locations he has support all the way around now and doesn't have to depend on the house to hold it up.

Initially he didn't want me to add structure to his deck but the very next day there was a deck collapse and an older gentleman was burned very badly by the grill they had on their deck. So he changed his mind and helped me put the extra structure on his deck.

Again, any deck should be self supporting and not depend on the house to carry it. Why then are they still built that way? Because it is a couple of hundred dollars cheaper than building them the safe way. Many builders are so concerned about a few hundred bucks that safety takes a back seat to the money. I find that to be wrong and disturbing. But I have seen this going on for 35 years now and not one person in the building trades that I have ever spoken with is interested in addressing this issue with anything more than window dressing and no substance.

Even this in the OP they are talking about checking connections instead of dealing with the issue of inadequate structure. And depending on the house to carry the deck is inadequate, period. The deck should support itself and attach to the house if you want to not because you have to. A good deck design will still be standing when the house falls down not the other way around. Not the mention the negative impact of the deck weight on the house over time. I can not say it enough, the deck should not be carried by the house, rather it should stand on its own.

by most people.

But given the real world and the lack of professionalism with many of the trades and with the township approving these structures as they are built. Regardless of the method to attach or to free stand, it must be constructed correctly using the proper tools, fasteners, f lashings and lumber dimensions.

idea.

That being said most decks are supported by the house and are an accident waiting to happen. That can easily be remedied by adding posts to the house side so that any downward force is carried by the posts and not the house. That won't solve every issue with a deck supported by the home but it will remove downward force on the attaching hardware which is the focal point for failure. For me that brings peace of mind and removes the worry of what is going on behind that board where you can't see the bolts or their condition. That is all we did to my brothers deck to remedy its issues, that and add gussets to the existing posts to remove the shaking issue he had. I see that some folks here are having the same problem as he was. It is not hard to fix the issue, it just takes a little time and effort.

an engineer check everything. Going to cost $15-$20k to fix the deck alone and that does not fix the other issues with a waterfall system that will have to be ripped out.

In GA, in most circumstances, a contractor working an a deck above grade is REQUIRED to have a state contractors license (minimum Residential Basic) and permits are required to be pulled. Cutting corners could costs the lives of a family member. Ask my homeowner who cannot go out onto his new deck....and we'll probably never collect a dime from the unlicensed contractor unfortunately even after I get a judgment.

adequate. I keep hoping that one day everyone will wake up and take safety over protocol and then go the extra mile to make a deck that you don't have to worry about when you get done with it. And of course in the case of your client you need extra support at the areas you build over, like the sunroom or the hot tub.

Linda it seems as if you had an unusual and very good contractor who knew what he was doing and had his focus in the right place, safety first!!

pressure-treated. Additionally, the deck must be attached with 1/2" galvanized lag bolts using a minimum of a 1-1/2" galvanized spacer between the box sill and deck framing box sill. The deck itself never touches the home (except at a railing). These lag bolts and spacers are attached in vertical pairs at 16" o.c. between the deck floor joists and each lag bolt has a galvanized washer to insure strength and avoid any countersinking. Deck floor joists are supported with galvanized joist hangers and special galvanized nails, they are never notched, supported by a ledger, and toe-nailed to the deck box sill Flashing stands slightly proud of the house siding to allow water to pass between the two box sills and fall directly to the ground. This also keeps the area between the sills from being clogged with the leaves, pollen, etc, that can stay wet for weeks, cause decay, and lead to structural failure.

what happened.

A ledger is a good system when done right and is still an approved method in many, if not most, jurisdictions, but just like hangers, it must be done right for it to suceed.. On the other side of this, look at how many Simpson hangerss get installed with the wrong nails or with sheet rock screws.

expander bolts. As that expander bolt pulls it expands and cracks the brick producing a failed connection.

I am hearing so much about the house connection but very little about the posts which are just as important for stability.

Most decks are built as a post and beam structure. These structures are designed to receive stability from the ground that they are buried into. In most cases pole barn builders dig 48" deep. Here in Northern Indiana we have a frost line of 36" that we need to stay below. A concrete footer should be placed in the hole "underneth" the post, and a collar around the post to prevent uplift. You are just asking for trouble if you mount the posts onto your 3" thick patio slab. A stable deck has less chance of pulling away from the house.

When a properly "attached" deck is built to current code specifications it too is less likley to fall.

http://www.hometalk.com/Kevin/project/2602