# Repairing termite damaged joists on cantilever balcony...



## Kyleharrell (Feb 13, 2009)

Hey guys. Long time lurker. Talked to a few local GCs but wanted your opinions.

I have an HOA that called me. A second story balcony was struck by a uhaul truck exiting the complex which scraped up a couple boards. Checked it out structually, it apperared fine. No cracking in the stucco, everything was still square and evenly spaced. Gave them a price to replace the damaged boards and paint them. 

Now they are asking me to give them a price to repair the termite damage on the balcony as well.

The balcony is cantilever design. Sticks out about 3' from the exterior wall and runs about 18'. The deck boards are 2x6 and the joists are 2x8. I will end up replacing all of the deck boards and portions of the railings.

My question is, there are 2 or 3 joists that show termite damage either on the top or bottom of the 2x8 joists. 1 has it on the bottom and at the worst comes up about 1.5-2". Another has some sporadic damage in the center sections of the board but it still seems stable. I will have the termite damaged areas treated.

Can I sister new PT boards to the termite damaged ones, or for a cantilever design, do the joists need to be fully replaced as well? It is a drastic cost difference (connect board A to board B and tie into balcony vs remove interior drywall ceiling, remove board B, install new board A, repair ceiling) so I figured I would get a second opinion. Asked a mentor GC over the phone and he said to sister it. There is about 14 of these in the complex they want me to bid so I figured it was worth the clarification. Thanks for the help


----------



## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

You are in California....strike 1

HOA, strike 2

Liability, strike 3......

Have you looked in to permit requirements?

With that damage on a cantilever, of a condo complex, in Calif.....:no:

Have a Structural Engineer evaluate the buildings and put a fix on paper with a wet stamp....:thumbsup:

A THOROUGH termite inspection would be in order also...:thumbsup:


----------



## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

Since a joist is only allowed to be cantilevered 1/3 it's total length, I can't possibly see how sistering would work. 

I would certainly talk to an engineer if you want to go with an alternative repair.


----------



## mski (Apr 4, 2013)

You need to identify if they are drywood termites or subterranean termites. There is a difference and different methods of treatment.
If they are subterranean the balcony would be the worst of your worries. There can be extensive hidden damage inside the walls and ceilings and they are finally making there way into the balcony joist.

Without an intrusive termite inspection you maybe possibly getting into a liability situation like Griz pointed out. You should get every party involved from pest control to HOA to local inspector to structural engineer before do any termite repair work.


----------



## rotarex (Mar 31, 2008)

I mention termites to loud when I was at a clients house one time and I pretty much got tackled to the floor. with there hands covering my mouth.

Once termites do some damage the job is out of your hands until pest control looks at the whole place and spray. 

2nd if there is any structure damage 
An engineer must be involved even tho it may look like a simple replacement 

Reason for the engineer is for liability. You jack the house up to fast or what ever it may be. And something goes wrong. Those were the instructions you were given


----------



## ArtisanRemod (Dec 25, 2012)

excellent advise on here. Every job I've ever been on which had insect damage, is twice as bad as it looks on top.


----------



## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

...

I got what I missed, never-mind.


----------

