[greg24k]

In Stone Harbor, New Jersey, a two-story deck structure failed catastrophically while real estate agent was showing the home to a prospective buyer.
Both floors collapsed simultaneous... It went down so quick they had no time to escape and everything came crashing down on Realtor and prospective home-buyers... I guess someone will own the house now and someone who build the deck will pay for it if they still around.

Here is the whole story

 

[TimNJ]

Wonder if that was pre-Sandy deck? If so they can claim unseen damage by the storm.

 

[greg24k]

Wonder if that was pre-Sandy deck? If so they can claim unseen damage by the storm.

They can try, unless they determine that the construction was hacked up, or there is no building permit... Insurance company will say if this is the case we not paying nothing and someone will have a major headache.

If its a legitimate case, than there is nothing to worry about.

 

[deckman22]

That looks like a bad one. That deck builder is prolly booking tickets out of the country.

 

[superseal]

One thing we know it wasn't is the 2nd flr. ledger - looks to be still bolted on.

I would suspect beam attachments or rot.

Guy next door is probably drawing plans for his new deck :laughing:

 

[greg24k]

I don't see a ledger at all on the first floor... there is not even a sign of
tar-paper or tyvek there, it looks like OSB sheeting. I also don't see any beam hangers on the second floor...It looks like everything was painted and you only see joist outline on the ledger.

 

[Jhinton]

Looked at one yesterday, the homeowner thought her 4X4 post where sinking. Turns out, no beams, 2x8 joists barely hanging on with some screws and resting on some 2x2's. One band was held on by a single screw. This was also a trex deck and they screwed the top of every single plank.

 

[The Coastal Craftsman]

There's a lot of decks around here where the joist just sit on a 2x2 on a ledger.

Looks like the lower ledger on this deck failed and pulled down the rest of the deck leaving the top ledger in place.

 

[Walter Secore]

How's old is the deck? Is it one year old or 20 years old with a new coat of paint because the house was for sale.

 

[rrk]

There's a lot of decks around here where the joist just sit on a 2x2 on a ledger.

At one time that was legal here, thousands upon thousands of house built that way for a long time

 

[The Coastal Craftsman]

At one time that was legal here, thousands upon thousands of house built that way for a long time

Crazy that it was allowed at all.

 

[dave_dj1]

Well luckily they still have the deck next door to use after the purchase!

 

[Jeff G]

How bad were the people injured? I sure hope not very badly!

I gotta say that you folks that can look at the picture and determine much at all about the ledger have waaaaay better eyes than I do. I can hardly tell anything at all (too small and too grainy when I zoom in on the pic). I guess I need some glasses.:cool2:

Edited to say: sorry, I didn't see the link Greg provided. I suppose this confirms I really do need glasses!

 

[woodworkbykirk]

jesus, thats not good, last fall several decks on townhouses collapsed here in town, it made national news.. they were only like 5 years old,

the city passed all of them at the time of construction but after the collapse investigation it showed that the ledgers were air spiked on over top of the vinyl siding.. no bolts or anything.. half of them had severe rot in the rim board of the floor system

 

[superseal]

I drive by this one all the time on the way to the concrete yard. I remember it being built about 15/20 years ago and I can't believe it's still standing.

 

[Tom M]

Most of the decks built today are built to withstand a keg party. Most just get occasional use by a couple of people, seasonally. So we easily see years of service from something built like crap until.....the day comes.

 

[MarkJames]

In Stone Harbor, New Jersey, a two-story deck structure failed catastrophically while real estate agent was showing the home to a prospective buyer.
Both floors collapsed simultaneous... It went down so quick they had no time to escape and everything came crashing down on Realtor and prospective home-buyers... I guess someone will own the house now and someone who build the deck will pay for it if they still around.

Here is the whole story

It would be nice time to inspect the twin. I wouldn't be walking on that thing any time soon.

 

[rrk]

Stone Harbor is a very desired town to live in also, That house if 2 units is at least $600k per unit maybe more.

Many of my customers have home at the beach and I have done a few jobs down there and realized inspections are very different for in town builders and out of town builders.

 

[Tom M]

Delete.....
Stone harbor is a nice town

 

[superseal]

Stone Harbor is a very desired town to live in also, That house if 2 units is at least $600k per unit maybe more.

Many of my customers have home at the beach and I have done a few jobs down there and realized inspections are very different for in town builders and out of town builders.

Yep, can easily pay a million for a mushroom down there :laughing:

Then again, seems like every other sub-division of Mcmushrooms around here sell for the same and then you gotta dump another mill into them :clap: