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Can someone tell me what is wrong with this 4x4 Lumber?

6K views 52 replies 18 participants last post by  oh'mike 
#1 ·
Hi all, I am new to the forum. I'm hoping that someone can tell me what is wrong with this wood. I had a guy come out to knock out an enclosed patio and install new posts. He put these posts in. He only used 4x4 pine (I believe) even though I wanted Cedar (he said it was too expensive). He only attached it at the top with metal plates and he "forgot" to connect them to the concrete. There are 4 posts. 2 swing in the wind. I tried to get him to fix it and he avoided me for months so I am taking him to small claims. My court date is Tuesday.
I have a ton of pictures to show the judge, as well as a video of the posts swinging around. But what I want to know is why these posts look chewed up and split. These pictures were taken about 4 months after he installed. He SAID it was pressure treated but I don't know. I also priced all the material he used and he COULD have done cedar. I'm so frustrated. Its hard being a woman cause contractors just walk all over us. Worst part is... this guy was a highschool friend I've known for 20 years.
:furious:

Thanks in advance!

Amy


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#2 ·
Doesn't look like any pressure treat i've ever seen. As to what species it is, I don't know, but it must be some kind of low grade lumber considering how torn up it is. :eek:

Besides that, if they are just sitting on concrete and 2 of the 4 move, then they were cut too short or the others too long. :jester: Not to mention i'll bet they should have some kind of bracket installed to hold them in place.


I'm just a plumber though, you should wait for someone more knowledgeable on the subject to confirm the points i've made.

As far as your lawsuit : Does he have a license? Did you ask him to see his license? Does this job require a permit? I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's up to the homeowner to ask for licensing information and make sure the proper permit process is followed.
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
As far as your lawsuit : Does he have a license? Did you ask him to see his license? Does this job require a permit? I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's up to the homeowner to ask for licensing information and make sure the proper permit process is followed.
Hi Alan, thanks for your reply. He SAID he has a license, but now I'm doubting he does, however, I believe in the State of Texas (I live in Dallas), they don't HAVE to have one. He supposedly worked for a construction company called XXX Construction. Shortly after he did the work, he put himself on Angie's List (yes, I gave him an F and he is in their penalty box). He is XTZ Construction in Garland, TX. He "hired" a friend to help. I guess he "sub contracted" and that person suposedly does this type of work for a living and he TOLD me he was licensed too. I also gave him an F on Angie's List. He is ZYX Construction in Wylie, TX (for anyone that has an Angie's list and cares to read the entire ugly review).

Gee where do I start?
#1 He did not take the time to pick through the pile to find limber in better condition.
#2 There is no post cap.
#3 There is no post base.
#4 There is no footing below the post built into the slab to support it.
http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/AC-ACE-LPCZ-LCE.asp

http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/ABA-ABU-ABW.asp

Oh ya you got ripped off.

Post should never be in direct contact with the slab or there going to rot.
Hi Joecaption! Thanks for the links! I knew it should be connected to the concrete but didn't know about the top cap, however, I DID notice that he didn't connect the boards at the top and used several "shims" to fill a gap.

You said that this is supposed to be an enclosed patio?
You have not said where this is; Canada, New Mexico, etc?
BTW...your friend from high school for 20 years is an a-hole.
Andy.
Hi Andy! Thanks for the reply. It WAS enclosed, sorta. Yet one more person that ripped me off. My cousins husband built the enclosed patio. Didn't finish, didn't use the right material, etc... I got so frustrated with him I just told him to LEAVE. Few years later, storm came through and tore the whole side of the patio off. It was crap anyways so when the insurance company gave me money to fix it (and I had to pay the 1800 dollar deductible), I decided to just tear out the walls and put in posts and just leave it as a covered patio, not enclosed. You are also right. TOTAL A-HOLE. At least I have all the email correspondence where he told me NOT to work with contractors that were going to screw me over, that he would do the job and do it right. Yeah, learned my lesson. Don't even get me started on what he did to my fence. He had the NERVE to threaten ME when I said I was taking him to court.

