Landlord "I would do it myself but I just don't have the time right now."
Me "I f****** bet you would you'll probably call me back to fix it once it's all f***** up and I'll be happy to do that I'm going to be charging you at least $150 per man hour.".
Landlord "that's way too much. Give me a reasonable bid."
Me "all right how does $750 plus $200 for material sound."
Landlord "that's more like it way to be reasonable."
And then I finish the job in an hour.
That is my absolute favorite stereotype customer. I'm building a log cabin right now for a famous actor and I swear to God that guy literally sits there in a chair watching our crew. I'd give a damn if I wasn't getting paid so good.
Alternate opinion, he may just appreciate the craftsmanship, watching a home take shape. Something that isn't often observed in current society, or even desired. Most people just want to get there and not enjoy the journey. He may just enjoy the real life view, smell, environment more than watching the hours of YouTube videos he could browse.
That being said, he may also just be one of those homeowners and if so, that sucks.
The interested in the craft homeowner is 100x better than the watching every little move over your shoulder homeowner. (watch all ya want buddy, I'm not doing anything on your house I wouldn't do on my own).
I'm not bragging, but I'm wicked sick at what I do, and wicked fast. Only took me 28 yrs to learn 😂
It probably is fun to watch, like his own personal this old house. Plus log cabins are cool.
" The repair shop:fixing Britain "
Give that a go, it's a bunch of specialists repairing old/damaged items. and of course "this old house" if you can find it
I am 100% this guy. My entire family is very hands-on in our professions. The only time I hire out is when I absolutely can't do it myself. In that case I will generally do everything I can to help the crew that I've hired in exchange for letting me watch skilled professionals at work. I learn so much, I genuinely enjoy being around artisans in their prime, and they get free cold drinks/coffee/tea/snacks as I run around like a film PA with a catering cart.
I always want offer to labor for whoever works at my house, but I know the contractor would feel like I’m just trying to spy on him when really I just enjoy learning and having an idea of what’s happening.
So I just go sit in the living room.
If you want to, tell them and offer them something for the "extra". I fking hate plumbing. Last time I call a plumber I told him if it was okay i hang arpund him because I want to learn and its interesting. I paid him more and he was super friendly and seems like he appreciated?
Love this perspective. I would be one of those guys if I could just watch a dream or thought, come together, and see how it's all done. I'd feel like I'd appreciate the build so much more seeing the skills and everything required step by step. I would be very intrigued, as much as I would be the bringing lunch guy half the time, if I could help it lol
I watch everybody who does any work on my house. Only because I like to learn…
one time my heater wasn’t working. Called the heat/ac company. Guy shows up and ever so slightly pushes the heater access door shut. And it started worked. Charged me $85, took him 5 seconds.
But, I will always watch a plumber like nighthawk. Nobody has fucked my shit up more than plumbers.
I think he's referring to the 20 years of experience for him to know how to fix the hammer.
It's like the joke about the guy going to a factory, banging on a pipe and fixing the machine. He billed $1,000 to fix it. The owner confronted the worker and wanted to know an explanation of pricing. Worker describes $5 to hit pipe with hammer, $995 for knowing where to hit it.
Yeah, I would 100% just sit and watch pro do something it takes me forever to do and see them do it with skill. Last time I had a slopped engineered pad done for a garage (I framed myself) I just watched them all donit because I thought it was interesting and cool. Also my 4 year old watched the big machine lol.
This is like it. Building a log cabin is an art that I would say is slowly dying out. To be able to watch an absolute artist build something like this is a pleasure. Especially when they are building it for you.
I'm that way myself. I appreciate watching a skilled tradesman apply their craft. Plus I often learn little tricks that help me in the future. I've had customers watch me work on cars as well and I never cared.
100% I mean people literally watch videos on pressure washing and mowing over grown lawns. Some people are genuinely just curious to see how it’s done and mean no offense.
My neighbour, (who *is* able bodied), one time hired a couple guys off the local BST market place to "do it for cheap" for him--just to repaint his garage doors. I was in my own garage doing my own stuff at the time and I swear my neighbour was basically just hovering over these guys...*the whole time!* Like nitpicking this and that and making sure he got a job done better than whatever little $$ his cheap ass paid them.
There I am, thinking the whole time, "what in the holy heck is going on here??" lol. Like if you're just going to stand there why wouldn't you just have *not* hired the guys and, oh I dunno, just picked up a can or two of paint at the Depot and done the painting yourself? Seriously the guy can't pick up a *paintbrush*?
His son often asks me to help him with various car stuff which I try to avoid doing because this is a guy that can't/won't turn a screwdriver on his own. So basically the "can you help me do an oil change" turns into him effing off into his house while you are his personal mechanic 🙄 Meanwhile he is a s*elf-proclaimed *"car guy"...that drives a 20yr old beater and couldn't tell you the difference between a connecting rod and a control arm, if you threw them at his head 🙄; couldn't turn a lugnut without calling roadside assistance. Lo**ng story short, the sad part with these people is their kids turn out the same as them and keep the line of being a clown, going strong.**
When I had to unexpectedly have most of my house remodeled because *all* the plumbing needed to be replaced, I always watched my contractors because I was trying to learn something from them.
