Does an Illegal Deck Get Grandfathered?

We bought a house almost six years ago and it came with an illegal wooden deck (both unpermitted and not steel), and I’m getting mixed feedback as to whether it’s grandfathered in because it came with the house or not.  We’re looking to do new work now and weighing whether to pull out the current deck (which just needs sprucing up but otherwise is just fine for use) becuase it’s illegal, at a high cost to us, or leave it alone.  It’s not pretty so we would replace the deck before we would want to “legalize” it. Anyone deal with this issue?

jeanmarine2

in Decks and Porches 13 years and 1 month ago

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DouglasAlan | 13 years ago

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and…the previous owner won’t be named in the lawsuit when the deck collapses or catches fire

stevecym | 13 years and 1 month ago

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right.  my neighbor bought his house knowing the deck was illegal and he had a clause put in the contract that if he was caught by the DOB, the seller would pay to have the deck legalized.  well, he got caught and went back to the seller who refused to pay and he took them to court and won.  that deck is not grandfathered.

Putnamdenizen | 13 years and 1 month ago

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It isn’t grandfathered.