JUNK Deck Costs Homeowner THOUSANDS!!

[@rigidinspections]

I have never done this before but I feel really bad for this poor lady. I set up a gofundme for her. If 1/4th of my followers just gave 50 cents we could get her money back for her. Link here: www.gofundme.com/f/support-zacs-client-after-contractor-scam?attribution_id=sl%3A09a521ef-d61c-4391-8d29-fa25b0458090

[@dlucks174]

In the builder's defense he probably wasn't finished addressing all the issues yet

[@justjay3750]

​@dlucks174 the issues that he created because he is clearly unqualified? not a good defense.

[@1windozesuk]

This isn’t even intentional negligence, this is just pure ignorance. Dude has no clue what he is doing, it's like a couple kids trying to build a fort with scraps from the neighborhood

[@John-c4r1o]

And the buyer is equally to blame. Proper tradesman don't need to do these jobs, they can build houses etc. Like we do. Doing jobs for the general public is scraping the bottom in construction

[@robb4964]

More like pure stupidity.

[@ericoverholt2693]

My childhood tree house built by me a few friends when I was 10 or 11 was better than this.

[@vincentayala269]

Those probably done a better job!😅

[@Christofuzz-hc9xl]

Agreed. He just doesn't even know what TF he's doing. This is terrible. Stringers. Once again a "Carpenter " who has no idea how to layout a stair stringer,which means he definitely can't layout even a common rafter. He found that stringer in a dumpster, and scored big time, because he figured its already played out and I can just use this for the stringer on Mrs. Johnson house lol. Bro, EVERY stair stringer is different, and unique to its own elevation on site. Anyways, he's probably a dope feind, needs money for heroin well, fentynl and had already spent the 5,000 dollars. Put this guy on blast. Let the community and inspectors know who he is. Can't wait to see the railings, especially the stairs railing, lol.

[@steveo4141]

Basically that "structure" is a burn pile.... it's criminal what some of these scum try to pass off as construction

[@jasonash9121]

Those stringers look like what a construction crew might throw up temporarily so they can get up/down from a job site. I'm guessing the guy picked them out of some new construction trash after they were discarded.

[@StinkyBlack1]

This looks just like the forts we made as kids.

[@tinblessing8]

I just tried calling Precision Craft. Recorded message says number is no longer active. AND, via Google, apparently the BBB has put a red alert next to the company listing. Ouch. And yay! Another one bites the dust.

[@jiggidyjam]

@@tinblessing8 people like them will just start another biz under new names

[@steveburley2863]

That's a testament to the strength of modern deck screws.

[@yogidemis8513]

Yep, enough of them deck screws, they can hold indefinitely

[@Noeasyhandle]

NEVER use “deckmate” brand screws (the ones from home depot). They redesigned them several years ago with a priority given to maximizing the amount of screws that can be turned in with a single battery charge. These screws have very little holding power, especially if you are going into end grain (where they will have ZERO holding power) Just a terrible screw that has caused a ton of problems for people unfortunate enough to have used them in their project.

[@hotbam37]

yeah they also seem to have shorter threads than other brands I have used recently. Which leads to them spinning out in places they should be digging in. And then you can't get them out without taking the board off and hitting the pointed side with a hammer. Very annoying. I found it is best to order screws online at a much lower price. You can get quality GRKs for what lowes and HD want for deckmate screws. And GRK screws will back themselves out 99% of the time because the thread goes much further up the shaft.

[@garys5175]

@@hotbam37 you realize that the shorter threads are designed for screwing down 1.5 inch thick boards? The long thread screws don't let the 1.5 inch thick material tighten down to whatever it is being screwed to. There is a place for longer threads, and a place for shorter threads...

[@sierrawest6568]

I literally know nothing about building or carpentry, never even thought about it a second before, and yet im drawn into this content like a moth to the flame 😮 very informative and I will never look at a deck the same way again

[@uuuultra]

upvote

[@Voyager23B]

2x6 joists with one deck screw to hold in place. Sounds code to me; the code for assured death.

[@GailRichards-l3s]

Total tear down needed. The customer should sue this guy. Just terrible!

[@joeblownogodontinvademypri2618]

Precision Craft: "We promise you a unique P.O.S. executed to the highest standard of crappiness!"

[@arlingtontrains7]

Looks like neighborhood kids building a treehouse with whatever lumber they could find

[@kurtislow6025]

That's a meth deck!!! 😆

[@Aaron_Jensen]

I completely understand why you immediately called out this guys company. I've come across some terrible decks, porches, and stairs in my day, but my god does this guy take it up another level. I pray this customer gets every single dime back.