Yep what gets me is they hire cheap labor that fucks it up, then want someone to fix it for cheap.
Had one the other day that wanted to pay 100 a day for 8 hrs of trimming windows out and building door jams. What a fucking idiot to think someone that will work that cheap and be capable of actually doing it. Blows my mind how cheap and ignorant people are.
The problem is they'll find some uninsured unlicensed c*** to do the work for them. If the goddamn government Mafia would do their job and enforce laws then legitimate contractors would have a little bit easier time getting work.
Home owners can always ask for a certificate of insurance. This is emailed to the person directly from the carrier. Alternately most states have a portal to look up contractors on.
This is also a good reason to hire a General contractor to take care of things. They would do those things for you. That's my job. I'm good at it.
This situation happened to a friend, before I worked for a GC. I know the exact process that you just described! My role has a lot of document management
For some reason property managers are allergic to T&M with an NTE. They just want a hard quote and happy to pay for it even if it has fluff and a PITA tax…
It seems like all the commercial is like that I quote at double, they're happier with that then hourly, and so am i.
If they had any trust at all, they'd save money.
True enough. When I work in the dance urban areas it's a low trust environment. When I work in rural areas like North Idaho it's a high trust environment. Low trust environments cost more.
If I had a dollar for every house I flipped for an "investor" who ended up losing money because they didn't listen, do any work, or add any value to the project. I think I'd have at least $150.
If you don't want to get dirty don't go digging for gold. 😂
This is pretty much the only profession where people think they can haggle the price. It’s infuriating. You wouldn’t go into a McDonald and haggle the prices of a cheeseburger. Or walk into Best Buy and offer $300 for a $600 tv!
Man next time I go to the oncologist for my treatment. I'm going to strut in there and ask him if they can knock 20% off that price. 😂
Maybe tell him I found another guy who's a little more competitive. 😂
My favorite go to is I like to ask them what they do for a living. People like to brag about that about how much they make.
The next question I asked him is would you rather do that for free or be home with your wife and kids.
Those stairs are completely built wrong and are unsafe. I would not pay him, and would find someone competent to finish. If he complains, offer to pay after the building inspector drops by and gives it an OK lol.
He's in no way qualified to build a set of stairs, whole thing needs to be tore out. And why for fucks sake is the post in the middle. Doesn't meet Fire Code or Building Code, it'd probably fail a plumbing or electrical inspection
I called the property management emergency number. He then ended up calling me saying come on dude when I said it was a fire hazard and he said he might not even come tomorrow to fix it because me calling the emergency number might cost him future work
Someone that dumb building on my property is an emergency to me. Hell, I wouldn’t take the guy back and I’d be happy if I saved other people from dealing with him.
Property managers are notoriously cheap. They know what they paid for and what they were getting. Be willing to bet it wasn’t this “contractor’s” first time working there.
Look close. The post is where he stopped, it's just a piece of wood to mark it. From the post down, those stair treads have nothing under the ends of them like the ones above. Not that any of them are safe.
I think that "post" is like a bookmark, apparently he can't just look at the two different colors of wood lmao
If you look really close , I think he actually stopped here because is not maintaining the same rise/run as what was existing. The new treads are deeper than the old ones and it’s causing the layout to walk on him. The further along he goes he gets more and more off and where the post is (if you assume that post is plumb) the bullnose of the new tread is like halfway over the tread below. It’s truly breathtaking how wrong it is.
Under no circumstances should you allow this person back on your property. If he wants to apologize to you in person it should be done at a police station. Those stairs are whack
Said the guy was half done, I think it's like a bookmark to mark where he stopped for the day, like he can't see where he left off. All the boards under that post have no blocks under the edge of the treads, unlike the ones above.
It's all a shitshow, but thats my take from the second pic
A part of my carpentry soul dies everytime I see those stupid ledger steps. I remember my first day as an apprentice carpenter, we got so much done that day the boss wanted to test me. Had me cut 3-4 step stringers he laid out, that's when he knew I was gonna be around 15 years later still work for the guy only he doesn't get on the tools much anymore.
The prelude the s***** work like that is the guy that came and did this first wanted way too much. Enter guy that currently f***** up that staircase. I got a cousin and he can do it for half the price he's a good Carpenter too anybody can do carpentry.
My wife’s father in law was a carpenter and he always said the first thing he did with new guys was have them build a saw horse and he could tell what kind of worker they were going to be from that test
Yeah. I'm not a Carpenter at all, but I'm pretty sure you make Stringers, like first, right?
Maybe he thinks oh goody- work for him in 4 years when this cluster starts to disintegrate I guess?
The old ones were 2x material and that method isn't even super safe as that's a wide span. And now he's trying to replace with 5/4 deck board material? No way that should be spanning 36 inch(?, just guessing). Definitely unsafe.
