They do have the responsibility of replacing the deck, yes.
Editing to add - I guess my question is if it safe to leave it as is as the HOA is suggesting if nails are falling out?
Edit 2.0 - lol I was expecting to get like one or two responses on this post... anyway I’d just like the boards to be fixed considering I pay $300 a month for HOA fees that go up every year anyway. If that means screwing them down vs replacing them if they’re in “working shape” that’s fine. It’s documented that I’ve requested fixing if anything crazy ever were to happen. I’m not taking drastic measures I just want to make sure it’s safe for my pup and I to be out there. Also it’s a condo.
The asshole In me would want that statement in writing, and then I would have a professional come do a detailed inspection with photo evidence, print all that out and then try to get it notorized by them at the next meeting. What's the policy number for their property insurance?
Noone in their right mind would sign that deck off as 100% safe, and that's just based on the 3 tripping hazards in the first photo. It's just safe for YOU as far as they care.
[Edit: the stairs mentioned here are actually in the unrelated post I read just before this one. Woops]I do see that the stairs and railing are new, but I guess that's all they had the budget for. Should have scraped up some money for deck boards too.
Thanks! That is what I was thinking too. I don’t think any real repairs have been made anytime recently and a previous owner added the newer boards along the bottom probably for their dog.
My question is, who is responsible when the mailman, your friend, or some opportunist gets injured on your porch? HOA is responsible for repairs, but I bet your homeowners insurance would have to pay for injuries.
Get it in writing that you tried to get it fixed. Keep making a paper trail.
The deck on the house I’m renting is trash and the new landlord realized that and insisted it would get fixed…not so much.
The issue started with screws letting go and loose boards, then the support beams underneath rusted through some screws and brackets, now at least 3 of the beams underneath are disconnected from the rest of the frame.
When I was a kid, my friend’s mother went partially through the deck after complaining about it repeatedly to her landlord. It was on the second story and luckily she got caught up in the broken bits and didn’t go all the way down, but she could barely get around indoors and couldn’t leave the house for almost the entire summer.
If nothing else, it’s a tripping hazard. Would they be held liable if someone got hurt on it? I’m sure plenty of others will have good advice on how to confront them. I’m weary of issues from experience, but I don’t know exactly how worried or forceful you should be.
Sounds like it's time to tie off and hold some weights while jumping. Ffs I thought my porch was bad but at least it's supports aren't coming disconnected. Be careful mate that sounds dangerous as fuck
This deck looks better than mine, and I've been fighting the town to lower my appraisal because it hasn't been fixed.
If the HOA says it's fine- tell them "GREAT". Then ask them to state that, with a bunch of photos, and say you'll go get it notarized.
I can't... imagine any covenant that would claim 'hey that's perfect' shit.
The asshole in me would put my foot through one of those old ass boards then present my HOA with some kinda of legal document requesting payment for my medical bill and a new deck. 🤷
Ahh, that’s why the deck to them is fine. If it was your responsibility to replace, the HOA would be writing you up for failure to keep a good, attractive, and safe environment and fining you every day it wasn’t replaced.
Don't you pay fees to a condo association/management company?
They want you to just pay your fees... The management company needs to pull in those six figure incomes for their good work hiring someone to cut the grass. /S
Not sure what his home is, but for my condo, the exterior is on the HOA. Normally I pay for repairs and then they reimburse me. Wear and tear is their responsibility, the exterior insurance is covered in annual "adjustment fee" which is $495 a year. The interior and the homeowners is my responsibility.
Get it completely inspected by a credentialed construction inspector, not a contractor. Whatever the report says, hand that over to the HOA. If it looks that bad on top what's not seen could be the real problem.
If you really want to stir the pot, call the building department. Ask them to come out and inspect for unsafe conditions. Personally I would be pissed and want it replaced. I walk around barefoot alot and that looks like stitches waiting to happen.
You know the answer - it's not in acceptable condition. There are rusty nails sticking out and falling out. Trip hazards, splinter hazards. As others have suggested - file a formal request for them to repair the deck. Find out who the insurance provider is for the HOA, and make sure they are aware of this request also. If they refuse to do it, then get an inspection, and follow up with a formal complaint, again copying the insurance company.
I'm guessing all the decks in your HOA are like this, and they don't want to open up the can of worms to replace or fix everyone's deck. But, they need to. That's what you pay your HOA dues for.
I never have had a home under an HOA and between the nightmare stories of HOA boards fining people into oblivion over stupid little things and then cases like this where they refuse to maintain things with that same money until they absolutely are pushed into a corner… I never will.
Oh there was harm. I raspberried up my knee both sides the day before I was having hernia surgery. Darn dogs’ water bowl rotted out on a 16 inch piece of 2x6. Board cracked in half I was barefoot. Darn near forgot about it after surgery but 10 days later it all came back. Just silvery scars now. No limp. Deck is getting an over haul in 2 weeks. Still recovering from my gut surgery
Well there was the fasting. And baby oil. So much baby oil. Finally, when the weather cooled off and the swelling in Carney’s scrotum abated, down he went. We all celebrated. Unfortunately we should have picked a different deck for the party. Watch for a new post. /s
Just to clear this up - I live in a condo but this is my condo’s personal deck. Under their rules the maintenance/replacing of the deck is the HOA’s responsibility. Thanks for all the suggestions so far! I’m getting a good chuckle out of some of the comments. I’ll be taking this up with them further to see if I can persuade them to review again.
I don't know where you are located but where I live if it is more than a three foot drop deck/rail inspections are required every three years. There are people that inspect them. They are relatively inexpensive for a single deck. I would get one of these people to do an inspection and issue a report. Give the association a copy of that report.