[@sambrown8224]

OMG!! the rise and run of those stairs alone made my eye twitch.

[@dorkistry]

Holy Frankendeck, Batman!

[@johncarr2333]

Wow. that is called a scam.

[@tylerbarbaree7007]

This has been way more entertaining than I had planned.

[@seanbrotherton542]

Never having built a deck nor any familiarity with codes i am confident i could build a superior deck compared to that contractor after watching a couple of deck builds on KZbin.

[@sailingwiththegods538]

I've been a carpenter here in NY for almost 30 years and nothing surprises me anymore. I would've torn off the old deck and rebuilt the entire thing. Decks aren't cheap, and if you're getting one for cheap it won't be good.

[@drumswest5035]

I agree and the home owner should maybe have pulled a permit and got a struct engineer involved too if you dont know structure. Ive seen too many failures of decks that get overloaded and people get killed or badly injured ( im a struct draftsman)

[@kenreighard5071]

I'm surprised. There's no drywall screws.

[@Voyager23B]

I guess they didn’t calculate Rise/Run for the stringers. 😳

[@bluegarage100]

I just put up a small deck. After watching this I feel like a master craftsman!

[@kaasmeester5903]

The rusty nails are a nice touch. Adds character.

[@Johnthebuilder12]

I have been building decks for 23 years now in the St. Louis area and I have seen some messed up stuff and have had to tear down and fix some messed up stuff, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything this bad. Being that I am in the same area where this happened I will definitely keep that company name in my mind. Thanks for the video. Great job on putting it out there.

[@thisandthat603]

Holy cow! This guy is gonna kill someone.

[@j_431]

THANK YOU for naming and shaming. More people need to do that and Its what protects people from fraudsters.

[@wethenorth6437]

Even I could build a better deck than that from watching KZbin videos and I'm a 60yo woman. The stairs are particularly disturbing since the stair riser height should be between 7 and 8 inches because anything less or more has proven to cause people to stumble up and fall down. I guess that's if you made it to the stairs without the whole deck crumbling underneath your feet. This lady seriously needs to report him to the police for fraud.

[@mariorosas6364]

Yeah I was thinking the same. The stairs being at different heights have to be a tripping hazard.

[@chrisignatz1728]

The sweetness of a low price is long forgotten after the bitterness of poor quality 😒

[@ericthomas7474]

I'm not a builder but have completed several decks and I've been accused of going overboard. Simpson strongties everywhere, lag bolts, and just wanting to be certain that i can jump rope on it.

[@Voyager23B]

That’s why you are most likely booked out several months in advance! Simpson Strongties for the WIN!

[@Voyager23B]

If I put my name on it, that’s my reputation on the line. Overbuild or bust for me as well.

[@marjoriebreslin2995]

You need to give the guy a break. It was probably his first deck. Besides, the worst thing that could happen is It could collapse and kill someone. What's the big deal🫣

[@danybrown5598]

You don't know what you are talking about, guy. This is new technology. Can't wait to get me an infinity pool and floating deck. 😂😂😂.

[@BlenderRookie]

That deck reminds me of the government. Poorly assembled, mismanaged and defective in every way possible..

[@ItsMe-vg4vj]

Really?!

[@bobbysmoke6.4dzl94]

That deck is METHED UP!!😮

[@mkl5448]

Thank you for naming names, it's about time. Customers have to do their due diligence, and look at the work after every day. Even if you know nothing about that, all you have to do is Google a few things, ask a friend, whatever. Customers get all hyped up about super cheap prices and then are stuck when the project is crap. I'm not saying the customer is at fault here, but they do bear some of the burden. You assume someone that comes out knows what they're doing and it's a professional, but those days of assuming are over.

[@boblemay6539]

Ive been building decks since 1983. This is unreal. A 5yr. old could do a better job. That needs to be completely torn off, and re done by someone who knows what they're doing.