While it's possible it is pressure treated, I really doubt it is.
And he didn't "forget" to fasten the bottom of posts, he obviously never planned to in the first place.
Find someone a little more trustworthy to fix that.
Also, you need to do something with those exposed roof rafter ends or they will rot away pretty quick.
Hi Wrongdave! Thanks for the reply. When I sent him the video he told me that he and the other guy "forgot" to attach to the concrete. He sent me a picture of some L bracket metal type thing and said they would come install those. I told him NO, you will take the post out and use the footing like you are supposed to. He agreed and then I never heard from him again (I have it all in emails). Also fighting with him about the fence. He didnt set the posts even and the panels wouldn't attach so he left out 26 of the bolts that hold the fence to the post. SIGH. He tried to say that wind probably blew them out. I'm blonde, but not that blonde! :eek:
As soon as I win the case and he pays me my money back, I'll hire someone after doing an extensive reference check. But until then, I can't fix the patio or fence. He took all my money, wouldn't give me an invoice (so I didn't get my depreciation check) and I'm at the mercy of the judge now. I contracted West Nile over the summer so I was fighting with him about it while on my death bed. Sad. I'm a single mom and I rescue mastiffs and he KNOWS all this. He knows how important the safety of my backyard is because of my dogs. Just sucks.

Very poor grade of material. It does look like treated, but still should not sit directly on the end grain. I cannot believe anyone would use such a low quality material for an exposed post, but I see it pretty often.
Hi Troubleseeker! Thanks for your reply. He told me since he wasn't doing cedar, he would get a high quality pine that would last a long time. He literally used 7 metal fence posts and material to connect them to the existing fence (1/2 a$$) and the four posts for the patio and he charged me 1200 for material. SIGH.

Some one saw an easy mark. Such ashame, spoils it for all of use that care about what we do.
Yes, unfortnately many contractors lately have seen me as an easy mark but I dont let them pull one over on me. I let my guard down with him cause I've known him forever. the one good thing for me is that he had someone here helping but I didn't know who until 3 days ago when the person told me that he tried to get him to fix it all right but he said it wasn't necessary. I have it all in writing so I'll be able to use that as evidence too.

I truly appreciate everyone's replies! I hate even going outside because it reminds me of a friend basically stealing $2000 dollars from me.
 
#3 ·
#4 ·
That wood is not pressure treated, as has been said before; no post caps no post bases. Bases should be stand-off type.
You said that this is supposed to be an enclosed patio?
It is possible that you do not need nor are required by code to have footings under the posts. This would depend on how much the over-all assembly weighs.
You have not said where this is; Canada, New Mexico, etc?

BTW...your friend from high school for 20 years is an a-hole.

Andy.
 
#6 ·
While it's possible it is pressure treated, I really doubt it is.
And he didn't "forget" to fasten the bottom of posts, he obviously never planned to in the first place.
Find someone a little more trustworthy to fix that. If you don't require footings, that should be a pretty easy fix.

Also, you need to do something with those exposed roof rafter ends or they will rot away pretty quick.
 
#7 ·
Very poor grade of material. It does look like treated, but still should not sit directly on the end grain. It will rot, as these posts are almost always cut from the center of the log and do not absorb chemicals completely.
I cannot believe anyone would use such a low quality material for an exposed post, but I see it pretty often.
 
#8 ·
I agree it does look like pressure treated But still looks like poop.
Some one saw an easy mark. Such ashame, spoils it for all of use that care about what we do.
 
#17 ·
I have some treated 3x4's that have about the same color.....the fact that they still look like that after this long kind of supports that they are treated....raw pine would have taken on a much more weathered look by now.
 
#19 ·
It is pt and difference is noticeable compared to regular lumber that is the roof.
That chewed up piece is probably lumberyard reject that your buddy got for half price.
In court, emphasize that that roof is only temporarily supported as he finished it. Permanence must have metal ties both top and bottom, and nails, and all metal in contact with treated wood must be double dip galvanized or stainless. Toe nail, as he did from the post into the girder, is absolutely not acceptable as toe nail tends to split the wood, and not enough nail bites into not enough wood. Go to homedepot, ask somebody at the special order desk or somebody even half familiar with metal ties used for decking, and take some samples of ties and nails with you to the court. If you don't have a contract that specified cedar and have paid for cedar, you can't say you could have had cedar for your money. Don't say anything about the condition of your slab, since you did not ask for it to be repaired.
Even well done posts, in your case, should have cross brace from the supporting beam to the posts. Braces don't have to be big, since the roof and its plywood deck takes majority of the racking force,
 
