Originally Posted by
Bruce Breedlove
TIt is not your call as a home inspector to say the deck is or is not structurally sound as built. I would recommend that you note the non-standard framing practices and the notched beam and recommend the deck be inspected by a qualified professional.
If you are going to recommend the deck "be inspected" by a qualified professional, that means you "did not inspect it", otherwise you are charging your client to inspect it, and then telling them to pay someone else "to inspect it".
As a home inspection professional, you should be able to tell if the deck 'looks right' or if it does not. If it does not, then recommend a structural engineer design appropriate repairs. Not "a qualified professional" as your client may end up with the "qualified professional" being the contractor who constructed it. You want to recommend a "structure engineer", and, instead of recommending what type or repair is needed, you are recommending that the structural engineer "design appropriate repairs" - meaning the repairs is up to the engineer who is going to sign and seal those designed repairs.