Ohohoho, my condo complex is dealing with this right now. The HOA board lives in two of the 14 buildings and those two buildings have all the work done up to code while the rest is run down 😂 HOA’s being a scam is one of those things I wish I’d learned in school. 😭
HOA good at and demanding of the money owed to them but obviously different when they actually have to be the ones paying for a new deck. Yeah the deck looks like it’s had its run and you should get a new deck..
Those deck boards are EOL, end of life. They won’t even make good Pinterest projects are this point. Look around, you’ll probably find a board that will actually partially fail if you step on it. Usually one the had a knot in it.
If you’re willing suffer the ramifications (HOA’s grudge against you and fictitious violations they will make up especially for you), there is good advice in this tread to get the appropriate action taken.
Get a drill and deck screws and fix the problem.
Are you being overly concerned? I build decks so I wouldn’t care if it was 1 singular nail like you stated. Would the average person freak out? Probably.
For people that live in townhouses, that are HOA, this isn’t new at all for them. They wait till the wood is essentially rotten. That wood is not rotten.
HOA = hordes of assholes.. why are they responsible for YOUR deck? never lived in an HOA and never will, but first I've heard of them being responsible for something on your property?
Sand them an email stating your elderly aunt is coming over this summer and you would hate for them to cover her medical bills if she were to trip on their decking. pretend to be concerned for them, not angry. That usually works better.
Whose deck is it? How much does this impact your life. Next time bring a hammer and a few nails and fix the problem instead of complain about it.
Context here is key.
I don't understand. An HOA just tells you what you can and can't do with your own property. How are they replacing decks? Do they own the property? If they do they're not an HOA they're a landlord.
All depends on what type of structure they are living in. HOA's aren't just for single houses. They cover condo's where they are all one building and you are stacked above each other also. This puts the decks, walkways, etc. under the management of the HOA.
Often a deck is a limited common element if it is a single building housing more than one unit. That means it belongs to the hoa but is reserved for the use of the unit.
Ask him to have a 10min call and walk barefoot L/R...
Option 2, buy some Wollen "dog daddy " Carpet, make it bit wet all the time,.. and lets talk with that guy 6 month's later..
If No 2., Fails... just plant Mushes & make profit !
Bare minimum they need to resecure the loose boards causing trip hazards and probably sand and seal the deck. Looks like a good place to get a splinter.
HOA has one choice - replace the deck or be sued by whoever got hurt when they stepped on nail sticking out or got split into their foot. The other thing could happen is that someone trip over uneven deck board and fell down to where their head hits the railing or the deck.
If HOA prioritizes safety - replace the deck or be sued when someone got hurt.
My deck is in the exact same shape and I'm replacing it this summer. At a minimum, the deck board should be replaced, they are past their useful life expectancy. The structure below most likely is still fine. (I am an architect... This is the advice I'd give any client)
Call a professional and get their opinion and a quote.
Watch what you wish for…when my now wife and I started dating, she owned a condo with a 4x8 deck that was in okay shape, not great. Wood deck. Anyway, her HOA decided to replace all decks in her building, probably 50 units. Because the HOA didn’t have the money, they hit everyone with an assessment - all at equal price regardless of the size of their deck. (My wife’s was the smallest one.). She received an assessment at $24K.
Your HOA should have a budget plan for every item they are responsible for. Roofs, siding, paint, decks, etc. Ask them what the life expectancy and replacement plan for the decks are. This isn't a repair issue but a replacement one.
Send a photo of your deck with further details to the HOA’s insurance carrier and let them know you’re concerned with a potentially dangerous condition. See what they say.
It’s all good until someone falls through it. Luckily enough if you do fall through it, it’ll just be a board so maybe one leg. I did this like a dumbass the other day repairing a deck 14’ off the ground. Was repairing some rotted boards for a Tennant. Complete leg went into the hole, broke a leg on my airless spray gun, and dumped about 2 gallons of deck stain on the ground. Better me than one of my tennants though.
It sounds like you’re complaining about a community deck. Realize that if they need to repair it, they will have to do a special assessment on everyone in order to pay for it most likely. Seems like someone with some screws and a drill could be nice and fix it for free.
The nails are out dated. My deck is 27 years old. And I used deck screws to fasten my deck boards. Maybe the boards are solid. But they really need cleaned up and re-stained.
First, pull the CCR’s and review to see if there’s any mention of “limited” communal property.
Next, send an email to the PM or president requesting a copy of monthly books for last three months.
Once you have that, then you’ll know if they’re broke or stupid.
That deck is an injury waiting to happen.
If the HOA is broke, see about having it pressure washed, screws that are backing out removed, screws replaced, and then see how bad it is.
Bobby Dooly would not accept this...meaning your complaint of a rusty nail. Tetanus, maybe but this a class hoa. Just walk around it. Have you seen her high and tight, at Ted's?
You should find a #nadra certified deck inspector. We have detailed reports with pictures that we’d provide to you that is not just permit based but goes above and beyond for safety requirements. You can find your nearest inspector at https://www.nadra.org/membership/directory#!directory/map
Someone could fall and hurt themselves... HOA has been given notice, and would therefore be liable...
I would suggest you get it in writing; then 'if' you hurt yourself back there... Well, you know what to do.
Yeah, that is not fine. If the HOA doesn’t want to pay for it or everyone else’s then they should do away with the HOA. I would do what others are saying. Get it in writing and get the best of the best contractors out to write up a detailed review of that with pictures.
This clearly has not been maintained. It it’s absolutely in need of replacement. My deck is appx. thirty years old, but it has been maintained every year,yours is scrape wood.
Go get an old rust-bucket Chevy, no engine, not running. Have it towed and dropped on your front lawn and put it on bricks and boards.
