OT: what would you do? deck contractor and non-level result

[vqdriver]

Real world best case scenario?
Wait a month. If it's still out of whack give him a friendly reminder to swing by and have a look and ask for ideas. Hopefully he'll offer to take care of it.

If not, hire someone else to fix it.

No, you shouldn't HAVE to. But still, this is family tension you (or your wife) don't need.

[Tandem Rider]

Visible to the naked eye? Needs to be fixed, and fixed right, it's not negotiable.

I would expect it to be fixed even if most folks couldn't see it. But I'm the guy who can see 1/8" in 8' and has ordered rework over it.

[rwsaunders]

Originally Posted by pitonpat

As a building contractor of 48 years experience, I would be thoroughly ashamed to complete a project even remotely out of level. Any deck built to modern standards should have footings dug to below frost (minimum 36” here in PA) AND on firm undisturbed bearing soil.

If the side of the deck away from the house is high, then it is likely not a settlement issue, but rather, a workmanship issue. Should be a relatively simple task for a capable carpenter to lower the high support post, or deepen the main horizontal support beam notches in the support posts rather than shortening the post(s).

A picture of how the posts and beam are arranged would be helpful.

Finally, a friendly request of your BIL to adjust the deck would be in order. Personally I’d be horrified to learn I left my work out of level and would want to correct the problem for both your satisfaction... and my own! Good luck.

Listen to Pat. BTW, no way that settlement is an issue unless the contractor improperly installed the footings. Was the deck designed by an architect or engineer and was a building permit issued? If so, there should have been inspections at least for the footings and key structural connections. If not, lots of room for subjective interpretation regarding workmanship and quality.

Michigan doesn’t have a very stringent contractor license requirement, but there is most likely a process through a state agency where one can file a complaint. I’d invest a few dollars and call an independent inspector and have them issue a report first. Then sit down with your contractor and try to resolve the issue...let them know that you’re commissioning a report. If you make no progress, then you will need an attorney who practices construction law to assist with corrective action. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.

[54ny77]

drink more beer. it'll level out.

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by vqdriver

Real world best case scenario?
Wait a month. If it's still out of whack give him a friendly reminder to swing by and have a look and ask for ideas. Hopefully he'll offer to take care of it.

If not, hire someone else to fix it.

No, you shouldn't HAVE to. But still, this is family tension you (or your wife) don't need.

I agree with you.
IF this is really visible to the naked eye, then the OP should ask the contractor to come look at it and make it right.
Hopefully they will.
But that's as far as I would take it. No lawyers. Not with a family member. No way.
If they don't make it right then hire someone else to fix it.
It will be an expensive way to learn a necessary life lesson others have alluded to already.
Never do business with your family members.

[FierteTi52]

Originally Posted by Dave

The decks I've built all had the joists perpendicular to the house and deck boards parallel to the house. A little slope of the joists toward the house really wouldn't hurt. Water should run between the boards.

No, you don’t bank on water draining between the boards, you build with a 1/8” per foot slope away from the house.

[mg2ride]

ATMO,
-if it took you a few months to notice it, it is likely not the bad.

-From what perspective do you notice it? While sitting on the deck or standing back in the yard. If the latter, it might not even be the deck.

-Does slope (away from or towards the house) even matter on a deck?

-If you have friends pointing out that you new deck is not level, you might want new friends.

[wallymann]

"I need loyalty."

Originally Posted by mg2ride

-If you have friends pointing out that you new deck is not level, you might want new friends.

[wallymann]

"visible to the naked eye"

[mktng]

I mean. If he stalls and refuses. Is small claims court the only solution?
Dealing with family is tough. But hell.... its a $10k investment you made.

The contractor needs to make it right.

Besides friends mentioning it, which shouldn't matter.
Whats your wife think about this? (sorry if that questions already been answered)

[Black Dog]

Again, that is wrong and should be fixed by the "contractor".

[Hindmost]

Jack/support the 4x10. Remove any hardware from the post/beam interface. Run a circular saw over the top of the post from each side. Drop the deck onto the post. Repeat as required. Job done.

[PeregrineA1]

Relatively easy fix. Family or not completely unacceptable. That would drive my crazy.


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[wallymann]

agreed. the post nearest that corner is exposed ~3' above grade, so an easy fix just as you describe!

Originally Posted by Hindmost

Jack/support the 4x10. Remove any hardware from the post/beam interface. Run a circular saw over the top of the post from each side. Drop the deck onto the post. Repeat as required. Job done.

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by wallymann

"visible to the naked eye"

That's nutz. Moderate slope should be away from the house, and evenly distributed across the entire beam/band. Any upswelling - especially at one post - is likely caused by either i) freeze-thaw activity of the soil (upheaving, suggesting that the post was not set below the frost line), or ii) shrink-swell clay (you'd likely know it if you had this sticky type of clay). The clay thing can be corrected with Na2CO3 addition if that's in fact the problem. Effects of freeze-thaw would likely require resetting or trimming of the post. Make the contractor do that.....

Something sounds wonky here, and your pic bolsters your argument, IMO.