Outside the envelope
Decks and outdoor living
Covered decks, rails and grade changes that pass inspection.
What this work really involves
Deck failures in the Pacific Northwest are almost always water failures at the ledger, not wood failures in the field. The connection where a deck attaches to the house has to be flashed, fastened with the right hardware at the right spacing, and kept away from rim joist rot.
Add a roof and the project becomes structural: posts carrying a roof load need their own footings, the tie-in changes the drainage of the existing roof, and the covered area may count toward lot coverage.
Permit path
Building permit for decks over 30 inches above grade or attached to the house; footing, framing and final inspections; electrical sub-permit for lighting and heaters
What is included
- 01
Ledger detail
Flashing, fastener type and spacing, and removal of siding to inspect the rim joist before attaching anything to it.
- 02
Footing design
Depth, diameter, bearing and hardware, with an inspection before the pour is covered.
- 03
Guard and stair compliance
Guard height, baluster spacing, graspable handrails and consistent riser heights, checked before final.
- 04
Drainage
Under-deck drainage, downspout routing and where water goes once it leaves the covered area.
- 05
Roof structure
Where covered, a framed roof with its own load path, tied into the existing roof with proper valleys and flashing.
- 06
Lighting and heat
Wet-rated fixtures, GFCI circuits and, where wanted, gas or electric heating with the clearances it needs.
How the stages run
- 01
Design and siting
Three to five weeks. Size, height, access and how it reads from inside the house.
- 02
Permit
Four to twelve weeks. Covered structures take longer than open decks.
- 03
Footings
One to two weeks including inspection.
- 04
Framing
Two to four weeks, including ledger, posts, beams, joists and the framing inspection.
- 05
Decking and rails
Two to three weeks.
- 06
Roof, finishes and final
Three to six weeks where a cover is included.
What moves the price
- Height above grade
- Anything over 30 inches needs guards and, usually, a permit.
- Covered or open
- A roof changes the footing sizes, the permit path and often the lot-coverage calculation.
- Decking material
- Cedar, composite and hardwood differ in price, span and long-term maintenance.
- Slope and access
- Steep Eastside lots need longer posts, sometimes lateral bracing, and hand-dug footings.
- Existing rim condition
- Rot found when siding comes off is a repair before anything is attached.
Two things we will always tell you
A deck attached with lag screws into a rotten rim joist is a life-safety issue. We always open the siding and look before we price the ledger.
If a covered deck pushes the lot over its coverage limit, an open pergola with a slatted top is often the workaround.
Generally not if it is under 30 inches above grade and not attached to the house, but jurisdictions differ. We check before assuming.
Cedar looks better and needs refinishing every two to three years. Composite needs almost nothing and never looks quite like wood. Both are valid.
Yes. Footing pours need temperature protection, and framing lumber gets covered, but winter deck work is normal here.
We frame on footings after the required cure and the inspection, typically about a week after the pour.
Next step
Start with a walk-through, not a price
Ninety minutes in your house. We look at the crawlspace, the attic and the panel before we look at the kitchen, and you leave with a budget band you can plan around.