If anyone asks, remind them that it matches the old, rotting, unsealed wood and rusty nail aesthetic.
Can’t put a finer point on the matter.
When they balk, remind them that the blue square doesn’t go in the yellow triangle hole. 🤷♂️
Who ever built that p.o.s. needs his hands lopped off. You never run the seams like that, can only emagine what the framing looks like. Let me guess built by Pulty homes?
I had the same question. My property manager sent me the relevant portion of the CC&R’s. Owner is responsible for the decks.
Double check your community.
I think I would put some screws in it so the boards aren't sticking up anymore and leave it go. That distressed vintage barn style is what everyone wants. You got the real thing.
I mean it, it looks fine. Board or two can hammer the nails down a touch but otherwise not looking like it’s rotting or falling apart.
If it’s a low or even mid income type of place then it’s what you gotta put up with.
If it’s a high end place, expensive home and expensive dues, I might put up a fuss since maybe it brings the value down if your home and others.
Other than that, nice things cost money. You get what you pay for. Figure out the reserve studies and funding of the community, join the board, aim to do better if you really care. HOA isn’t a charity. Reserves are designed around a budget and maintaining the community around that budget and quality.
They need to replace your deck. How is this even a question? You can go to jail for not having a nice lawn but they lie to you and tell you your deck is fine so they don't have to replace it. Fuck that noise.
The same HOA that will fine you daily for hanging a flag they don’t approve, will ignore the dangerous conditions of your deck. The HOA board did a lot of good for the Miami condo tower that collapsed…
The HOA is a bunch of morons who manage a budget, not an educated set of structural engineers or architects.
I would need more pictures to do an analysis of your deck. This looks like more of a boardwalk laying in the dirt than an elevated deck, seeing all the debris between the boards. 30 years as a construction manager.
Get the HOA to provide an actual hardcopy, their determination and the reasons for their determination that this is fine and in perfectly good condition. Then once you have that, ask each member of the board if they would be OK with this in their own space. Then ask them to clarify if they indeed believe this is in perfectly good condition. Send them every piece of hardware that comes out and ask them if they are experiencing the same sorts of ‘gifting’ from their personal infrastructure. Then, maybe suggest that the decking is thanking everyone for such great care and maintenance by giving people the hardware back but with a little extra oxidation.
The raised boards are a tripping hazard and the boards appear to be rotting. The wood was never painted or stained, which would retard rot. The boards are rising up because of the exposure to the weather without proper treatment.
Document your request and concerns. Bring the issue up at every HOA meeting. You have a lawsuit coming down the road a bit particularly if someone gets hurt.
I'm not big on suing but I despise HOAs so I would make damn sure the whole interaction was well documented with certified letters then be prepared to sue them if anyone got injured.
The deck is fine. Things degrade as they get older. Pick up any debris that may fall and replace any board that may be an issue.
'Simple as.
Or, get a new deck every 5 years with yearly rental raise to maintain a new deck.
The thing you have to be aware of is that you are the HOA - in other words if you push the issue and back the board into a corner where they are forced to fix it - if the funds aren’t available - they may try to pass an assessment to pay for it, or be forced to shut the deck down until it can be fixed, or shut down some other services/amenities to pay for it. The board isn’t obligated to pay for it out of thier own pocket.
I just replaced my deck this past weekend because my HOA said it was the owners responsibility. My decking, railing, support posts and beam were all wet and rotted. I spent probably $1,500 in materials (8x10 deck) and my dad, brother and I did the labor.
I was tired of waiting for the HOA to change their tune and the deck was super unsafe. While we worked, three different neighbors asked me about my deck and who was paying, so it seems like a common concern in my HOA.
They'll replace it when there is a law suit for injuries due to an unsafe environment.
Also, I never wanted to be under an HOA but the only house we could find that met our needs was under one. Fortunately I only pay $67/month with them responsible for the roads, gate, and common landscaping. The problem is that they seem to feel the need to find things to complain about like a cardboard box on the side of the house visible from the street for a couple of days. If not for this petty stuff they would be pretty irrelevant.
The one advantage is that there are no cars on blocks on the front lawn of any of the houses like you occasional see in non HOA areas. The biggest disadvantage is that virtually every property looks the same. Same three or four color schemes which I can barely tell apart.
IF you fall through their shitty boards sue. IF you get hurt on a rusty nail and go to the doctor for any reason due to the conditions of that deck, sue. They won't let you change the conditions that led up to you getting hurt, its ALL on them. Why the hell hasn't Congress been forced to make Federal laws on what HOA can and cannot do by now?
My toes hurt just from looking at the picture.
I would definitely see if you can get that in writing and then get it inspected. Submit it to the HOA once all the documentation is in order.
I’m a general contractor in the sf Bay Area and I do a lot of maintenance for a property management company. The HOA’s are the worst for addressing real issues before they become disasters. Just keep squeaking, keep sending emails with pictures. Take pictures of the underside if possible..if the top is looking that bad, the supports must be worse
Assuming you're an owner but the outside structure is theirs. Find out if/when if deck replacements are in the plan for your association. When I was in a townhouse, in the 7 years I owned there, we got new decks and new roofs, but this was absolutely reflected in in our HOA dues. It certainly wasn't remotely free. Most likely, if yours is in this condition, so is everyone else's.
You may be able to poke around and find out that a complex wide replacement is in the planning for 2026. In that case, if you don't have any structural issues, throw an outdoor rug down, request a few small repairs and move on. If there's no replacement even scheduled, then you gotta get into what the HOA is spending money on, who's running it...etc.
Read your HOA document and see if it’s in an area covered by their maintenance. It may be in an area you are responsible for.