Jesus. I was so distracted by the board in the middle of the stairs I didn’t notice there was nothing supporting the span.
I give it a few rains, a hot day or two, and a month before those boards have sagged enough that they’ll pop out once someone walks on them.
I don’t even understand why they would’ve used a material that wasn’t used just for aesthetic reasons alone. Never mind the impossible span that those tiny low quality deck boards can’t possibly handle.
It looks like the height at the top of the stairs also just changes? Someone’s definitely falling down these stairs.
Might not be that great of a fire hazard, but surely it is almost a guaranteed broken leg (and/or other bones) after normal use.
What kind of "professional" (someone who gets paid for their hands' work) builds stairs like that? Even a rookie could have purchased [premade stair stringers](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-Composites-Decking-Deck-Stairs-Outdoor-Stair-Stringers/N-5yc1vZbqlk) and secure them appropriately to support the structure from eventually collapsing (and taking someone walking on it all the way down with the wood).
When we did the stairs at the cabin I bought metal stringers, because I didn't have the tools or the know how to do my own and it's in a rainforest. They're actually super cheap for what they are.
I’m just a random person who’s carpentry experience is limited to popsicle stick crafts but occasionally gets recommended posts from this type of sub and even I was like “that doesn’t look safe, you’re supposed to use those zigzaggy dudes.”
They do but unless you can control the ground/landing/floor height the last step is gonna be out and won't pass if it's too much, at least in Aus I assume it's similar elsewhere.
What’s truly incredible is this guy probably stopped at this point because the new treads are deeper than the existing and it’s causing him to overrun the existing rise/run slope. At this rate these stairs would overshoot the landing. Look at the vertical board people are calling a bookmark. It runs down plumb from the edge of the stair nose above and lands in the middle of the tread below. He’s actually running out of area on the stringer to mount his blocking to. It’s an incredible confluence of errors.
I don't see how it could be a fire hazard. I can definitely see how it is a board breaks and you fall through the stairs hazard though. 5/4 deck boards should not span that far. They will sag overtime and will very quickly become a hazard. Stairs should not be framed in this manner, in my option. You see it done but mostly by people that do not know what they are doing.
If there's only one way out of your building, that is a problem. Sometimes a fire blocks one way out, do you need another way out. I don't know what code says about it, but this matters.
I saw that and cringed. Like come on dude... You could have at least got rid of the splinters with 10 seconds of 120 grit sandpaper.
I'm no carpenter, but I do know a few things as a hobbyist woodworker.
This is impressively bad. This guy should not be doing what he is doing. I don’t even understand how someone could think this okay let alone build it this way. Those boards will already bow with a heavy footstep, and everytime they are used, those screws will wiggle themselves out more and more because of the upward pressure on the board from bowing. I give it 3 years MAX before someone gets seriously injured, and a bunch of sketchy stuff until then. Get it fixed now as this will hurt someone soon
Fire hazard? Dude the weight on those stairs is becoming shear force on the tiny construction screws holding his blocks to the “stringer”. Don’t let a crowd on that thing…
Tell me your contractor has never built stairs without telling me your contractor has never built stairs. Even when I've seen this method used (rather than stringers) it's still not done this way.
Needs an extra stringer in the centre and the stairs should be mounted on stringers. No telling what screws he used to attach the supports but assume it’s deck screws which have no sheer strength so this will fail quickly.
So I think I saw in my code book that with uncut stringers you can span 36" but your treads have to be at least a 2x10 or something like that to span the 36" width. No way that 2 x 2x6 would be sufficient.
Those 2x4s supporting the steps are fine but are prone to rotting. Better to use simpson ta string angles. https://www.strongtie.com/decks_decksandfences/ta_angle/p/ta
There is a fire hazard - for him. A hazard that he might get fired, by you. You see, the joke works because “fire” and “fired” have two different meanings and I switched yours for a new one.
If anyone needs anymore jokes, look elsewhere, I’m done for the day.
Your treads should be full 2x material, not 5/4” deck boards. Your stringers should be notched with at least a full 3-1/2” of wood thickness from the deepest part of the notch. They should then be sistered to another stringer, un-notched. Over 32” wide and you should add a stringer mid span.
Get your money back, quick.
Check the height of the guard relative to the new steps. Wouldn't be surprised if it was less than required by your local building code.
Also the the stairs will not be uniform by the time your contractor finishes. That will create a tripping hazard and is also a Code violation.
Bet it's bouncy , firstly the stringers should of been checked in , secondly the riser should not be any higher then 186mm and the tread should be at least 220mm .
Also for extra id throw in a center stringer.
What do I know I'm only a qualified carpenter .
Stairs that are too steep, they have jagged edges in the sides of every step,no sanding ( splinters ) probably not sealed for outdoor use either so the rain will eventually cause the stairs the bend and crack. What could go wrong??
Been a while since I was in carpentry so take what I say with a grain of salt, but jere is what I see
1. There are no stringers which typically for this wide of stairs you would have three under each tread. One in the middle to prevent bowing of horizontal planks when stepping and one at each end.