[@rubo1964]

Iam a DIY homeowner and even I know the basics and I tend to overbuild.This individual is total ignorant oxymoron and must be stopped building before he kills someone

[@msomething3579]

Normally I would say the deck video is so bad that it doesn't look real, but,... my daughter called me several weeks ago because the deck that came with their house was sagging. I had been encouraging her to go ahead and plan a new deck since the one that came with the house was small and around twenty years old, still I grabbed a few tools and went to take a look, crap. Their deck had been built to the same standards as the one in this video, with the exception it was done with nails and not deck screws. No hangers, no bolts, no 6x6s, no notching, and hopefully there were footers under it's 4x4 posts. What we did was use a jack to raise and level the flooring section, adding a 6x6 post and a couple of 2x8s as a beam to support the deck load. Then added hangers and used "Timberlocks" to temporarily tie everything together so they can at least safely use their back door. I told her the only real solution is to completely tear it down and start over with a "Proper" design which they can do themselves through "Lowes/Home Depot" as a starting point. Now back to this video since I didn't notice a building permit which of course would have required an approved design. Seems most likely the homeowner didn't want to get a permit and found the guy who would do it on the down low. One additional thing about my daughters house, when they bought eight years ago they had a "Professional" home inspection performed, he found a lot of minor issues but seems he never looked at the deck which to me would have been a huge red flag. I also suggest she file a complaint about the so called home inspector,...

[@AyeCarumba221]

This is actually WORSE than if they had done nothing at all. Because this will need to be removed and discarded. If I had bid on this, I would have removed the entire old deck, and started from scratch. Horrible. Drunk? Total incompetence.

[@c.b.kansan1700]

I'm an aquarium hobbyist and I build my own stands. Some basic builds with just 2x4 and screws, some finished with all the trimmings. I think I have more screws and support in a really basic 55 gallon tank than that whole build. What a joke. And a dangerous one at the. Get her a lawyer. Sue his ass into the ground.

[@hotbam37]

I'm glad you named the company and owner, more people need to be doing that. Also, I think a couple of 10 year old kids could do better than this guy did.

[@mariorosas6364]

This man has managed to defy the laws of physics. I don’t even know how that thing is holding itself up.

[@handimanjay6642]

Report him to the state contractors board.

[@mikescaffo4850]

Absolutely positively disgusting work I feel bad for the person who paid this fool he should pay her back the money but that will never happen because people like this are scumbags

[@robertdacquisto6871]

This is legit the worst thing I have ever seen. If anyone walked on that floating corner it’s doneso, guaranteed. That’s horrifying how many other projects he built.

[@driveman6490]

He literally had to go out of his way to perform such horrendous work. 3 year olds with a Playskool starter tool set.....with the help of Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and Helen Keller, would have done a better job.

[@billgateskilledmyuncle23]

Don't forget Ronnie Millsap

[@benjaminhamel8116]

I'm a contractor in NH. I am actually impressed with his work, that it actually stayed together enough for him to deck it,,, no way in hell I'd be on that thing or walk under it.

[@mattrowntree9369]

I honestly have to ask if this is real. There was absolutely nothing remotely resembling code let alone pride in workmanship. Scuttle the deck, then scuttle the contractor.

[@rigidinspections]

I assure you this was real lol

[@tobedetermined4180]

You don’t get daily workers from a big box store to do your construction projects! Please people

[@EverydayKindaGuy]

As a DIY kinds guy who'd happily build a deck, this thing makes me glad I have a functional brain. I couldn't fathom doing such a horrendous job.

[@dp1381]

The worst part is how simple and easy deck construction really is, relative to building an entire house or anything else. The building code for decks is pretty simple and clear, and Simpson makes every bit of hardware you could ever need. The person who did this didn’t care at all and put no effort into learning his craft.

[@SplashJohn]

Agreed. The average DIYer could spend an hour on KZbin and be able to do better than this.

[@mini_worx]

I have built 6 decks over the last few years without a license or trade school knowledge. Instead I read an insane amount of information (AWC) and watched an insane amount of videos. All 6 decks are as good as they can be - safe and strong. My deck 16x24, hasn't moved an inch. My father in laws deck (14x10 and 12x16 split level) has been his pride and joy for 5 years now. I can't even imagine how bad you have to be to do something like this. It's beyond ridiculous.

[@elhoward7440]

That's a definite "tear everything he did down and start over" situation. Especially those stairs! Maybe the concrete footings are still usable, if you drill bolts into them.

[@TheCyberMantis]

Do a detailed report with photos. Then sue his ass in court.

[@rigidinspections]

That’s what is happening. I did the report. Client is taking them to court

[@TheCyberMantis]

@@rigidinspections Very good. Let us know how it turns out.

[@wrenchboostboi8994]

Thats insane. Ive seen teenage tree forts built with better integrity

[@JasonTurner-lk9zj]

It looks like to me the entire thing needs to be removed and replaced properly by someone who knows how.

