Avatar
 
Trade: Framing Contractor
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Caldwell, New Jersey
Posts: 1,541

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


Quote:
Originally Posted by Tattoo View Post
Did the HO's actually pay someone for that. That deck on the side of a cliff is unsafe at best.
The HO's probably did it themselves.
__________________
Joe Carola
Joe Carola is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:11 PM   #11
Pro
 
j_builder's Avatar
 
Trade: Specializing in residential remodeling
Join Date: May 2008
Location: So. Cal.
Posts: 326

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


Back here, that would be called
a toboggan.

Good Call Neo

Just waiting for the rainy/snow season to arrive, cause that "deck" (if thats what what you call it) has a very short life.
__________________

j_builder is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:16 PM   #12
Remodeling Professionals
 
buildenterprise's Avatar
 
Trade: Remodeling Contractor
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: South Jersey Shore
Posts: 1,251

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


I would not even have stopped long enough to take pics, they would have seen me running to my truck, screaming like a girl.
buildenterprise is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:20 PM   #13
Pro
 
davy crockett's Avatar
 
Trade: Remodeling
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Charleston,SC
Posts: 192

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


all it needs is some lattice,,,you guys get carried away
davy crockett is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:22 PM   #14
Pro
 
AtlanticWBConst's Avatar
 
Trade: Lic. GC/Remodr - Commercial/Residential/Industrial
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Posts: 2,702

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Wood View Post
I get down and start looking at the framing ..

hmmm, the post's look like fence posts set in concrete, not looking too good, I wonder how deep those holes are .. on this steep slope ..

then I see the 4x4 "beam" and 4x4 "joists" and I start to worry .. "look" I said to myself, how everything's just nailed together, and isn't that post already leaning a bit?

Well, how did you end up handling this?

...sneak away? run away? have a nice chat with the home owner? Puke? Ride that thing down the hill?...?

Tell us...
__________________
- Build Well -
AtlanticWBConst is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:24 PM   #15
Pro
 
Joe Wood's Avatar
 
Trade: General Contractor
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Diego
Posts: 150

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


you know, I'm actually thinking about doing a "repair' job to it, just to make it safe! Already have it planned out, only problem is, I touch it, and I'm liable for it. Told the owner that, he said he'd sign a waiver, I don't know ..

but like I said work's slow, and I'm always up for a challenge :-)

the only BIG issue is, how deep are those existing holes? I doubt deep enough.

here's a sort of 'footing" on one side of the deck.
Attached Thumbnails
This gets the prize ..-img_2168.jpg  
__________________
http://woodsshop.com/
Joe Wood is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:24 PM   #16
Pro
 
mickeyco's Avatar
 
Trade: Squirrel Handler
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 3,432

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


Maybe the homeowner is trying to get rid of his wife, get me the contractor's number.

I see it yet I'm still having a hard time believing it, who? how? why? Under what circumstances would anybody think that that was okay.

You have to find out who did this, take his picture to post here and them smack the guy. I wouldn't be surprised if the builders hat of choice was a sombrero, I've seen some real fancy work around here by illegals, although it usually looks good on the surface.

.
__________________
Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.
mickeyco is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:25 PM   #17
Pro
 
AtlanticWBConst's Avatar
 
Trade: Lic. GC/Remodr - Commercial/Residential/Industrial
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Posts: 2,702

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


The only way I'd work on that deck, is by starting with demo-ing the whole thing....I'd be wary of putting my name on it and "owning" the widow-maker...
__________________
- Build Well -
AtlanticWBConst is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:28 PM   #18
Restoration Crazy
 
Jason Whipple's Avatar
 
Trade: Restoration & Historic Preservation
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 3,308
Send a message via Skype™ to Jason Whipple

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


Quote:
Originally Posted by neolitic View Post
Back here, that would be called
a toboggan.
__________________
Jason E Whipple, General Manager
Historic House Restoration, Cincinnati, Ohio
Facebook | Twitter
Jason Whipple is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:32 PM   #19
Steve
 
OCRS's Avatar
 
Trade: Residential Renovations
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Sarsfield, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 844

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


Board off the edges and fill the f__ker with concrete At least the toboggan will hold 10 on the way down
OCRS is offline  
Old 08-31-2008, 07:36 PM   #20
Pro
 
dkillianjr's Avatar
 
Trade: Construction and Remodeling
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 2,521

Re: This Gets The Prize ..


Wow thats some nice work Maybe if the home depot offered a deck building book in spanish they would have been better off!


Dave
dkillianjr is offline  


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Feedback on New Site Design - Maybe a prize or two. HomeMedia Pros Marketing & Sales 14 03-30-2008 07:15 PM
Time to hang up the tools! Celtic Off Topic (Non Trade) 26 09-23-2007 11:30 AM
Voting denick Excavation & Site Work 9 01-20-2007 08:54 PM
Before & After Photo Contest ... Win an Bosch Power Box Radio for Christmas! Nathan General Discussion 209 12-15-2006 11:45 PM
Coolest thing I have heard about in awhile Mike Finley Off Topic (Non Trade) 7 04-06-2006 08:20 PM

Join Now... It's Fast and FREE!

Privacy Badge
I am a professional contractor
I am a DIY Homeowner
ContractorTalk.com is for
PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTORS ONLY!

At ContractorTalk.com we cater exlusivly to professional contractors who make their living as a contractor. Knowing that many homeowners and DIYers are looking for a community to call home, we've created www.DIYChatroom.com DIY Chatroom is full of helpful advices and perfect for DIY homeowners.

Redirecing in 10 seconds
No Thanks
terms of service

Already Have an Account?