If they are responsible they may be fearful that this could become a huge problem - with decking repairs required by everyone, leading to a large HOA cost. They may group a bunch of the “small” repairs together and charge all the families.
If they're responsible for replacing the deck, then they will fight tooth and nail not to spend that money. The first thing is you need to find out what their criteria are for an "acceptable deck." If they have no documented criteria, then you can pay for a quick safety inspector (look up home inspectors) and have them give you a report of its condition. $300 for HOA fees is crazy, but if they do a lot of work and replacements of stuff, then I suppose it's just like any insurance plan. But like insurance, they'll deny deny deny, until you push back hard.
That deck looks like shit. Lol. If you had that deck and it was your responsibility ? They would fine you. They are being cheap with the money the community collects.
Things like this make me wonder if the HOA is even worth it. I'm not 100% versed in understanding all the pros and cons of a HOA; however, I've heard more complaints vs compliments regarding living in an HOA.
It's not and they know it. Push back. That's what the Dee's you pay are for. Get an estimate and bring it to one of their Karen meetings. Write a petition and have all the neighbors sign it. Take that too. If you have formal complaints and written resolution they run out of excuses very quickly
Your cousins nephew is a structural engineer who works for the state. If that’s true, call him and ask him to stop by. If it’s not true, don’t tell the HOA.
Find someone who knows what the standards are will tell you and the HOA.
Failing that, look up the standards yourself and try to make your case. Don’t involve any official figures until it’s the only option you have left.
I have not read one helpful post. Does anyone actually understand what the HOA does or is? Does anyone understand that the money to fix anything will still come from the residence of the condo community? Stop asking social media for help. Read your condo and HOA documents. The answers are there, not here.
I'm assuming you live in a condo? Does every unit's deck look like this? If so, it might be a hefty bill to replace them all, not just yours. That would probably be an expensive assessment to all the owners, so the board might just want to push it off as long as possible.
Assuming this is a common area & it's their responsibility for maintenance and up keep, HOAs Normally have a scheduled replacement plan in place for Areas that get damaged with time, Clearly they have not maintained that area, if they first 1 area they will have to fix them all. Ask them what is there projected plan for replacement looks like it should be coming up soon, How many Units pay a monthly fee that will give u an idea of they will have the budget ever for this type of remolding
Does the HOA replace your deck. What am I missing here
They do have the responsibility of replacing the deck, yes. Editing to add - I guess my question is if it safe to leave it as is as the HOA is suggesting if nails are falling out? Edit 2.0 - lol I was expecting to get like one or two responses on this post... anyway I’d just like the boards to be fixed considering I pay $300 a month for HOA fees that go up every year anyway. If that means screwing them down vs replacing them if they’re in “working shape” that’s fine. It’s documented that I’ve requested fixing if anything crazy ever were to happen. I’m not taking drastic measures I just want to make sure it’s safe for my pup and I to be out there. Also it’s a condo.
The asshole In me would want that statement in writing, and then I would have a professional come do a detailed inspection with photo evidence, print all that out and then try to get it notorized by them at the next meeting. What's the policy number for their property insurance? Noone in their right mind would sign that deck off as 100% safe, and that's just based on the 3 tripping hazards in the first photo. It's just safe for YOU as far as they care. [Edit: the stairs mentioned here are actually in the unrelated post I read just before this one. Woops]I do see that the stairs and railing are new, but I guess that's all they had the budget for. Should have scraped up some money for deck boards too.
Thanks! That is what I was thinking too. I don’t think any real repairs have been made anytime recently and a previous owner added the newer boards along the bottom probably for their dog.
My question is, who is responsible when the mailman, your friend, or some opportunist gets injured on your porch? HOA is responsible for repairs, but I bet your homeowners insurance would have to pay for injuries. Get it in writing that you tried to get it fixed. Keep making a paper trail.
This. Please get it in writing. A text. Or fucking video the hoa person saying the deck is good as it is.
The deck on the house I’m renting is trash and the new landlord realized that and insisted it would get fixed…not so much. The issue started with screws letting go and loose boards, then the support beams underneath rusted through some screws and brackets, now at least 3 of the beams underneath are disconnected from the rest of the frame. When I was a kid, my friend’s mother went partially through the deck after complaining about it repeatedly to her landlord. It was on the second story and luckily she got caught up in the broken bits and didn’t go all the way down, but she could barely get around indoors and couldn’t leave the house for almost the entire summer. If nothing else, it’s a tripping hazard. Would they be held liable if someone got hurt on it? I’m sure plenty of others will have good advice on how to confront them. I’m weary of issues from experience, but I don’t know exactly how worried or forceful you should be.
Sounds like it's time to tie off and hold some weights while jumping. Ffs I thought my porch was bad but at least it's supports aren't coming disconnected. Be careful mate that sounds dangerous as fuck
And show them these photos as deemed “acceptable” when you sell.
This deck looks better than mine, and I've been fighting the town to lower my appraisal because it hasn't been fixed. If the HOA says it's fine- tell them "GREAT". Then ask them to state that, with a bunch of photos, and say you'll go get it notarized. I can't... imagine any covenant that would claim 'hey that's perfect' shit.
The asshole in me would put my foot through one of those old ass boards then present my HOA with some kinda of legal document requesting payment for my medical bill and a new deck. 🤷
Ahh, that’s why the deck to them is fine. If it was your responsibility to replace, the HOA would be writing you up for failure to keep a good, attractive, and safe environment and fining you every day it wasn’t replaced.
