[Jhinton]

I went to look at a deck today, (I DID NOT BUILD IT) It's about a month old and has some fairly obvious problems, but one that I have not ran into before...

The pool is semi in ground with about 2-3 feet above ground. How would you address the boards around the pool? She says she wants them that way and that her last deck was nailed into the concrete. From what I could tell, the little bit of concrete surrounding the pool (less than a foot) is cracked and busted. I do not think fastening new boards to the concrete is a solid option.

Any ideas?

 

[EthanB]

You touch it, you own it. I would run the other way.

 

[Windwash]

Ethan beat me to it.

I assume the one problem you haven't run into is the boards lifting near the edge of the pool? Are the boards really attached directly to the concrete?

I've never done a pool surround but this looks like Sliver City to me.

 

[Jhinton]

these boards are not attached near the pool at all. The previous deck had board that were attached. That deck has been removed and the "contractor" that made this frankenstein did not attach them back to the concrete. Some have spans of three feet or more of no fasteners.

 

[Windwash]

You could attach them to the concrete with masonry screws or regular deck screws with a bit of wire dropped in the hole before running them in but its still a mess and now it has your name on it.

 

[Deckhead]

It can be fixed but it is EXPENSIVE, and make sure they know it. If they balk you walk. The pool needs coping and any shockcrete/gunite cracking needs to be addressed, or their going to have a worthless hole in their deck.

 

[Jhinton]

No, I have not touched it yet. Still not sure if I want too. I know there was not a permit pulled and I would have to pull up most of the board to correct issued beneath before I could even work on the cosmetic issues.

 

[Jhinton]

It can be fixed but it is EXPENSIVE, and make sure they know it. If they balk you walk. The pool needs coping and any shockcrete/gunite cracking needs to be addressed, or their going to have a worthless hole in their deck.

She claims to understand that the repairs are going to be really expensive but I have not talked real numbers with her yet.
She did tell me that the first "contractor" she had out (who built this deck) originally told her that the entire deck could be done for $6,700.... Then she told me that he had to come back and ask for another $4,000 and then he eventually abandoned the job. So there are multiple red flags to begin with. She did take it rather well when I told her that I would probably have that much in material just to fix what is already there...

 

[Deckhead]

She claims to understand that the repairs are going to be really expensive but I have not talked real numbers with her yet.
She did tell me that the first "contractor" she had out (who built this deck) originally told her that the entire deck could be done for $6,700.... Then she told me that he had to come back and ask for another $4,000 and then he eventually abandoned the job. So there are multiple red flags to begin with. She did take it rather well when I told her that I would probably have that much in material just to fix what is already there...

No problems as long as you know how to fix it, and she invests money before you invest time.

 

[John Hyatt]

If They Balk, You Walk .


Words to live by.

JonMon

 

[deckman22]

I'd run. That deck is going to look like hammered dog doo doo in a couple of years.

 

[EthanB]

:laughing:$10,700 for that deck and they didn't even sheetrock those studwalls?

 

[Jhinton]

Decided that I am going to tell her that I will have to take it all the way down and start from scratch or pass on the job.

 

[sunkist]

walk!, or demo and start fresh

 

[Calidecks]

If there's a prime place for composite, this is the place for it. IMO

Sent from my SM-T520 using Tapatalk

 

[CarpenterSFO]

... She says she wants them that way ...

So what if she says she wants them that way? Just because someone else did something stupid doesn't mean you have to. Tell her no, come up with a good design (a separate 3' section ringing the pool, seamboards between the sections, some sort of drainage, I don't know, it's not rocket science) that will look better and perform better, and sell it to her. If she'll pay for it, then build it, else don't. Make it composite, as Mike suggests.

I don't know, just quit whining about it. Sometimes Bruno's right. Sheesh.

Sorry, just releasing a little steam.

 

[Jhinton]

So what if she says she wants them that way? Just because someone else did something stupid doesn't mean you have to. Tell her no, come up with a good design (a separate 3' section ringing the pool, seamboards between the sections, some sort of drainage, I don't know, it's not rocket science) that will look better and perform better, and sell it to her. If she'll pay for it, then build it, else don't. Make it composite, as Mike suggests.

I don't know, just quit whining about it. Sometimes Bruno's right. Sheesh.

Sorry, just releasing a little steam.

Who was whining about anything? Just because I said she wants it that way, does not mean I would install it that way. I already suggested a composite ring around the pool to her. If you do not want to participate in the thread, then you are welcome to skip it.

 

[CarpenterSFO]

Who was whining about anything? Just because I said she wants it that way, does not mean I would install it that way. I already suggested a composite ring around the pool to her. If you do not want to participate in the thread, then you are welcome to skip it.

Completely my bad, sorry for being an ass. This is my day for not reading or mis-reading posts, shooting before thinking.

That whole thing - deck, guard rail, that pipe sticking up out of the deck, is there a proper pool enclosure with gate? - all of it, looks like a magnet for liability. If she won't pay you to take care of all of it, get away, before some kid drowns or a crowd of neighbors topple that guard rail some evening.

 

[Jhinton]

Completely my bad, sorry for being an ass. This is my day for not reading or mis-reading posts, shooting before thinking.

That whole thing - deck, guard rail, that pipe sticking up out of the deck, is there a proper pool enclosure with gate? - all of it, looks like a magnet for liability. If she won't pay you to take care of all of it, get away, before some kid drowns or a crowd of neighbors topple that guard rail some evening.

It happens to everyone every now and then. I basically told her in an email that the only way I would do the job is to take it down and start over. I doubt I will get the job...

 

[ArtisticDecks-Bob]

Make sure whatever you choose to do put it in writing and have her sign it. With this job I think I would also have a signature of a witness. I would, depending on your states statutes, make a tape recording of you conversation with her telling her the problems that she currently have with the deck and what her options are.

Clemens and I have Olympus digital tape recorders that we carry in our pockets when we go out on a bid. We find that when talking to a customer about a project we can't write down what they want and listen to other things they may also want.

This recorder is often used by police departments to tape phone conversations (or confessions, because the recorder is voice activated and is date and time stamped.

Using this recorder saved me $30,000 on a job dispute with a Landscape Architect and a home owner. I was subbing to the architect and he tried to throw me under the bus, too bad for him.

Bob