Hey guys I am new here but I wanted to ask and get an opinion on this as we aren’t very handy ourselves.

My fiancée and I are finishing a lofted apartment area above a garage. We hired a family friend’s husband as our contractor and so far we haven’t made it far into the process.

He has torn down the old deck and put up a new extended one, which looks okay from what I can tell. However there are a few points on the stairs, especially the bottom step, that have splits in the wood. I am concerned that this may lead to loose boards or repairs needed later on.

Based on my one wood shop class in high school, I didn’t think this looked good, but like I said I am not very handy so I want a second opinion. Is this something I should have them fix or is this to be expected?

  • ExtraPartsLeft@piefed.zipEnglish
    13·
    1 day ago

    These stairs aren’t built right. See how the one on the right is bolted to a post? The left one should also have this and there should be a “kicker” connecting all four of then. The stringers should both sit in the kicker and against it. The weight of the left three is pulling down on whatever they are hanging from and they will eventually fail.

    • Y33tMaster69@lemmy.worldOP
      3·
      1 day ago

      Thanks for the reply, I looked up a diagram and I think I get it. Right now they only appear to be attached to the deck and are just resting on the concrete below. I am not sure if he intends to attach it anywhere else.

      • ExtraPartsLeft@piefed.zipEnglish
        2·
        12 hours ago

        It’s not unfixable, but if he thinks they are finished then you definitely need someone else to fix them.

        I just looked at the pictures again and I’m also realizing that the post on the right looks like it has a gap to the ground and isn’t set into the ground. These do not look like safe stairs to walk on from the pictures you’ve shared.