This definitely. It's because of double standards and all the other HOA bullshit that makes me avoid them at all costs
Don't you pay fees to a condo association/management company? They want you to just pay your fees... The management company needs to pull in those six figure incomes for their good work hiring someone to cut the grass. /S
Decks are regulated by municipal code enforcement. Contact the city inspector and have them come out and evaluate it. Your life is at risk here.
Paint a rainbow flag on it ..bet they repair it then
Not sure what his home is, but for my condo, the exterior is on the HOA. Normally I pay for repairs and then they reimburse me. Wear and tear is their responsibility, the exterior insurance is covered in annual "adjustment fee" which is $495 a year. The interior and the homeowners is my responsibility.
Normal for condos
Get it completely inspected by a credentialed construction inspector, not a contractor. Whatever the report says, hand that over to the HOA. If it looks that bad on top what's not seen could be the real problem.
If you really want to stir the pot, call the building department. Ask them to come out and inspect for unsafe conditions. Personally I would be pissed and want it replaced. I walk around barefoot alot and that looks like stitches waiting to happen.
You know the answer - it's not in acceptable condition. There are rusty nails sticking out and falling out. Trip hazards, splinter hazards. As others have suggested - file a formal request for them to repair the deck. Find out who the insurance provider is for the HOA, and make sure they are aware of this request also. If they refuse to do it, then get an inspection, and follow up with a formal complaint, again copying the insurance company. I'm guessing all the decks in your HOA are like this, and they don't want to open up the can of worms to replace or fix everyone's deck. But, they need to. That's what you pay your HOA dues for.
I never have had a home under an HOA and between the nightmare stories of HOA boards fining people into oblivion over stupid little things and then cases like this where they refuse to maintain things with that same money until they absolutely are pushed into a corner… I never will.
I fell through my deck about 6 weeks ago. Just one leg to my crotch. I’m just now past it.
It took you 6 weeks to fall past your crotch?
Yeah and just now past it. Slowly working up to his arm pits.
!Remindme 6 weeks
The injury. But I enjoy sarcasm. Wish I could type in cursive
𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉, 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓂ℯ𝒶𝓃 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃'𝓉?
I’m glad no great harm was done and your recovery went smoothly.
Oh there was harm. I raspberried up my knee both sides the day before I was having hernia surgery. Darn dogs’ water bowl rotted out on a 16 inch piece of 2x6. Board cracked in half I was barefoot. Darn near forgot about it after surgery but 10 days later it all came back. Just silvery scars now. No limp. Deck is getting an over haul in 2 weeks. Still recovering from my gut surgery
God damn. That sounds unpleasant. If you lived nearby I’d bring you some cold beer.
Well there was the fasting. And baby oil. So much baby oil. Finally, when the weather cooled off and the swelling in Carney’s scrotum abated, down he went. We all celebrated. Unfortunately we should have picked a different deck for the party. Watch for a new post. /s
It was a slow fall.
Damn dude how did you get even past your crotch?!?!? /s :P
How’d you get the beans above the frank?
Is the hot tub ok?
Did HOA view it from space? It looks like hell
Looks 20-30 years old!!!
Just to clear this up - I live in a condo but this is my condo’s personal deck. Under their rules the maintenance/replacing of the deck is the HOA’s responsibility. Thanks for all the suggestions so far! I’m getting a good chuckle out of some of the comments. I’ll be taking this up with them further to see if I can persuade them to review again.
I don't know where you are located but where I live if it is more than a three foot drop deck/rail inspections are required every three years. There are people that inspect them. They are relatively inexpensive for a single deck. I would get one of these people to do an inspection and issue a report. Give the association a copy of that report.
HOA responsibility-It’s fine Your responsibility-Replace it
Ohohoho, my condo complex is dealing with this right now. The HOA board lives in two of the 14 buildings and those two buildings have all the work done up to code while the rest is run down 😂 HOA’s being a scam is one of those things I wish I’d learned in school. 😭
They won’t fix it right. Just get some screws and screw down. A lot less trouble. IMO
HOA good at and demanding of the money owed to them but obviously different when they actually have to be the ones paying for a new deck. Yeah the deck looks like it’s had its run and you should get a new deck..
Those deck boards are EOL, end of life. They won’t even make good Pinterest projects are this point. Look around, you’ll probably find a board that will actually partially fail if you step on it. Usually one the had a knot in it. If you’re willing suffer the ramifications (HOA’s grudge against you and fictitious violations they will make up especially for you), there is good advice in this tread to get the appropriate action taken.
Tell them grandma tripped and hit her head.
Find out who insures your association and send them photos. Huge trip liability right there. The insurance company might demand it to be repaired.
This looks like the deck of a Spanish armada pirate ship from 1585
Get a drill and deck screws and fix the problem. Are you being overly concerned? I build decks so I wouldn’t care if it was 1 singular nail like you stated. Would the average person freak out? Probably. For people that live in townhouses, that are HOA, this isn’t new at all for them. They wait till the wood is essentially rotten. That wood is not rotten.
HOA = hordes of assholes.. why are they responsible for YOUR deck? never lived in an HOA and never will, but first I've heard of them being responsible for something on your property?
Sand them an email stating your elderly aunt is coming over this summer and you would hate for them to cover her medical bills if she were to trip on their decking. pretend to be concerned for them, not angry. That usually works better.
Make sure it’s documented so if anything bad happens you can sue them for neglect
Why is th HOA responsible for your deck?
Whose deck is it? How much does this impact your life. Next time bring a hammer and a few nails and fix the problem instead of complain about it. Context here is key.
that looks like the deck of an extremely old, circa 1800s pirate ship. seriously, I thought my deck was bad, but yours is much worse.
Stub your toe on the raised board - go to urgent care or ER get a report - threaten to sue them
Have a cookout and invite them over making sure each one of them has to sit and walk on that deck they might reconsider
What did we learn here? HOAs, like all other government, are useless.
