Self defeated..trying to build a deck

[thefed]

I already built an 11x11 deck off of my back door.... 3 summers ago. It was a 2 day project with some help.

I recently got a letter from my insurance co. saying they are dropping me if i dont put up a railing. Well, I planned (for 3 yrs) on expanding the deck 8ft in both directions(its wedged in corner right now...between an addition and my home). SO, I decide I must do it now to avoid wasting time w/ a rail.

I only have 3 weeks, and in those 3 weeks, 3 days to do it, INCLUDING TODAY.

I got up at 7:30 am to find all tool rental places closed (need a post hole digger to dig 16 post holes). I found one open, but they didnt have any. So I decide I should goto Lowe's and get ALL the wood here so its here when I DO get a digger... Well, my van wont start. No problem, i just left the dome light on. got my battery jumper and its too weak to trun it over. So i go looking for the jumper cables....and.....nothing. the old lady took my car this morning so i could change her oil....and her jumpers are in my car for some reason i still dont know

so here i am, ready to put in a day's labor, and i cant do squat.

so i decide...f*$* the cables, i'll go buy more at the auto part store....i get there, closed! so i goto a napa...they are open...NO CABLES!!!



Is this an omen, or what? should i stay home and sulk?

 

[d]

this is clearly a bad omen ... your first mistake being to get out of bed.

 

[Cut-Throat]

A man's got to know his limitations

 

[Nords]

If the deck improvements are your idea on your schedule then this would be an amusing anecdote about all the hilarious misfortunes that befell you on the way to getting the deck on the cover of "House Beautiful".

But because the work is inspired by the $%^&ing insurance company and they're marking the calendar, it's a never-ending series of hassles.

Maybe you need a new insurance company.

 

[dwk]

Since you're under the gun, I would just finish the railing around the existing deck. You can screw the railing post into the deck. When you get around to enlarging the deck, you can unscrew the railings and use them on the new deck.

dwk

 

[Lazarus]

Can you just remove the old deck and tell the insurance co. that its gone? Then at your leasure build the new one?

Matching the new deck to the old may be difficult anyway.

 

[razztazz]

Sounds like that episode of Andy Griffith where Aunt Bea tries to stock an old freezer with 100 pounds of beef then the freezer dies and she cant get it fixed. . Andy keeps telling her <i>"Aunt Bea. CALL THE MAN!"</i>

 

[kcowan]

Tell your insurance company that the deck is under construction and ask them what kind of coverage will they provide during the construction?

 

[JPatrick]

I feel your pain fed, for I too have been a guest at Hotel Self Defeat.
Ah but the answer is a simple one--in fact just one word--

Come on--you know

One little word solves all--


Of course

it's

CORONA!! 8) 8) 8) 8)

 

[HFWR]

Ma-ma-ma MY CORONA... 8)

 

[jclarksnakes]

fed,
....I got no help for you with your problem but I do want to thank you for reminding me that other people have problems with their projects. We redid the deck last year. My DW the schoolteacher thinks her summer vacations are the right time for ALL the projects. It seems to me that the problems I worry about before starting a project are never really a problem. It is the stuff I don't foresee that bites me in the butt. I sure will be happy when DW goes back to work next week.
jc

 

[JPatrick]

Ma-ma-ma MY CORONA...  8)

Sounds pretty good, but could I get just a little more cowbells?

 

[thefed]

well, its was more like ma-ma-MY BACARDI

SO, I got my neighbors jumper cables and jumped the van...sweet. Drove to a local tool rental place...they wouldnt rent it to me because they say my area is too much clay and i will break the machine! After some choice words, I left.

Finally found that HOME DEPOT has them...van's dead tho. jumped it again, went there, left it running, got the thing, and I was home by noon.....

The guy gave me the wrong auger blade!!!! Had to go BACK to depot, van started this time, change blandes, and come back.

Went to dig the first hole and WHOOOSH...slipped on a heaping pile of dog trud, in my sandles. I washed off and proceeded to dig.

My neighbor came by, helped me dig em, because the clay is a MUTHER!

Got all 12 holes dug, and the thing returned in 3 hours.

I threw in the posts, plumbed/leveled/cemented them.

This morning, one is real wobbly while the rest are ok...not bad. I put up 2 rim joists this morning before w*rk.

Not too bad though, 8 hours to dig the holes, purchase the lumber, return the digger, and cement my posts.

I need about 15 more hours alone to finish!

 

[REWahoo]

Went to dig the first hole and WHOOOSH...slipped on a heaping pile of dog trud, in my sandles.

Augering holes while wearing sandals? Some people have bad luck, others help create it.

 

[thefed]

Augering holes while wearing sandals? Some people have bad luck, others help create it.

i thought about...but the sandles were all i wanted to sacrifice to the almighty TURD GODS

 

[Brat]

With your luck your insurer will want it inspected by the building officials.

Actually, you may want to corner a structural engineer to inspect the work. My advise, short term, is not to hold any parties on the deck. I know of sad situations from decks that failed.

 

[thefed]

Who says my deck is going to fail? Geez...have a little faith. My deck I;m adding on to has held up solid, true, and plumb for 3+ years.

This one is getting a little extra support and special atttention. I built it totally to code. I plan though, on figuring out a way to add EXTRA support for the newest part of the structure. I figurer maybe something like floor jacks (the kind builders use to hold up houses). I think I will dig a 6" deep square in the middle of the new deck, cement a jack into it, and use it to jack up a 2x10 running the width of the deck. This should help bear some weight.

All together, this bad boy will make a 19x16 deck...pretty sweet....big enough for our big outdoor patio table, a few lounge chairs (to be purchased soon), some kids toys (of course i'll have ther railing and a gate up for the steps)

Then, next spring, comes the pool off of the one side of the deck!

 

[Brat]

some kids toys (of course i'll have ther railing and a gate up for the steps)

You might consider stapling up some of that fine black bird netting on the inside for a couple years.  Kids love to play "Daddy pickup" with toys that ACCIDENTLY fall off.

edited to correct spelling

 

[MDW]

A good resource for deck building - bestdecksite.com
Good planning information and great structural information

 

[thefed]

Well, I'm about 75% there! I have all the joists up and blocked. I have 50/180 sq feet of the decking on. I have to finish the decking, add a railing, put up some lattice work on the sides from the deck to the ground, and stain it.

I have 17.5 hours into it now, and expect to put in another 12 hours into it. The majority of the tough work and building is done, now comes the time consuming tasks (putting up the railing with 132 ballusters for example).

Next task at hand: Build a 2 car detached garage and convert my under-the-house garage into a rec-room. Im looking at about 18k to finish that project, but I think it will be well worth the money. I'll be adding 30% to the square footage of my house (from 1500 sf to 2000).

 

[youbet]

i thought about...but the sandles were all i wanted to sacrifice to the almighty TURD GODS

While mixing cement, plan for a little extra. Dig an extra hole, place dog in the hole, add cement, tell wife dog ran off while she was at work...........

Oh.....settle down dog lovers......just kidding!

 

[HFWR]

Dog named "Hoffa"?

 

[thefed]

I got the decking down tonight after w#rk, it took 3 more hrs.

Railing is next. Im going for pre-notched railing posts and pre-made sections of fence. Time is valuable, so I can spend the few extra bucks for someone else to assemble it. If I was ER, I'd take my darn time!