This is a first!

jwholden · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2003, 07:59 PM

Just got finished talking to the customer who's house we'll be at tomorrow installing a walk. After we discussed a lot of additions to the job she said this,

"The builder said whoever does the walk will take care of putting a base under the front steps."

They have a wood front porch with about five steps. I am thinking of some concrete blocks wedged under there. But that's not the point. What kind of a builder would build a wood porch with no footings or concrete block to rest on.

I really have to keep reminding myself that no matter how bad I think I screw something up there is someone out there who can do it ten times worse.

Pelican · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2003, 08:26 PM

I've seen it all, well, maybe not yet. But I have seen a lot of homes thrown together where I'd hang the contractor if I had the chance. In my area new homes are selling for $600,000 and more and the workmanship is atrocious.

I've seen stringers with no support, with patio blocks and with a mud sill. I think the worst I saw was one job where I actually dug up the bottom step, it was completely covered during backfilling and had grass planted over it!

site · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2003, 09:05 PM

About 50% of them here. They usually finish at the wrong elevation too.

Tim · #4 (**permalink**) 10-08-2003, 11:46 AM

Ditto here! Balloon homes with no insulation. Porches with wood to ground foundations. Random lime stone building foundations. The worst is the post-hole type pillar foundations. They were made with random stones clay silted in place for porches with walk out balconies above them. All circa 1905 to 1942. It is truly amazing that many of these structures have held up as well as they have through the ages.

Tim

Dale Wiley · #5 (**permalink**) 10-08-2003, 12:52 PM

Must be an east Coast pay off the inspector thing. No occupancy permits would be issued out here for any of the things you guys describe.

Sounds like the general contractors run the show....

Pelican · #6 (**permalink**) 10-08-2003, 01:22 PM

Dale, I won't deny that never happens, but we are experiencing such a building boom here currently, it's tough for the inspectors to keep up. Also, most small towns offer very little in the way of salary for their inspectors, most are retired construction contractors working part time. They have a tough time keeping up with the work load.

BRL · #7 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 11:26 PM

Yea, what Pelican said. They just can't keep up, if it looks a little straight & doesn't fall over when they walk on or touch it- OK, then on to the next one. Half this stuff is put up after the initial construction also, so there is no inspection. I'm pricing a step job as well right now. 6 foot door & the steps flare out to 9 feet. No stringers, just 2 footings, with the bottom step sitting on homeowner installed paver patio that is sinking. The steps are not attached to the footings anymore & I honestly almost fell back off the top step when I stepped up there to knock on the door, because it is sloped back so bad now. Yep, time to replace these, but I'm going to do them correctly if that's OK with you LOL.

jwholden,
Alert! Alert! Do not do what you posted, or anything like that. From a liability standpoint, respectfully tell your client you would be happy to replace those steps to code, but you will not put yourself into a dangerous liability situation by contributing to that mess. Guess whose name will also find its way into the lawsuit along with the builder when the mailman breaks his hip when those steps crumble one day, if you finish, or contribute to what the builder was too lazy, ignorant, or thief-like to do correctly the first time? Yep, yours.

jwholden · #8 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 11:56 PM

BRL,

I hate to think that people could be that petty. But unfortunately I have seen to many examples to know this is true.

A little more background.

The homeowner is an Attorney and the work was done by a guy who has done a lot of work for him over many years. The wife was telling me that this guy can do the work for 1/3 the cost of other bids.

The foundation of their addition is actually a piece of plywood with some metal lath and a skim coat of cement. The addition is built on top or round forms like a deck would be. Either this guy is revolutionizing the building industry or these people are in for a rude awakening!

Do you think a stairway with 5 or 6 steps should have a handrail. Heck, I even think twice before walking up that thing!

Tim · #9 (**permalink**) 10-10-2003, 01:29 AM

JW, anything more than 3 steps should require a hand rail.

Attorney!!??!!?? Man, you can swim by the sharks once in awhile without getting bit, but that doesn't mean that you can tie a raw pot roast around your neck and jump in the water with your wrists cut!

Tim