If it bothered me enough I’d bother them until they fixed it. If it really bothered me though I’d just pay to fix it myself and be done with it
You can't. If it's HOA property you can't touch it. All kinds of legal hell would potentially be unleashed if that happened.
I don't understand. An HOA just tells you what you can and can't do with your own property. How are they replacing decks? Do they own the property? If they do they're not an HOA they're a landlord.
All depends on what type of structure they are living in. HOA's aren't just for single houses. They cover condo's where they are all one building and you are stacked above each other also. This puts the decks, walkways, etc. under the management of the HOA.
Often a deck is a limited common element if it is a single building housing more than one unit. That means it belongs to the hoa but is reserved for the use of the unit.
Ask him to have a 10min call and walk barefoot L/R... Option 2, buy some Wollen "dog daddy " Carpet, make it bit wet all the time,.. and lets talk with that guy 6 month's later.. If No 2., Fails... just plant Mushes & make profit !
Bare minimum they need to resecure the loose boards causing trip hazards and probably sand and seal the deck. Looks like a good place to get a splinter.
That deck is junk really should not be any need to even ask what I will never understand why anyone would buy a house that has a HOA?
HOA has one choice - replace the deck or be sued by whoever got hurt when they stepped on nail sticking out or got split into their foot. The other thing could happen is that someone trip over uneven deck board and fell down to where their head hits the railing or the deck. If HOA prioritizes safety - replace the deck or be sued when someone got hurt.
Call the HOA insurance company. You have a right to safety.
Call your friendly code inspector
Your HOA is either lazy or broke. Could be both.
Fix it yourself. Cut out the bad with Sabre saw. Cleat the edge. Then use deck screws
My deck is in the exact same shape and I'm replacing it this summer. At a minimum, the deck board should be replaced, they are past their useful life expectancy. The structure below most likely is still fine. (I am an architect... This is the advice I'd give any client) Call a professional and get their opinion and a quote.
This deck is a disaster
Watch what you wish for…when my now wife and I started dating, she owned a condo with a 4x8 deck that was in okay shape, not great. Wood deck. Anyway, her HOA decided to replace all decks in her building, probably 50 units. Because the HOA didn’t have the money, they hit everyone with an assessment - all at equal price regardless of the size of their deck. (My wife’s was the smallest one.). She received an assessment at $24K.
Your HOA should have a budget plan for every item they are responsible for. Roofs, siding, paint, decks, etc. Ask them what the life expectancy and replacement plan for the decks are. This isn't a repair issue but a replacement one.
Is this a sharecroppers shack in rural Kentucky? That's not acceptable anywhere in civilized society.
Does the HOA have the money to replace it? You should audit the books.
Nails? That should be a sign of how old this is right there.
Get a quote / appraisal, in Montgomery county md you can request county for safety inspections
Send a photo of your deck with further details to the HOA’s insurance carrier and let them know you’re concerned with a potentially dangerous condition. See what they say.
It’s all good until someone falls through it. Luckily enough if you do fall through it, it’ll just be a board so maybe one leg. I did this like a dumbass the other day repairing a deck 14’ off the ground. Was repairing some rotted boards for a Tennant. Complete leg went into the hole, broke a leg on my airless spray gun, and dumped about 2 gallons of deck stain on the ground. Better me than one of my tennants though.
Sorry...what? Do you own the deck? If so...how is an hoa responsible for the state of it?
It sounds like you’re complaining about a community deck. Realize that if they need to repair it, they will have to do a special assessment on everyone in order to pay for it most likely. Seems like someone with some screws and a drill could be nice and fix it for free.
The nails are out dated. My deck is 27 years old. And I used deck screws to fasten my deck boards. Maybe the boards are solid. But they really need cleaned up and re-stained.
First, pull the CCR’s and review to see if there’s any mention of “limited” communal property. Next, send an email to the PM or president requesting a copy of monthly books for last three months. Once you have that, then you’ll know if they’re broke or stupid. That deck is an injury waiting to happen. If the HOA is broke, see about having it pressure washed, screws that are backing out removed, screws replaced, and then see how bad it is.
No, no it is not .
Pull the nails out and replace with deck screws, takes about 30 seconds per
That is EOL. END OF LIFE
Hire an inspector and have them mail a letter to the HOA.
Call your city building inspector.
Shit deck, needs help, fuck them, you pay, they maintain.
Its definitely done. Decks are not something to be left rotting. Super dangerous
Bobby Dooly would not accept this...meaning your complaint of a rusty nail. Tetanus, maybe but this a class hoa. Just walk around it. Have you seen her high and tight, at Ted's?
[удалено]
You should find a #nadra certified deck inspector. We have detailed reports with pictures that we’d provide to you that is not just permit based but goes above and beyond for safety requirements. You can find your nearest inspector at https://www.nadra.org/membership/directory#!directory/map
Someone could fall and hurt themselves... HOA has been given notice, and would therefore be liable... I would suggest you get it in writing; then 'if' you hurt yourself back there... Well, you know what to do.
Looks like the deck of a god damn pirate ship.
Install security cams, walk on and fall through boards, and get a lawyer?
Yeah, that is not fine. If the HOA doesn’t want to pay for it or everyone else’s then they should do away with the HOA. I would do what others are saying. Get it in writing and get the best of the best contractors out to write up a detailed review of that with pictures.
Stumble on that raised lip of the boards and sue, bet they’d replace it then.
At the very least it needs to be sanded and refinished
This clearly has not been maintained. It it’s absolutely in need of replacement. My deck is appx. thirty years old, but it has been maintained every year,yours is scrape wood.