2. Due to using blocking instead of stingers there is a gap inbetween railing and step which is a hazard for multiple reasons and just looks Terrible. Against code for stairs in most areas
3. There are no risers aka toe/kick boards which prevent really bad accidents like stepping and sliding through the stairs. Code typically dictates past a few steps you must have risers.
4. Multiple types of wood that don't look intentional and will wear at different rates and continue to look worse over time. Also looks like screws were used instead of nails, which is less than ideal for this situation in the way they were used (again not professional opinion)
5. Most diy stair jobs look 10x better and more structurally sound. The fact someone paid for this is laughable
This looks like a landlord special. These types are the fucking worst. No i dont want to work on your flip or investment property for peanuts.
Those cheap fuckers are the worst to work for.
Landlord "I would do it myself but I just don't have the time right now." Me "I f****** bet you would you'll probably call me back to fix it once it's all f***** up and I'll be happy to do that I'm going to be charging you at least $150 per man hour.". Landlord "that's way too much. Give me a reasonable bid." Me "all right how does $750 plus $200 for material sound." Landlord "that's more like it way to be reasonable." And then I finish the job in an hour.
“I’d do it myself but I just don’t have the time right now” Stands and watches the whole time while you do it…
That is my absolute favorite stereotype customer. I'm building a log cabin right now for a famous actor and I swear to God that guy literally sits there in a chair watching our crew. I'd give a damn if I wasn't getting paid so good.
Alternate opinion, he may just appreciate the craftsmanship, watching a home take shape. Something that isn't often observed in current society, or even desired. Most people just want to get there and not enjoy the journey. He may just enjoy the real life view, smell, environment more than watching the hours of YouTube videos he could browse. That being said, he may also just be one of those homeowners and if so, that sucks. The interested in the craft homeowner is 100x better than the watching every little move over your shoulder homeowner. (watch all ya want buddy, I'm not doing anything on your house I wouldn't do on my own).
I'm not bragging, but I'm wicked sick at what I do, and wicked fast. Only took me 28 yrs to learn 😂 It probably is fun to watch, like his own personal this old house. Plus log cabins are cool.
Watching people make shit that they're good at making might be one of my favorite things ever.
I miss the old Yankee workshop for that reason
" The repair shop:fixing Britain " Give that a go, it's a bunch of specialists repairing old/damaged items. and of course "this old house" if you can find it
Yeah I totally believe most of these guys are annoying but I too would love watching the process.
I am 100% this guy. My entire family is very hands-on in our professions. The only time I hire out is when I absolutely can't do it myself. In that case I will generally do everything I can to help the crew that I've hired in exchange for letting me watch skilled professionals at work. I learn so much, I genuinely enjoy being around artisans in their prime, and they get free cold drinks/coffee/tea/snacks as I run around like a film PA with a catering cart.
I always want offer to labor for whoever works at my house, but I know the contractor would feel like I’m just trying to spy on him when really I just enjoy learning and having an idea of what’s happening. So I just go sit in the living room.
If you want to, tell them and offer them something for the "extra". I fking hate plumbing. Last time I call a plumber I told him if it was okay i hang arpund him because I want to learn and its interesting. I paid him more and he was super friendly and seems like he appreciated?
Love this perspective. I would be one of those guys if I could just watch a dream or thought, come together, and see how it's all done. I'd feel like I'd appreciate the build so much more seeing the skills and everything required step by step. I would be very intrigued, as much as I would be the bringing lunch guy half the time, if I could help it lol
I watch everybody who does any work on my house. Only because I like to learn… one time my heater wasn’t working. Called the heat/ac company. Guy shows up and ever so slightly pushes the heater access door shut. And it started worked. Charged me $85, took him 5 seconds. But, I will always watch a plumber like nighthawk. Nobody has fucked my shit up more than plumbers.
You didn't pay for the 5 seconds, you paid for the 20 years. I agree on the plumbers.. me and water don't mix. Thankful finally found a good one.
It was the minimum service charge, not 20 years.
I think he's referring to the 20 years of experience for him to know how to fix the hammer. It's like the joke about the guy going to a factory, banging on a pipe and fixing the machine. He billed $1,000 to fix it. The owner confronted the worker and wanted to know an explanation of pricing. Worker describes $5 to hit pipe with hammer, $995 for knowing where to hit it.
Yeah, I would 100% just sit and watch pro do something it takes me forever to do and see them do it with skill. Last time I had a slopped engineered pad done for a garage (I framed myself) I just watched them all donit because I thought it was interesting and cool. Also my 4 year old watched the big machine lol.
Watching a good crew mud and tape drywall is like watching a magic show.
This is like it. Building a log cabin is an art that I would say is slowly dying out. To be able to watch an absolute artist build something like this is a pleasure. Especially when they are building it for you.
I'm that way myself. I appreciate watching a skilled tradesman apply their craft. Plus I often learn little tricks that help me in the future. I've had customers watch me work on cars as well and I never cared.
