Deck footing Question (real estate, credit, how much)

[fallenmirage]

I am purchasing a home, and during inspection it was noticed the deck does not have footing underneath the posts going into the ground. The deck is wood, and there are 4 posts going into the ground. Anybody have any idea how much it would cost to add the footing? Or how much credit I should ask for? A very rough estimate is all I am looking for. Thanks!

[timneh5]

Originally Posted by fallenmirage

I am purchasing a home, and during inspection it was noticed the deck does not have footing underneath the posts going into the ground. The deck is wood, and there are 4 posts going into the ground. Anybody have any idea how much it would cost to add the footing? Or how much credit I should ask for? A very rough estimate is all I am looking for. Thanks!

In my town, footings have to be inspected by the building inspector before the deck can be built. Was the deck done without having the proper permits pulled from the construction department of your town? Was a permit even needed? This could add to the cost.

The construction department of the town of the house you're purchasing will be able to tell you what size the footings are supposed to be.

[exhdo1]

Originally Posted by fallenmirage

I am purchasing a home, and during inspection it was noticed the deck does not have footing underneath the posts going into the ground. The deck is wood, and there are 4 posts going into the ground. Anybody have any idea how much it would cost to add the footing? Or how much credit I should ask for? A very rough estimate is all I am looking for. Thanks!

Did the inspector dig down where the post enters the ground. It's not uncommon for posts to be directly in the concrete footing (not the preferred way and maybe not even legal to do anymore) and then covered with soil. In my experience home inspectors will not move anything during an inspection. They will only report on what's visible, so the possibility of him getting under the deck and digging is probably minimal. You can check with the town to see if a permit was issued for the construction. If one wasn't issued it may delay the purchase of your home. I don't if that's 100% accurate and I'm sure others on the forum that are familiar with real estate can answer that. Without seeing the deck it would be hard to speculate how much it would cost for new footings. I've built quite a few decks and porches that required footings and it's not really a big deal to dig 4. if that needs to be done, it will have to have some temporary supports installed before removing the existing posts. The issue you would have is probably getting a contractor to do a small job like that without charging you a fortune. Perhaps you should look in the local paper and see if there are any handyman types that would be interested in a job like that. Just curious, how big is the deck? Good luck to you.

[joe moving]

400 to 750 bucks I bet.