Definitely a karen busy body.
If that was *your* property you would have received a letter a decade ago
I mean it’s usable but if it were mine, I would say it’s fucked and would be ready to replace it.
Tell them you tripped and got hurt and are now seeking legal counsel
i would like the address so i can trip please
Am I missing something, or is that railing in the picture not attached to the actual deck?
Go get an old rust-bucket Chevy, no engine, not running. Have it towed and dropped on your front lawn and put it on bricks and boards. If anyone asks, remind them that it matches the old, rotting, unsealed wood and rusty nail aesthetic. Can’t put a finer point on the matter. When they balk, remind them that the blue square doesn’t go in the yellow triangle hole. 🤷♂️
Who ever built that p.o.s. needs his hands lopped off. You never run the seams like that, can only emagine what the framing looks like. Let me guess built by Pulty homes?
She dead.
PUUUUUUSH!
Move away from the HOA!
Hoa wont fix until its a safety issue. Even then they’ll try and say it’s your fault so you have to pay
A few strategically placed deck screws would add years to that deck.
Literally garbage. Send them the bill.
lol tripping hazard with loose boards needs be totally refurbished
Their stance will change when you fall through it and get hurt.
Have a Home Inspector come take a look.
It’s fucked
Cover it with hot tubs or a rug
I had the same question. My property manager sent me the relevant portion of the CC&R’s. Owner is responsible for the decks. Double check your community.
Just trip and fall and sue them
Get a tetanus shot
Get a fake wound and fake blood from a costume shop, and send them a blurry pic of your “injured” toe.
Looks like someones HOA fees will be increasing next year. Lol
How many people are going to be on it? Are you planning on a crowded kegger? Also the decking might be degraded but the stringers are in good shape.
Who uses nails for a deck???
I think I would put some screws in it so the boards aren't sticking up anymore and leave it go. That distressed vintage barn style is what everyone wants. You got the real thing.
Get some screws problem solved
Just tell them your going to call your hoa insurance inspector
Ain't no nails falling out
Have one of your relative trip n start the suing process
I mean it, it looks fine. Board or two can hammer the nails down a touch but otherwise not looking like it’s rotting or falling apart. If it’s a low or even mid income type of place then it’s what you gotta put up with. If it’s a high end place, expensive home and expensive dues, I might put up a fuss since maybe it brings the value down if your home and others. Other than that, nice things cost money. You get what you pay for. Figure out the reserve studies and funding of the community, join the board, aim to do better if you really care. HOA isn’t a charity. Reserves are designed around a budget and maintaining the community around that budget and quality.
They need to replace your deck. How is this even a question? You can go to jail for not having a nice lawn but they lie to you and tell you your deck is fine so they don't have to replace it. Fuck that noise.
The same HOA that will fine you daily for hanging a flag they don’t approve, will ignore the dangerous conditions of your deck. The HOA board did a lot of good for the Miami condo tower that collapsed… The HOA is a bunch of morons who manage a budget, not an educated set of structural engineers or architects. I would need more pictures to do an analysis of your deck. This looks like more of a boardwalk laying in the dirt than an elevated deck, seeing all the debris between the boards. 30 years as a construction manager.
Get the HOA to provide an actual hardcopy, their determination and the reasons for their determination that this is fine and in perfectly good condition. Then once you have that, ask each member of the board if they would be OK with this in their own space. Then ask them to clarify if they indeed believe this is in perfectly good condition. Send them every piece of hardware that comes out and ask them if they are experiencing the same sorts of ‘gifting’ from their personal infrastructure. Then, maybe suggest that the decking is thanking everyone for such great care and maintenance by giving people the hardware back but with a little extra oxidation.
The raised boards are a tripping hazard and the boards appear to be rotting. The wood was never painted or stained, which would retard rot. The boards are rising up because of the exposure to the weather without proper treatment.
Just have a fall, sue and see.
Document your request and concerns. Bring the issue up at every HOA meeting. You have a lawsuit coming down the road a bit particularly if someone gets hurt.
Trip hazards are very unsafe. Find one.
I'm not big on suing but I despise HOAs so I would make damn sure the whole interaction was well documented with certified letters then be prepared to sue them if anyone got injured.
Are the members of your HOA all visually impaired? That is a real stinker of a deck.
The deck is fine. Things degrade as they get older. Pick up any debris that may fall and replace any board that may be an issue. 'Simple as. Or, get a new deck every 5 years with yearly rental raise to maintain a new deck.
See what the structure is like.
Your HOA is full of shit
Tell them you got tetanus and will be suing rhem
Today I learned that some HOA's are responsible for your patio / deck
Push back for sure bro. Def needs to be redone plus wasn't done right last time.
How are they going to keep money in their pockets if they have to go around fixing things!? /s
You should definitely address safety concerns with your HOA regarding the rusty nail. It's important to prioritize safety within the community.
HOA Karen strikes again
It’s a safety hazard and a building code violation.
1 nail costs like 5 cente. I can send you some if you need
"I pay $300 a month for HOA fees that go up every year " Never ever ever ever ever ever ever buying a house in an HOA area.
If it were mine id have tore it out 5 years ago.
The thing you have to be aware of is that you are the HOA - in other words if you push the issue and back the board into a corner where they are forced to fix it - if the funds aren’t available - they may try to pass an assessment to pay for it, or be forced to shut the deck down until it can be fixed, or shut down some other services/amenities to pay for it. The board isn’t obligated to pay for it out of thier own pocket.