[@rickludwig7302]

Awesome video! Thanks for sharing

[@andybub45]

Never pay a massive deposit up front. Huge red flag. Also, watch the workers. I’m not saying to be constantly over their shoulder, but if something looks obviously off, ask the contractor. If they get defensive and hostile, tell them to pack up. Not saying it’s this lady’s fault because I’m sure she was misled into thinking they were a reputable company.

[@lindseyb0303]

Who constructed that deck Alf and Ralph Monroe.

[@richardburchett]

Horrible. One time I saw a deck on a new construction house where there was a ledger on the house, but no joists hung on it, except two end joists maybe 12 feet apart. These were used as beams and were both holding joists which were parallel to the house. The whole thing was already bowed in the middle.

[@oxxnarrdflame8865]

Hmm, it looks like the TreeFort I build as a kid.

[@craigo9101]

I'm no contractor or builder. I am watching deck building vids to learn how to build my own when I happened on your video. I almost convinced myself that this was a fake video because no one could be this bad and have a license. I hate it when people prey on the elderly. They need to be tracked down and givin some good ole boy justice. I will be giving to your go fund me and would be willing to come to St. Louis to help you all build this lady a new deck. I'm only 3 hours away. Thanks for posting this

[@bfree6197]

Where I live, the building codes office has a printout to assist in deck building. They print a copy for 3 bucks. Many people are scared of them... but they are there to help. They will look at your drawings and answer questions you may have. It's worth the time to do some basic drawings and ask questions. Making your mistakes on paper costs less than lumber. What's allowed in some areas may not be allowed in others... so copying what someone does in a KZbin video may be questionable. My first experience asking questions to at my code enforcement office was about 30 minutes long... the guy was in no hurry. He pulled out a couple of books and showed me a couple of things... was much like having a school teacher!!!

[@wallacegrommet9343]

Red State construction quality. No inspection, no permit, no code adherence. All of the home inspectors in Red states that I follow are constantly finding serious defects from every skilled trade in all new construction. I have inspected dozens of homes in NJ and Washington state, and never see this level of incompetence and slipshod building practices

[@craigo9101]

@wallacegrommet9343 red states? Liberal when you going to stop whining and realize Trump is your daddy for 4 years

[@mrtopcat2]

@@wallacegrommet9343 Well, I live in a Southern California Town and even new roads are built in this type of quality. I always wonder who signs off and how?

[@funnyharleyman]

Good lord, this was a simple build, what would a more complex one look like? And it does appear they used wood that was weathered and laying around. The kerf on the stair stringers is downright scary.

[@jackmontgomery9620]

Aren’t permits required and inspections performed for footings and approved construction work

[@rigidinspections]

Supposed to be. This guy did not even try for permits

[@zadok22]

The #1 reason I became a Home Inspector was the number of dangerously poor decks I saw while in the lawn business and also from power washing decks. It never ceases to amaze me how many do not have basic carpentry skills or own a level. Everything this guy did is completely wrong and should be condemned and torn down! It's obvious no permits were pulled, but sometimes even the local inspectors can't be trusted.

[@angelagrant9163]

This is absolute stupidity and this builder did not give a damn😢😢homeowner was ripped off 😢😢

[@jebronlames7789]

Gotta give him credit he did everything you dont do when building an elevated deck. As a custom radius stair business over 35 yrs right off the bat i noticed the abomination what resembles a stairway. The only time the riser is greater than the tread depth well thats called a ladder. All im thinking is what Trump said, their not sending their best.

[@mikepfeifer3687]

Judge Judy would have a field day with this one. Some of the 2X material is not treated. The upper stringers are not treated, it looks like the added “ledger” at the original deck is not treated. You can tell the lower stringers are used by the busted 2X tread/riser…. that happens every time you tare out a set of steps. The homeowner probably shopped around to hard and found the bum. A $500 deposit is suspicious, you can’t get much material for $500 bucks. RUN THIS JACK LEG OUT OF TOWN!!

[@kayn70]

This is crazy. This looks like it was made by someone who vaugely knows what decks look like, not someone who knows how to correctly build them. Precision craft? Precision garbage.

[@rigidinspections]

💯

[@mrcryptozoic817]

I think he scavenged scrap boards and fasteners from another construction site and built that "deck" with no expenses. Then charged her for the privilege.

