Another deck disaster waiting to happen
Some of you know I’m in the insurance business, among many other things. I just got back from inspecting a house for the National Flood Insurance Program, to be sure the ground level foundation vents and openings are in accordance with the modified construction requirements. The home was completed in 1999 (our major flood in Southwest Georgia was 7/7/1994) The Community and Economic Development people allowed this ladies flood insurance to lapse, so I’ve had to re-write it and re-inspect it.
I walked around to the back of the house to see a large inflatable childs pool up on the elevated deck ! About 18 inches of water in a pool roughly 4 feet by 8 feet translates into approximately a ton and a half of water ! The 2×6 deck ledger was LIGHTLY TACKED to the sill, but resting on the brick veneer curtain wall covering the block foundation. No lag screws, no through bolts. I was horrified. The deck is elevated about 7 feet above grade. The usual four 4×4’s supporting the outboard edge of the deck.
So – sort of like the drunk driving remod client in the other thread, this lady is a danger to herself and others. My choice is to take it to her directly and warn her of the danger. I’ll go back by in a couple of weeks and if it hasn’t been moved, I’ll call the City Program that financed and supervises the ownership contract. If that fails, I’ll call the building inspectors office.
This would not be a covered loss under a Homeowners policy, for the deck itself – collapse is not a covered peril unless it’s from a covered loss like a tree falling. BUT the liability is all ours, even from the homeowners negligence. The extreme would be to have my company non-renew the policy with 60 days notice – but I’ll try to have it corrected asap.
Sometimes you can’t protect people from themselves !
Greg
Replies
Stay on this, Greg, please. Crap like this makes me sick. Who ever built that deck should be prosecuted. I don't even trust lag bolts. I prefer through bolts, washers and nuts.
Shame, shame on that builder.
The lady probably knows nothing of what you speak. The deck was built, the BI probably ok'ed it after completion, what does she know of lag bolts? I agree with the previous poster, the guilty party is the builder. She should be informed of the poor connection and be made aware of the potential consequences. Whether she had the deck built or not, as the current owner, she is ultimately responsible.
My biggest objection is the stupidity of putting a POOL on ANY deck. I started to anonymously slash the daggum thing with my pocket knife and walk away.
Greg
Slashing the pool would have been a bad move on your part. Draining the water naturally would have been ok.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Well Ed, naturally the water would have drained if he slashed the pool!
I am not an attorney, but if you wait a couple of weeks to see if she removes the pool without warning her of the possible consequences, and someone is seriously hurt or killed due to failure of the deck, because you are aware of it you WILL be named in the lawsuit. When someone sues, they go after everyone. And, you would have to lie in court if you wanted to keep your shirt.
Just my 2 cents!
"Objects in mirror appear closer than they are."
Klakamp Construction, Findlay, Ohio
Yeah, but now you're aware of it too!
Maybe we're all in hot water now.......where is that thing anyway? Where's my buck knife?
Just put your incisors to good use.
;)
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
ooops. Guess you saw the pic too, huh?
I know nuthing ,I never read this thread.
Two days later.....what did she say about the pool?
I sure wouldn't wait a couple weeks! I'd tell her right now that it's dangerous and insurance will not cover. Regardless of the money aspect, it just seems like a moral obligation to warn her. What if they go out on the deck for a party and the whole thing peels away and falls. Maybe the water would break their fall? Remember the deck in Chicago where the people were dancing at a party and it collapsed?
Guess I'm a story teller, but I was a planner on a HUD project a long time ago and the archy shows me the plan that included five story balconies one over the other. Like a five shelf book shelf, resting on footings, but not anchored anywhere to the wall. When I said I could just see someone on the fifth floor out there grilling hotdogs some fine Sunday afternoon when the whole thing pivots away from the building, he decided it would be a good idea to anchor it here and there to the building. I could go on for hours about that job, but I'll spare you all....