Safety, Durability, Peace of Mind.
A deck inspection ensures the safety and longevity of one of your home's most enjoyed spaces. Whether you've built a new deck, hired a contractor, or are purchasing a home with an existing structure, our certified inspectors identify hazards like loose railings, weakened boards, and improper connections before they become serious problems.
Our inspectors are certified by the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) and the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), and we're proud to be affiliated with the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) — promoting safe building practices and deck safety across the region.
Whether you've built a deck yourself or hired a professional contractor, a deck inspection is essential to ensure the safety and longevity of this great home entertainment structure.
ASHI Deck Inspection Standard
A professional deck inspection is one of the most important steps a homeowner can take to protect against structural failure. Decks are exposed to constant weathering, temperature shifts, and load stress — conditions that gradually weaken connections, promote wood rot, and corrode fasteners. Common hazards like loose railings, deteriorating ledger boards, and insufficient joist hangers often go unnoticed until they become serious safety risks. A certified deck inspector identifies these issues before they escalate into costly structural repairs or, worse, a collapse.
If you're building a new deck or overseeing a contractor's work, scheduling an inspection during and after construction ensures the structure meets current building codes and safety standards. Our team works closely with homeowners through every phase — and for ground-up projects, our new construction inspection services can verify that framing, footings, and connections are installed correctly before they're concealed. As part of our full suite of professional inspection services, every deck evaluation includes a detailed report documenting material condition, code compliance, and recommended repairs.
For existing homes, a standalone deck inspection is especially valuable when purchasing a property, preparing for a home sale, or if your deck is more than five years old. Many homeowners choose to pair a deck inspection with a residential home inspection to get a complete picture of the property's condition. Whether your deck is composite, pressure-treated lumber, or hardwood, our inspectors evaluate every component against ASHI deck inspection standards — from the substructure and support posts to the surface boards and railing systems.
Fill out the form and our team will follow up as soon as possible to schedule your certified deck inspection.
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Knowing the warning signs of a failing deck can help you act before a minor issue becomes a serious safety hazard. Our inspectors are trained to identify every one of these risks.
North American Deck & Railing Association
As a proud member of the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA), NextDay Inspect® upholds the highest standards for deck safety evaluation. NADRA is the leading nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing the deck and railing industry through education, advocacy, and the promotion of safe building practices across North America. Our affiliation ensures that every deck inspection we perform is grounded in current industry benchmarks and construction best practices.
We also perform inspections on balconies and patios to help ensure the maximum safety of these components of the home. Don't let your outdoor gathering run the risk of being a potential disaster — schedule your stand-alone deck inspection at NextDay Inspect® today.
Issues that are frequently missed by homeowners but can lead to structural failure.
There are a lot of things that can go wrong with residential decks. If a ledger board is not well fastened, the deck could easily fall off the house. Building inspectors advise that for a safe connection, a deck must have lag screws or lag bolts installed to the ledger board. Without these critical fasteners, the primary connection between the deck and the home's rim joist is compromised — creating one of the most common causes of catastrophic deck collapse.
It's a common misconception that joist hangers only need one nail to hold them in place. In reality, there are a lot of nails needed for a joist hanger to be secure. Without all the nails, the joist hanger will easily pull away from the ledger board or rim joist. Deck builders often put a couple of nails into the hangers to hold them in place then forget to add more later — a shortcut that can lead to dangerous structural weakness under load.
Decking posts that rest on the ground soak up water and then they rot. Older decks often have concrete footings that sit right on the ground and this causes pressure-treated posts to rot. When the post rots, it loses its strength and can't support the weight of the deck. Newer decks keep the concrete footings a few inches above ground and they use a special bracket to keep the deck posts from getting wet — a detail our inspectors specifically verify during every evaluation.
If your deck starts to shake as you walk across it, don't panic — this is a common issue and the movement may not always be severe. However, over time the shaking can put a lot of stress on the fasteners and connectors. The joists can gradually move away from the rim joist or ledger board, weakening the overall structure. Fastening angle braces under the deck will help it stay stiff and take the stress off of the joists — a repair our team can identify and recommend during the inspection.
The edges of a home should be watertight. The smallest leak can lead to mold inside the walls and the rim joist — the primary support for a deck — will rot. Stand or crawl under the deck and look at the ledger board: if you don't see a metal or plastic lip over the top of the ledger board, flashing is missing. Flashing stops leaks from forming, which prevents mold from growing and wood from rotting. It's one of the most overlooked yet critical components we evaluate during a deck inspection.
