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Most people never think about what holds their deck up. That is fine until the day a family party puts twenty people on it at once. A deck inspection answers one simple question before that happens: is this deck safe to use?
We inspect decks all over Greeley, from older homes near Glenmere Park to newer builds on the west side. Many of them look fine from the lawn. The problems show up underneath, where water, time, and freeze-thaw cycles do their work out of sight.
When to get a deck inspection
There are a few times when an inspection is a smart move:
- You just bought a home, or you are about to sell one
- The deck is more than 15 years old and you do not know its history
- You noticed a soft spot, a leaning post, or a loose railing
- The deck will hold a hot tub, a big grill, or a crowd
- A big storm, heavy snow, or hail went through
- You are planning to refinish or resurface and want to know the frame is sound first
Buyers and sellers in Greeley often call us before closing. A clear report helps both sides know what they are dealing with.
What we check
We start at the house and work our way out. The ledger board, where the deck attaches to the house, gets the closest look. It should be bolted, not just nailed, and there should be flashing above it to keep water away from the house. A failing ledger is one of the most common reasons decks pull away from homes.
Next come the joists and beams. We look for rot where water sits on top of the joists, rusted or missing joist hangers, and joists that have been cut or notched too deep. Then we check the posts and footings. Posts should sit on concrete, not on dirt, and they should be tied to the beam with hardware. In Greeley, footings need to reach at least 30 inches below grade so frost does not heave them.
Finally we check everything people touch. Guards are required on decks that are 30 inches or more above the ground, and a 4-inch ball should not pass through the balusters. Stairs need solid treads, even risers, and a handrail that you can actually grip.
What you get
You get a written report in plain words. Each item is marked as safe, worth watching, or needs repair. Where something needs work, we explain why and what the fix is. There is no pressure to hire us for the repairs. Many homeowners use the report to plan work over a season or two.
Deck inspections for home sales
A home inspector covers a whole house in a few hours, and the deck gets a quick look. If the report flags the deck, a focused deck inspection gives you the details: what is actually wrong, what it takes to fix, and whether it is a safety issue or just wear. That helps buyers negotiate fairly and helps sellers fix the right things before listing.
Why decks here need regular checks
Greeley decks deal with dry summers, around 35 inches of snow a year, and frequent freeze and thaw. The building code rates the weathering risk here as severe. Every freeze pushes on wet wood and loose fasteners a little more. That is why a deck that looked fine five years ago can have real problems today.
Look under your deck each spring after the snow is gone. Rust streaks on metal hangers and dark, wet wood near the house are the two early warnings worth a call.
Local tip
Simple steps
Call, text, or send the form, and we reply within one business day. We set a time, inspect the deck from top to bottom, and walk you through what we found. If repairs are needed, we can handle them with a repair-first approach that keeps every piece of good framing.
We inspect decks in Greeley, Evans, Windsor, Johnstown, Severance, Eaton, and the other towns nearby.