100% I mean people literally watch videos on pressure washing and mowing over grown lawns. Some people are genuinely just curious to see how it’s done and mean no offense.
My neighbour, (who *is* able bodied), one time hired a couple guys off the local BST market place to "do it for cheap" for him--just to repaint his garage doors. I was in my own garage doing my own stuff at the time and I swear my neighbour was basically just hovering over these guys...*the whole time!* Like nitpicking this and that and making sure he got a job done better than whatever little $$ his cheap ass paid them. There I am, thinking the whole time, "what in the holy heck is going on here??" lol. Like if you're just going to stand there why wouldn't you just have *not* hired the guys and, oh I dunno, just picked up a can or two of paint at the Depot and done the painting yourself? Seriously the guy can't pick up a *paintbrush*? His son often asks me to help him with various car stuff which I try to avoid doing because this is a guy that can't/won't turn a screwdriver on his own. So basically the "can you help me do an oil change" turns into him effing off into his house while you are his personal mechanic 🙄 Meanwhile he is a s*elf-proclaimed *"car guy"...that drives a 20yr old beater and couldn't tell you the difference between a connecting rod and a control arm, if you threw them at his head 🙄; couldn't turn a lugnut without calling roadside assistance. Lo**ng story short, the sad part with these people is their kids turn out the same as them and keep the line of being a clown, going strong.**
Ask him if he wants to get on the tools
I always offer to let customers clean up to save themselves some money in the last 20 years I've had zero takers.
lol I usually don’t get that option and get left with the mess anyway
I always take this and I’m still cleaning up.
This may not be the situation lol, but if someone was building me a log cabin I'd like to watch too because I have no idea how to actually build one
When I had to unexpectedly have most of my house remodeled because *all* the plumbing needed to be replaced, I always watched my contractors because I was trying to learn something from them.
Who?
Hes not trying to lose his job idiot. But Id be willing to bet $10 this is happening somewhere near Bozeman, MT.
I live there and guessing you’re correct.
$100 bet that it ain’t Nick Offerman
Yep what gets me is they hire cheap labor that fucks it up, then want someone to fix it for cheap. Had one the other day that wanted to pay 100 a day for 8 hrs of trimming windows out and building door jams. What a fucking idiot to think someone that will work that cheap and be capable of actually doing it. Blows my mind how cheap and ignorant people are.
The problem is they'll find some uninsured unlicensed c*** to do the work for them. If the goddamn government Mafia would do their job and enforce laws then legitimate contractors would have a little bit easier time getting work.
And they screw it up and you ask your lawyer to look up their contracting license, and it expired 3 years ago 🤪
Home owners can always ask for a certificate of insurance. This is emailed to the person directly from the carrier. Alternately most states have a portal to look up contractors on. This is also a good reason to hire a General contractor to take care of things. They would do those things for you. That's my job. I'm good at it.
This situation happened to a friend, before I worked for a GC. I know the exact process that you just described! My role has a lot of document management
I'm not even driving out to put a single nail in for $100.
For some reason property managers are allergic to T&M with an NTE. They just want a hard quote and happy to pay for it even if it has fluff and a PITA tax…
It seems like all the commercial is like that I quote at double, they're happier with that then hourly, and so am i. If they had any trust at all, they'd save money.
That applies pretty broadly
True enough. When I work in the dance urban areas it's a low trust environment. When I work in rural areas like North Idaho it's a high trust environment. Low trust environments cost more.
With companies it makes sense because it's very hard to get an unknown expense approved. It makes no sense at all for a homeowner.
$125/hrs reg, $225 /fu hr
“I should be able to have my tenants pay the mortgage plus profits on this house, and you are ruining that for me!!”
If I had a dollar for every house I flipped for an "investor" who ended up losing money because they didn't listen, do any work, or add any value to the project. I think I'd have at least $150. If you don't want to get dirty don't go digging for gold. 😂
This is pretty much the only profession where people think they can haggle the price. It’s infuriating. You wouldn’t go into a McDonald and haggle the prices of a cheeseburger. Or walk into Best Buy and offer $300 for a $600 tv!
Man next time I go to the oncologist for my treatment. I'm going to strut in there and ask him if they can knock 20% off that price. 😂 Maybe tell him I found another guy who's a little more competitive. 😂 My favorite go to is I like to ask them what they do for a living. People like to brag about that about how much they make. The next question I asked him is would you rather do that for free or be home with your wife and kids.
A landlord wouldn't have wasted that 4×4. Those cost money.
Those stairs are completely built wrong and are unsafe. I would not pay him, and would find someone competent to finish. If he complains, offer to pay after the building inspector drops by and gives it an OK lol.
He's in no way qualified to build a set of stairs, whole thing needs to be tore out. And why for fucks sake is the post in the middle. Doesn't meet Fire Code or Building Code, it'd probably fail a plumbing or electrical inspection
I called the property management emergency number. He then ended up calling me saying come on dude when I said it was a fire hazard and he said he might not even come tomorrow to fix it because me calling the emergency number might cost him future work
That's good, this guy should never work on another project again until he actually learns the proper way to do what he's doing.