[@robbyramone6920]

Needs to be torn down and he needs to be out of business

[@arghoknot]

If you are hired as the company that will correct the issues, there should be a form that you should fill out that lists all of the issues and code violations. The state and not the city, county, or town should have the person or business that performed the work and deny any attempt from that person to open a business period. The state should also be who files a lawsuit and not the homeowner. This will avoid the homeowner anymore loss of money and most likely make them pay the fines and reimburse the homeowner.

[@OperationNorthwoods]

Can that lady get her money back from that thief? Even by lawsuit based on your findings? That filthy contractor should NOT be permitted to get away with that thievery.

[@rigidinspections]

She is in the process of trying but I believe her attorney said they likely won’t be able to get the money back from this guy

[@-_.._._--_.-.-_-_-_-...-.-]

It's like one of those optical illusions that hurts the eyes, it's so bad!

[@artor9175]

Oof. Even 30 years ago, I knew enough to build better than that. Hell, 40 years ago I could have spotted this as a bad job.

[@morrisschwarts4826]

Theres no way someone did that for real. It looks like you threw it together to make this video. Thats crazy.

[@twm4259]

The real question is whether anything could have been done worse? Anyone hiring a contractor for any significant work needs to hire someone who licensed and bonded. Plus, get references and check with the CCB. There is no way that this person has any of that.

[@TheAntiSmug]

If it takes you so long to build a deck that the 6x6 are checking due to drying out before the deck is done, you may be the slowest builder on earth. Thanks for calling them out by name.

[@MultiPoseur]

Whats wrong? They were going to hide it with trim.

[@jamar2349]

I didn’t realize Stevie Wonder was into carpentry. A+ effort for a blind guy.

[@dbeaulieu9730]

The worst deck I have ever seen. The law needs to have a chat with him

[@jessasdad]

It looks like when a kid builds a fort or tree house with lumber scrounged from the neighborhood.

[@damenking476]

Precision Craftsmanship😂

[@xXKisskerXx]

that is not a deck, it is a waste of wood posing as a danger to anyone near it, it almost looks like a strong breeze would knock the whole thing down.

[@patrickgarvey146]

Tweaker who pockets 💰 for materials.

[@rigidinspections]

More than likely

[@bobrichards318]

Precision Craft must be put out of business. He doesn't know what he is doing and he must be sued by the homeowner or her money returned. Everyone needs to know about this contractors shoddy poor work and that he gets money with no service performed.

[@JK-Handyman]

That just makes me mad, I feel sorry for people who are struggling and take on work they don't have the experience in, but use a book or youtube and spent the time researching to learn how to do it right. My guess is he spent $4,900.00 on meth, stole some good materials from someones job site, then pulled some scrap wood, the stringers, and the warped 4x4s from a dumpster, and spent $100 on concrete and a box of screws.

Looks good from a far, nope its junk, glad you called him out.

[@flashrobster4210]

That of course is negligence. They could have invested $20 and purchased a diy book on deck building and done a better job with just looking at the pictures. Buyers beware.

[@remoskins1437]

I know nothing about building decks, but taking shortcuts and being greedy is the stupidest thing anyone can do. Learn your trade! Good video.

[@AmericanPropertyServices-pd6lg]

That is so wrong in so many ways. The so called contracted shouldn’t be allowed to be within 50’ of a hammer.

[@danlaur7973]

That deck will collapse with ANY weight on it

[@Tobez]

Hope this video gains some traction!

[@jamesoncross7494]

It's going to cost more to tear it all apart and rebuild it. What a MESS!

[@dueyfry65]

Looks like a 2x6 ledger and 2x4 joists. On the add on. No center riser. Bad all around.

[@allegory7638]

"Precision Craft - A Playskool Company"

[@lyonanddebanderson4418]

Looks like a "2 guys and a case of beer weekend". Total junk; no way to fix this other than to start over, pour lady. You need to name this guy, he is an embarrassment to my profession.

[@jiggidyjam]

That looks like a trade school built a model for how not to build a deck

[@r.deanmcknight136]

This homeowner needs to sue and this inspector needs to go after this stoog of a "contractor" and not only fine the crap out if them but also revoke their license and prevent from future projects. I've seen some crap before but this is a freaking nightmare. I've seen the 3 stooges do better work than this. I've been in the residential construction field for 30+ yrs and OMG it's a wonder this didn't fall apart the moment someone stepped on it. And those stringers....... 🤦‍♂️👎

[@uuuultra]

these guys are always broke---taking them to court won't do any good

[@danielingle2524]

“I can do it cheaper” the saying that will cost you the most

[@ncooty]

There are plenty of people who will charge a fortune to do a bad job.