#21 ·
It is pt and difference is noticeable compared to regular lumber that is the roof.
That chewed up piece is probably lumberyard reject that your buddy got for half price.
In court, emphasize that that roof is only temporarily supported as he finished it. Permanence must have metal ties both top and bottom, and nails, and all metal in contact with treated wood must be double dip galvanized or stainless. Toe nail, as he did from the post into the girder, is absolutely not acceptable as toe nail tends to split the wood, and not enough nail bites into not enough wood. Go to homedepot, ask somebody at the special order desk or somebody even half familiar with metal ties used for decking, and take some samples of ties and nails with you to the court. If you don't have a contract that specified cedar and have paid for cedar, you can't say you could have had cedar for your money. Don't say anything about the condition of your slab, since you did not ask for it to be repaired.
Even well done posts, in your case, should have cross brace from the supporting beam to the posts. Braces don't have to be big, since the roof and its plywood deck takes majority of the racking force,
Hi Carpdad, Thanks for the reply and suggestions. I'm going to do exactly what you said. Its hard to take a patio to court. I have taken dozens of pictures of the patio and fence so hopefully the judge will understand how bad it is.
I didn't have a contract, per se, but I do have it in writing where I told him I wanted cedar and he said he couldn't do cedar for what he was charging. Later, I went to home depot AND lowes after writing down all the material he purchased and priced all the material. He told me he got it all from a supplier (cheaper than HD or Lowes) and at Home Depot, the material he used cost about $360 total. I priced cedar and it was $525 (cause literally he only used four 4x4's). He charged me $1200 for material and $800 for labor. His ORIGINAL quote was $3900 and when I flipped out on that, he dropped it in half.. so I'd say he def didn't use the material that I specified wanting.
 
#22 ·
So sorry about your run of luck. Those posts look like he pulled them off a pallet he found in the parking lot. The posts probably were tight and then shrunk down. This is completely unacceptable for his lack of honor. For stealing from an old friend. Betrail of trust is the worst thing about this whole job. Please note, many contractors do incredibly good work. You will find someone you can trust that will do a good job for you. Do not give up on your house.
 
#25 ·
In my opinion, I would not have done that type of post like that. I would have used carriage bolts and bolted it to the side of the header board. Might not be as strong for bearing the weight of the roof . I may also put in some cross braces as well. They probably make a real nice bracket for this situation but I just do not use them.
 
#26 ·
Not sure what type fence you have but I've never heard of someone using bolts to attach the panels.
The post are never even when you set them. You set the post, let the concrete harden then the best way is to use a self leveling lazer level to mark the post and cut them off even. Even a brick string pulled tight will work.
I install the rails using ceramic coated decking screws then just set the panels up on the rails and use screws to attach them.
 
#39 ·
Not sure what type fence you have but I've never heard of someone using bolts to attach the panels.
The post are never even when you set them. You set the post, let the concrete harden then the best way is to use a self leveling lazer level to mark the post and cut them off even. Even a brick string pulled tight will work.
I install the rails using ceramic coated decking screws then just set the panels up on the rails and use screws to attach them.
Hmmm, maybe even wasn't the word I was looking for. Usually, I think people use a string or something so that the post is in the same spot all the way down the line. They didn't do that, so some of the posts are further back, so when they tried to reattach the fence panel to the new metal post, they couldn't get it close enough. Here are a couple of pictures of my beautiful fence. The storm we had snapped a couple of my wood posts so all I did was have him replace 7 wood posts with 7 metal posts (just reattach the fence to the metal posts). You can see where there are no bolts/screws (whatever they are called).



 
#27 ·
The damage to the wood is from how it was cut. Trees are round. When you square up a round log sometimes the corners have small bits still missing in order to optimize the log. That damage is from being the corner piece near the round edge. I can't tell for sure from the picture but it usually is only on one corner when that happens.
 
#28 ·
That's a mending plate, not the right one to use for this.
Your also missing the diaganals to keep that roof from swaying, and the hurracane ties to keep the roof from up lifting.
 
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#29 ·
Man you really got the sh*t end of the stick on this deal. My heart goes out to you as I don’t want to see anybody get screwed over like that especially from a friend no less. I live in Canada and if I could I would drive all the way down to rip everything out and install everything correctly including the fence at no cost to you. It is such a shame…
 
#31 ·
OP lives in Dallas Texas. I have to assume a plan, permit and inspection is required to perform structural work there.

All I’m seeing here is likely a result of skipping that process.
Was there a permit and an inspection? Is one required for this type of work in your area? Might be worth a call to the local building department, maybe someone could come out and help you with your suit? (take that under advisement)
 
#37 ·
I feel bad for you, but I don't think you are going to get very far in court, saying that he used garbage wood, unless the contract stated he was going to use premium wood. "the guy on the DIY internet site said..." is of limited value also. The workmanship looks poor, and around here would need a permit (not sure if the work needs a permit in your area) and inspection, and would not pass inspection, but if your court date is in two days, you may have a hard time digging up a city inspector to look at your place a giving a written result. A city inspector is not going to judge on the quality of the wood, only if the work meets minimum code (and it likely does not). And if it should have had a permit, but did not, that is likely to be the home-owner's problem first, but in small claims court, you could end up getting the better result on that issue.
 
#42 ·
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