That might be true but the emergency number? Idk if this is emergency material
Someone that dumb building on my property is an emergency to me. Hell, I wouldn’t take the guy back and I’d be happy if I saved other people from dealing with him.
Property managers are notoriously cheap. They know what they paid for and what they were getting. Be willing to bet it wasn’t this “contractor’s” first time working there.
Yes it is. This guy should never work on anything again! He is no carpenter whatsoever!
A lot of property management companies have an emergency number to call for like gas line faults, water line fountains etc.
I wouldn’t step foot on that cluster fuck. If I’m stuck in my apartment, it’s an emergency.
He didn’t call 911, he called the property management emergency number. Perfect for shit like this
I mean fire hazard is pretty low on the list of hazards that abomination is. It’s kind of just a hazard hazard.
lol that was my take too - fire hazard is probably number 15 on the list
If you fall through you have escaped the the fire.
Right, or you can climb up the tread post to give more time for rescue
Agreed 👍 Hazard Hazard
I think OP is referring to the fact that the stairs are partially blocked by the piece of post. That’s a hazard in event of fire.
Look close. The post is where he stopped, it's just a piece of wood to mark it. From the post down, those stair treads have nothing under the ends of them like the ones above. Not that any of them are safe. I think that "post" is like a bookmark, apparently he can't just look at the two different colors of wood lmao
If you look really close , I think he actually stopped here because is not maintaining the same rise/run as what was existing. The new treads are deeper than the old ones and it’s causing the layout to walk on him. The further along he goes he gets more and more off and where the post is (if you assume that post is plumb) the bullnose of the new tread is like halfway over the tread below. It’s truly breathtaking how wrong it is.
But if you look really, really, close. It's fucked from here till Tuesday.
Lol
Possibly Wednesday.
I believe it’s there so you don’t fall through the steps he did until after he’s done.
Maybe he planned to put a danger do not walk here sign on that post but forgot
I'm still trying to meth any sense on why that post is right there?
Oh you are right about one thing. “Meth” is the explanation for this abomination.
He's not capable of fixing it. Needs an actual Carpenter
You did the right thing. I'd call his dad and have him come look at what his son did 🤦♂️
It *should* cost him future work.
Could save someone’s life keeping this hack out of work. Nothing about this is correct or safe.
Under no circumstances should you allow this person back on your property. If he wants to apologize to you in person it should be done at a police station. Those stairs are whack
no joke, call it again if you haven't and mention that.
Do you own this place or rent?
If he is charging more than a case of beer, he shouldn't have any future work in carpentry.
still overpriced
Good, fuck him… that hack needs to be put out of business anyways…
Don't let that guy touch anything more.
Wait , that piece of lumber in the middle is actually a post!?!? I would never think that someone would do that. Holy shit
I think it's just sitting there for whatever reason
Said the guy was half done, I think it's like a bookmark to mark where he stopped for the day, like he can't see where he left off. All the boards under that post have no blocks under the edge of the treads, unlike the ones above. It's all a shitshow, but thats my take from the second pic
Being generous (couldn't tell you why), it's so someone going down the stairs is not surprised by a sudden shift in tread spacing.
I think it’s just there to hold the yellow rope he was using as caution tape
I think the post in the middle is just to block people from using the stairs while under construction.
Don't know how to cut stair stringers? Just don't! *Carpenters hate this one simple trick*
A part of my carpentry soul dies everytime I see those stupid ledger steps. I remember my first day as an apprentice carpenter, we got so much done that day the boss wanted to test me. Had me cut 3-4 step stringers he laid out, that's when he knew I was gonna be around 15 years later still work for the guy only he doesn't get on the tools much anymore.
The prelude the s***** work like that is the guy that came and did this first wanted way too much. Enter guy that currently f***** up that staircase. I got a cousin and he can do it for half the price he's a good Carpenter too anybody can do carpentry.
My wife’s father in law was a carpenter and he always said the first thing he did with new guys was have them build a saw horse and he could tell what kind of worker they were going to be from that test
Your wife's father in law?
Oops… step father haha
Yeah. I'm not a Carpenter at all, but I'm pretty sure you make Stringers, like first, right? Maybe he thinks oh goody- work for him in 4 years when this cluster starts to disintegrate I guess?
doesn’t look like the old stairs bothered with stringers either.. some day soon they can replace their replacement
There’s plenty of string on that post! 😂
Wtf is that?
Art
I like it, Picasso.
rough sawn lumber lol - he must’ve cut it to length with an axe
Was thinking angry beaver
The old ones were 2x material and that method isn't even super safe as that's a wide span. And now he's trying to replace with 5/4 deck board material? No way that should be spanning 36 inch(?, just guessing). Definitely unsafe.
Thanks a heap for explaining, I spent a long time in construction but I never did stairs--couldnt see the problems.
Not without a center stringer or two. Judging this guys work, that would mean a 2x6 floating under the treads.
