When Plan A failed, Plan B meant digging more holes. After our first deck footing inspection didn’t pass, we had to change course (that earlier post explains the details). The project isn’t racing along, but we’re steadily moving toward a finished deck where we can enjoy family meals by summer’s end—maybe even by next month if luck is on our side. First, though, we had to clear another hurdle.
Because the county wouldn’t allow us to attach ledger boards to the existing surface, our approach shifted to a free-standing deck. That meant adding seven more footings, bringing the total to twelve: five of our original holes were still usable, one was unusable, and seven needed to be dug anew.
Having already learned that digging deck footings is hard but manageable, I wasn’t overly intimidated. The six holes we dug the first time left my dad and me sweaty and sore, so I felt bad asking him to do seven more. Still, it was preferable to digging all twelve at once—plus re-renting the auger would have cost extra. In short: it could have been much worse.
This time we borrowed both the 8-inch and 12-inch auger bits because our local code requires 12-inch diameter footings, and using the smaller bit previously had meant extra manual work to widen the holes. We hoped the larger bit wouldn’t be much harder to handle and that it would speed things up. The plan seemed straightforward—until we hit something unexpected.
When I started my first starter hole with a shovel, the blade struck something solid. Initially I suspected a root or an old brick, but as we cleared more soil, a six-inch-thick concrete slab revealed itself. We think it may have been the landing from a previous stair. The slab was too thick to break apart with a sledgehammer and almost too heavy to move, but by levering boards underneath it and working together we managed to shift it just enough to dig our footing in the correct spot.
Moving that slab was exhausting, and it delayed the actual digging. Once we finished, though, we fired up the auger. The 12-inch bit was heavier and took more effort to control, but it saved us the manual widening step and produced the proper diameter holes right away. That made it much faster to reach the required 21-inch depth for our area.
I still used a manual hole digger to clear loose soil left behind by the auger, and I may have made a few silly faces for the camera while working—anything to keep morale up. All told, digging the seven additional holes, including dealing with the concrete slab, probably took us around 90 minutes. We were less worn out than after the first round, which could have been due to cooler weather or simply the fact that our muscles were stronger from the earlier effort.
With all holes completed, we nervously scheduled the county inspector to return the next day. I dislike failing inspections, so I was anxious about repeating our earlier setback. Thankfully, the second visit went exceptionally well. The new inspector glanced at our revised plans and at the footings, and said, “Looks good.” There was no lengthy measuring or additional critique—he approved our work quickly.
After the thumbs-up, I asked a few clarifying questions. Most importantly, I confirmed that I could keep the previously installed ledger boards in place and use them as rim boards for the freestanding deck. They won’t carry the deck’s weight—that will rest on the new posts—but they provide a convenient place to attach the deck perimeter where necessary. That was a relief: it meant our earlier work wasn’t wasted, and we won’t have to remove the boards and repair the siding. I will install counterflashing over the ledger tops as planned to ensure proper moisture protection.
Following the good news, I called my mom to share the victory. Next up is ordering more posts and girder boards so I can start the framing for real. Fingers crossed that the final inspection goes as smoothly as this one.
Thanks to everyone who shared their stories after our first setback; hearing other people’s failures and recoveries helped more than you might expect. Now I want to hear about the flipsides: what problems have you solved recently, either at home or elsewhere, that initially felt like setbacks but turned into wins?
P.S. Thanks to everyone who checked in after the storm last Friday. We were without power until Sunday afternoon and saw some intense winds, but our house escaped damage and power was eventually restored. Big thanks to the crews who helped get the lights back on.