Thinking About Building a Deck in San Diego?
My wife… here we go again! The other morning we were sitting quietly on the patio, enjoying another glorious day for a San Diego roofer. I look across at my wife, and I see her eyes kind of moving around, looking as though she was mentally calculating, or measuring something. I held my breath, anxiously awaiting what was about to be revealed.
“I’ve got a great idea. Its so beautiful out here, why don’t we build a sundeck on top of our flat roofed patio. We’d get a much better view of the canyon, could sunbathe, maybe have cocktails, or even just read a novel!”
Well, my hands started shaking, my body was trembling, and my teeth, I think, actually chattered.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love my wife, she’s the light of my life, and I can’t think of too many things I wouldn’t do for her. Nonetheless, my emphatic answer was “No way!”
Looking slightly annoyed, she wanted to know “why not?” So, as gently as I could, I tried to explain…
Here we go:
1. Any structure, added to any existing building, must be properly designed to ensure that the added weight will not in any way cause undo stress or settling to the building on which it is added.
2. No deck, unless it is designed and built in to the initial structure, can be constructed without causing major damage, in a waterproofing sense, to the roof on which it is to be attached.
3. With time, and normal settling of the new deck, along with the settling of the roof under it, it is virtually certain that water leaks to the roof will occur, usually within a short amount if time.
4.Leak repair is almost impossible to perform, as rain water runs under the deck structure, travels along beneath it, and shows up somewhere inside the house below. Most of the time, the entire deck must be removed, the leak and the damage which comes with it must be repaired, then, guess what? The deck is again placed on the roof, causing the whole cycle to repeat itself.
5. In addition to the above, the liability factor is enormous, both to the contractor who builds such a structure, and to the homeowner for whom it is built.
Honestly, I have seen this kind of horrific problem occur time and time again. I guess, somewhere out there, a deck has been added successfully. Unfortunately, in my experience, I haven’t seen one.
So, back to my wife. Did she buy it? The answer is a resounding yes! In true fashion, she listened carefully, gave the issue the attention it deserved, gave me a hug, and best of all said, “More coffee?”
“Absolutely, I said.”
God, I love that girl!
Bottom line; a roof is a roof, a deck is a deck, east is east, and west is west, and never the twain shall meet!
Dave Hancock, President
Raneri and Long Roofing and Solar
Cell:6192441618