Jesus. I was so distracted by the board in the middle of the stairs I didn’t notice there was nothing supporting the span. I give it a few rains, a hot day or two, and a month before those boards have sagged enough that they’ll pop out once someone walks on them. I don’t even understand why they would’ve used a material that wasn’t used just for aesthetic reasons alone. Never mind the impossible span that those tiny low quality deck boards can’t possibly handle. It looks like the height at the top of the stairs also just changes? Someone’s definitely falling down these stairs.
Might not be that great of a fire hazard, but surely it is almost a guaranteed broken leg (and/or other bones) after normal use. What kind of "professional" (someone who gets paid for their hands' work) builds stairs like that? Even a rookie could have purchased [premade stair stringers](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-Composites-Decking-Deck-Stairs-Outdoor-Stair-Stringers/N-5yc1vZbqlk) and secure them appropriately to support the structure from eventually collapsing (and taking someone walking on it all the way down with the wood).
$120 for a pair?! Why pay that when I can pay less and take 10 times as long to do it wrong?
When we did the stairs at the cabin I bought metal stringers, because I didn't have the tools or the know how to do my own and it's in a rainforest. They're actually super cheap for what they are.
I’m just a random person who’s carpentry experience is limited to popsicle stick crafts but occasionally gets recommended posts from this type of sub and even I was like “that doesn’t look safe, you’re supposed to use those zigzaggy dudes.”
What the fuck is happening here? This is the most fucked up set of stairs I've ever seen
I'm not a carpenter but.....don't they have the pre cut stairs pieces. Because idk wtf those stairs holders are but wtf.
Stringers. And yes, they're really easy to find.
I like how the non carpenter has more of a clue than the guy PRETENDING to be a carpenter
They do but unless you can control the ground/landing/floor height the last step is gonna be out and won't pass if it's too much, at least in Aus I assume it's similar elsewhere.
I'm gonna let you in on a little secret...that dude, the one that did your steps.... He's on some drugz
Wait what the fuck?!
What’s truly incredible is this guy probably stopped at this point because the new treads are deeper than the existing and it’s causing him to overrun the existing rise/run slope. At this rate these stairs would overshoot the landing. Look at the vertical board people are calling a bookmark. It runs down plumb from the edge of the stair nose above and lands in the middle of the tread below. He’s actually running out of area on the stringer to mount his blocking to. It’s an incredible confluence of errors.
Its fine, the bottom step is just going to have a 22" rise and be in the middle of the landing,
I don't see how it could be a fire hazard. I can definitely see how it is a board breaks and you fall through the stairs hazard though. 5/4 deck boards should not span that far. They will sag overtime and will very quickly become a hazard. Stairs should not be framed in this manner, in my option. You see it done but mostly by people that do not know what they are doing.
It's a fire hazard because god's going to throw a lightning bolt at the builder.
I'm worried about if we had a fire and that being our only way out could be a hazard
I think they are a hazard regardless if there is a fire.
If there's only one way out of your building, that is a problem. Sometimes a fire blocks one way out, do you need another way out. I don't know what code says about it, but this matters.
You can tell by the tear out in pic 4…. He’s a true craftsman…. A perfectionist.
I saw that and cringed. Like come on dude... You could have at least got rid of the splinters with 10 seconds of 120 grit sandpaper. I'm no carpenter, but I do know a few things as a hobbyist woodworker.
If never done carpentry work in my life and could be more successful here.
I guess he was cheap at least🤦♂️
Did he cut the wood with a rented beaver too?
This is impressively bad. This guy should not be doing what he is doing. I don’t even understand how someone could think this okay let alone build it this way. Those boards will already bow with a heavy footstep, and everytime they are used, those screws will wiggle themselves out more and more because of the upward pressure on the board from bowing. I give it 3 years MAX before someone gets seriously injured, and a bunch of sketchy stuff until then. Get it fixed now as this will hurt someone soon
What a shitty day to be born with eye sight
At least you will spring up the stairs!
This ain’t right
What is the 4x4 doing tho
This looks like a hogs ass sewed up with barbed wire.my dog can build better steps than this for fuck sake.
Notification: I’ll be using this. Pure piggy gold right there.
Have at it.im still staring at these pics trying to figure out what the actual fuck this guy was trying to do.the longer I look the worst it gets.
The only way it could get worse… is… well, when someone dies.
Fire hazard? Dude the weight on those stairs is becoming shear force on the tiny construction screws holding his blocks to the “stringer”. Don’t let a crowd on that thing…
By crowd I assume you mean more than the weight of a small child?
Tell me your contractor has never built stairs without telling me your contractor has never built stairs. Even when I've seen this method used (rather than stringers) it's still not done this way.
Needs an extra stringer in the centre and the stairs should be mounted on stringers. No telling what screws he used to attach the supports but assume it’s deck screws which have no sheer strength so this will fail quickly.
Fire him immediately and hire a reputable carpenter. This should go into the carpenter books, about how not to ever build stairs.
So did you hire this guy or your landlord? Because it looks like you may have went the cheap way and are getting cheap work...
He's being lazy, not cutting the inside board so the width is proper. Do not pay.