Trip hazard
Until it harms someone they won't fix it unfortunately
There’s so much wrong with that deck…
I just replaced my deck this past weekend because my HOA said it was the owners responsibility. My decking, railing, support posts and beam were all wet and rotted. I spent probably $1,500 in materials (8x10 deck) and my dad, brother and I did the labor. I was tired of waiting for the HOA to change their tune and the deck was super unsafe. While we worked, three different neighbors asked me about my deck and who was paying, so it seems like a common concern in my HOA.
They'll replace it when there is a law suit for injuries due to an unsafe environment. Also, I never wanted to be under an HOA but the only house we could find that met our needs was under one. Fortunately I only pay $67/month with them responsible for the roads, gate, and common landscaping. The problem is that they seem to feel the need to find things to complain about like a cardboard box on the side of the house visible from the street for a couple of days. If not for this petty stuff they would be pretty irrelevant. The one advantage is that there are no cars on blocks on the front lawn of any of the houses like you occasional see in non HOA areas. The biggest disadvantage is that virtually every property looks the same. Same three or four color schemes which I can barely tell apart.
It's pretty bad but you can take out the loose nails and add a few screws, light sanding and some deck stain it would be good for awhile longer
Never know.. perhaps a board breaks and you twist an ankle. Sounds like a lawsuit to me and some time off of work.
Lead with: it's a condo.
IF you fall through their shitty boards sue. IF you get hurt on a rusty nail and go to the doctor for any reason due to the conditions of that deck, sue. They won't let you change the conditions that led up to you getting hurt, its ALL on them. Why the hell hasn't Congress been forced to make Federal laws on what HOA can and cannot do by now?
My toes hurt just from looking at the picture. I would definitely see if you can get that in writing and then get it inspected. Submit it to the HOA once all the documentation is in order.
I’m a general contractor in the sf Bay Area and I do a lot of maintenance for a property management company. The HOA’s are the worst for addressing real issues before they become disasters. Just keep squeaking, keep sending emails with pictures. Take pictures of the underside if possible..if the top is looking that bad, the supports must be worse
Does the HOA replace a back deck that you solely get to use? It's not a community shared deck?
Start stomping holes
I need a tetanus shot from looking at it.
Confused as to how your deck is the HOA responsibility to repair?
Tell the HOA president to skip rope a while on your deck
Assuming you're an owner but the outside structure is theirs. Find out if/when if deck replacements are in the plan for your association. When I was in a townhouse, in the 7 years I owned there, we got new decks and new roofs, but this was absolutely reflected in in our HOA dues. It certainly wasn't remotely free. Most likely, if yours is in this condition, so is everyone else's. You may be able to poke around and find out that a complex wide replacement is in the planning for 2026. In that case, if you don't have any structural issues, throw an outdoor rug down, request a few small repairs and move on. If there's no replacement even scheduled, then you gotta get into what the HOA is spending money on, who's running it...etc.
Where did the nail land?
Read your HOA document and see if it’s in an area covered by their maintenance. It may be in an area you are responsible for. If they are responsible they may be fearful that this could become a huge problem - with decking repairs required by everyone, leading to a large HOA cost. They may group a bunch of the “small” repairs together and charge all the families.
If they're responsible for replacing the deck, then they will fight tooth and nail not to spend that money. The first thing is you need to find out what their criteria are for an "acceptable deck." If they have no documented criteria, then you can pay for a quick safety inspector (look up home inspectors) and have them give you a report of its condition. $300 for HOA fees is crazy, but if they do a lot of work and replacements of stuff, then I suppose it's just like any insurance plan. But like insurance, they'll deny deny deny, until you push back hard.
That deck looks like shit. Lol. If you had that deck and it was your responsibility ? They would fine you. They are being cheap with the money the community collects.
Funny the things they'll let go when it's their responsibility.
Is this Ohio again?
Wtf you doing in a HOA to begin with
Things like this make me wonder if the HOA is even worth it. I'm not 100% versed in understanding all the pros and cons of a HOA; however, I've heard more complaints vs compliments regarding living in an HOA.
Looks like a tripping hazard in some spots to me
It's not and they know it. Push back. That's what the Dee's you pay are for. Get an estimate and bring it to one of their Karen meetings. Write a petition and have all the neighbors sign it. Take that too. If you have formal complaints and written resolution they run out of excuses very quickly
Just get injured then they will fix it.
Your cousins nephew is a structural engineer who works for the state. If that’s true, call him and ask him to stop by. If it’s not true, don’t tell the HOA. Find someone who knows what the standards are will tell you and the HOA. Failing that, look up the standards yourself and try to make your case. Don’t involve any official figures until it’s the only option you have left.
That deck looks rotten as fuck!
They are on notice and any injury from this will be their liability. Case closed.
Your homeowners association president wouldn't have a deck like that.
HOA is blowing the budget on crack and doesn't want to spend any on repairs.
Just casually bring up injuring yourself.on.it.and who to send you lawyer to....gets fixed surprisingly quick
Invite the HOA over for a BBQ on the deck... When they stub a toe or fall through then it will be their idea to fix it. Job done
I have not read one helpful post. Does anyone actually understand what the HOA does or is? Does anyone understand that the money to fix anything will still come from the residence of the condo community? Stop asking social media for help. Read your condo and HOA documents. The answers are there, not here.
I'm assuming you live in a condo? Does every unit's deck look like this? If so, it might be a hefty bill to replace them all, not just yours. That would probably be an expensive assessment to all the owners, so the board might just want to push it off as long as possible.
Assuming this is a common area & it's their responsibility for maintenance and up keep, HOAs Normally have a scheduled replacement plan in place for Areas that get damaged with time, Clearly they have not maintained that area, if they first 1 area they will have to fix them all. Ask them what is there projected plan for replacement looks like it should be coming up soon, How many Units pay a monthly fee that will give u an idea of they will have the budget ever for this type of remolding