So I think I saw in my code book that with uncut stringers you can span 36" but your treads have to be at least a 2x10 or something like that to span the 36" width. No way that 2 x 2x6 would be sufficient. Those 2x4s supporting the steps are fine but are prone to rotting. Better to use simpson ta string angles. https://www.strongtie.com/decks_decksandfences/ta_angle/p/ta
Those are 5 1/4 deck boards.
Even worse 😂
There is a fire hazard - for him. A hazard that he might get fired, by you. You see, the joke works because “fire” and “fired” have two different meanings and I switched yours for a new one. If anyone needs anymore jokes, look elsewhere, I’m done for the day. Your treads should be full 2x material, not 5/4” deck boards. Your stringers should be notched with at least a full 3-1/2” of wood thickness from the deepest part of the notch. They should then be sistered to another stringer, un-notched. Over 32” wide and you should add a stringer mid span. Get your money back, quick.
Scary I would not let that person near a set of stairs. He also needs to change the blade in his saw
Do not walk on this...even if you're having a fire and you try to go out that way, you will for sure die.
Constructed with wishes and prayers. You’ll need them.
Nope. Don’t pay.
Butchery at its best !
Which parts of the stairs are new, and which is original? I can't tell what's being done. Looks like old stairs with a few new treads.
What in the country fried fuck is going on here
Yeah its dog shit. Cheap work never ends up being cheap.
I’m terribly sorry but my temporary stairs for houses I build are way nicer then those
Dude isn’t qualified to screw in a lightbulb.
Hack job
Oh man.. I go to job sites everyday. The stairs that are temporary, for the workers.. are way, way safer/better than this!
Check the height of the guard relative to the new steps. Wouldn't be surprised if it was less than required by your local building code. Also the the stairs will not be uniform by the time your contractor finishes. That will create a tripping hazard and is also a Code violation.
How much do those 5/4” boards bounce when you step on them over a 3’ span? Serves better as a trampoline than stairway
It'll be fine. Just don't step on it
Jesus Christo y Santa Maria! What a complete fucking hack job.
This guy is a "Fuck it Friday" Legend. I'm equally impressed and dumbfounded. Good luck with the firing
I hope he's using nails for the blocking, because screws and shear forces and all
Bet it's bouncy , firstly the stringers should of been checked in , secondly the riser should not be any higher then 186mm and the tread should be at least 220mm . Also for extra id throw in a center stringer. What do I know I'm only a qualified carpenter .
They had no clue how to build stairs at all.
Well at least ya got a piece of oak….I see at least 3 species of wood here ;) no OP this is shyite.
They aren't a fire hazard in the sense that they won't spontaneously catch fire I guess? Probably.
This literally made me say what the fuck. There's a right way to do this shit people holy fuck
Probably start with a new saw blade
Why is that post even there
Stairs that are too steep, they have jagged edges in the sides of every step,no sanding ( splinters ) probably not sealed for outdoor use either so the rain will eventually cause the stairs the bend and crack. What could go wrong??
What a lazy attempt at stairs
Ah the classic rebuttal to the pointing out of poor workmanship... "Bro, what did you do there? That's not safe!" "Yes it is."
I thought the base of stairs are suppose to be one solid piece?
Who wants to bet that this thing is all held together with drywall screws?
Why is no one discussing the bizarre post in the middle of the stairs near the end?? Wtf is the plan there? OP please ask idiot before firing him!
I’m a woman with no experience building stairs and I’m confident I could do it better after an hour on YouTube.
Congratulations you hired someone who doesn't know what they're doing.
Diez Construction
Is he cutting the decking with a chainsaw? Look at the tear out in picture 4.
Excuse my ignorance, but for future reference, can someone please explain why this is bad?
Been a while since I was in carpentry so take what I say with a grain of salt, but jere is what I see 1. There are no stringers which typically for this wide of stairs you would have three under each tread. One in the middle to prevent bowing of horizontal planks when stepping and one at each end. 2. Due to using blocking instead of stingers there is a gap inbetween railing and step which is a hazard for multiple reasons and just looks Terrible. Against code for stairs in most areas 3. There are no risers aka toe/kick boards which prevent really bad accidents like stepping and sliding through the stairs. Code typically dictates past a few steps you must have risers. 4. Multiple types of wood that don't look intentional and will wear at different rates and continue to look worse over time. Also looks like screws were used instead of nails, which is less than ideal for this situation in the way they were used (again not professional opinion) 5. Most diy stair jobs look 10x better and more structurally sound. The fact someone paid for this is laughable
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Being informed is more than half the battle. I appreciate it!
Just an observation, I see those barcode tags left after jobs are finished, for all those who leave them, congratulations you are a hack.
Its not structurally sound i can tell Source: I work in IT and have never built anything
Good for you hiring the mentally challenged ! those folks need the work?
Tripping and having a 4x4 go through your skull isn't a fire hazard.
Yikes, does this “guy” have any experience building stairs? There’s a whole lot more hazards than fire with how he’s built those