Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Getting A Permit To Build A Deck

Permission accomplished!

Wait, before we get to the deck/permit stuff that this post is really about, we wanted to mention that we keep hearing from folks who had no idea that we have a family/personal/behind the scenes blog called Young House Life (which we started nearly a year ago – my how time flies). So if you’re looking for photos of our messy house, pictures of us being weird, life-stuff beyond the home improvement happenings at our house, and Burger/Clara galore, that’s the place. We usually post 3-4 times a week (very randomly) and you can get there by clicking the word “Life” under our header or by clicking the button that says “Our Family Blog” on the sidebar. We can be found chatting about everything from the Kool-Aid man and traveling with a toddler, to left-handedness, kid-babble, The Hunger Games and Clara’s moves like jagger.

Family Blog Button

For example, today we’re posting about what we did over Memorial Day weekend, complete with a photo of Sherry being overly enthusiastic on a carousel and me trying to have swagg (that’s right, with a double g) along with a video of Clara riding a few boardwalk rides.

Life Screen Shot

Just wanted to share that since the only time we really formally mentioned Young House Life was in a post last summer when we redesigned our entire site, and apparently there was a lot going on, so it might not have been the most clear introduction. Sorry about that!

But now back to our slow and steady deck progress. I must admit, this whole project makes me a bit nervous. Something about attaching a structure to our house that has to support human weight gives me shivers if I think about it too much. But at least it’s only a few feet off the ground and not a second level deck or anything. Having to get a permit wracked my nerves a little more since we hear the county can be pretty particular about decks since they can definitely be dangerous if they’re not built correctly – so there is a bit more going on with the county (like two different inspections throughout the process, etc). But, as this post title reveals, I did get our permit and work is officially, well, permitted to begin. Woot! So allow me to back up and tell you how we got here.

It started out with figuring out what we wanted, which is where this Photoshop sketch I did and the decision to go with wood decking came in handy.

Alley Aerial Drawing

My little doodle hardly sufficed as a plan for building a deck, especially compared to what I saw reading through my county’s how-to guide for obtaining a deck permit (which took me about five reads and lots of Googling before it stopped making me go cross-eyed). After a couple of false starts trying to draw up plans on my own, I threw up my hands (quite literally, actually) and told Sherry I needed help. She suggested I call two sources we’ve trusted in the past to help us plan projects: Home Depot and Southside Builder Supply (which is the place we bought materials for our last big outdoor project – the patio). SBS only does stone, so they referred me 84 Lumber (a lumber-specializing warehouse located about 30 minutes from our house) while Home Depot directed me to, well, Home Depot. So I decided to take both deck planning services for a spin to see which gave me the best plans and the best estimate.

Let’s start with Home Depot, where I was invited to bring my measurements to their Pro Desk to have a plan and estimate drawn up.

Permit HD Cover

It was a fairly painless process. The Home Depot associate clicked through their planning software, asking me questions along the way like what kind of footings and attachments I wanted (which made me glad I had done that upfront research so I knew what I was being asked). After 20 minutes or so, they had printed up a pretty comprehensive deck design which they assured me was something I could bring right to the county for a permit. It was so thorough it literally outlined every wood cut I’d have to make.

Permit HD Cut List

The shot below is actually the first plan I worked up with them (for a freestanding deck). I later went back and they happily revised it to be attached to the house, sparing me lots of post hole digging. They were also able to give me a version comparing the cost of composite to pressure-treated wood (which helped us make the wood decision here). I appreciated them not eye-rolling every time I asked for a change.

Permit HD Deck Plan

Overall I was pleased with the Home Depot process, especially since I always find it helpful to talk to someone face-to-face. That was actually one aspect I missed when going through the 84 Lumber design process. I spoke to someone in my local store by phone, but they said all the deck designs were done at their central office so it was best to just submit things using their online form.

Permit 84 Submission Form

I put in all of my information and uploaded the schematics I had sketched along with a few photos of the space. Two days later I got an email saying my plan was attached. The plan wasn’t as detailed as the Home Depot version, but seemed to be a better approach (from what little I know of these things).

Permit 84 3D Rendering

My contact there was very responsive to my questions by email and also made some revisions I requested within a day-ish. But I did kinda missed the human interaction element of it all.

Permit 84 Schematic2

Ultimately 84 won out for us because their plan felt more straightforward and was about $400 less expensive to execute. Plus it felt good to go with a company that specializes in lumber for such a lumber-heavy project. They also happen to be right here in Richmond and they supply wood from our region (our deck’s wood will come from somewhere right here in the south and will meet all of the requirements for human safety – like no arsenic, etc). We also plan to use an eco-sealer to keep it even safer for Clara and Burger- but more on that when we get there (we haven’t even started that research yet).

So with two copies of my plan from 84 printed out, I gathered all of the paperwork that my county’s website required (as well as some extras just in case). I’ll admit I wasn’t certain that I had the right stuff, but I told myself that the worst that could happen is that they’d send me away and say “come back with X, Y & Z.”

Permit Materials2

After speaking with someone at our county’s Office of Building Inspection we decided to try the walk-through process where you can obtain a permit in one day, in person. For some reason I pictured this like a job interview or pleading my case to a judge and jury, so I dressed up a bit for the occasion. This is dressed up for me these days (shirt tucked in and not wearing tennis shoes or a hat). I figured it made me look professional, but still like I could construct a deck. Seriously, I put thought into this permit-getting outfit.

Permit John Dressed Up

The actual process was very tame compared to what I had imagined. I spoke to a couple of receptionists, filled out a form, and was told to wait for my permit (and that they’d “let me know if they had any questions”). This sparked me running through all of the things I could be quizzed on – what size my joists were, what depth was I digging my holes, etc. I did my best to get lost in the episode of House Hunters that was playing in the waiting room.

Permit Waiting Room

Just before the cross examination scenario could fully play out in my head, a nice woman walked out and handed me my permit: “you’re free to begin work.” Sweet!

Permit Permit

I’m still kind of surprised it was that easy. Admittedly I’m still a bit nervous about the notoriously thorough inspection process, but at least this has given me a good boost of confidence to move forward. And Sherry, Clara, and Burger all did the happy dance in the living room when I returned home with that important piece of paper. So I’ve officially ordered the materials from 84 Lumber and am currently waiting for them to arrive. In the meantime, we’re gonna get started by taking down the old balcony. Demolition here we come! I actually planned to start on that today- and wop wop. Rain! Here’s hoping tomorrow is nice and sunny.

Alley 2 Through Door

Who else has gone through the permit process and lived to tell the tale? Any interesting stories, tips, or disasters you’d like to share? Did you like my permit-getting outfit, or did I overdress? A few dusty contractors walked in and out with their steel toed boots and certainly made me feel a little less rugged by comparison.

Comments

  1. Stacey says

    We currently have two permits up in our front window, one for our deck and one for a new fence. I too was surprised at how easy they were to obtain. I think the actual inspection will be the nail biting part.
    We bought a foreclosure and the previous owner ripped the deck boards off (why????), so we have been replacing them with composite and new vinyl railings too. Just finished the deck top yesterday!!!! I do not envy you for having to build the deck frame! We are absolutely exhausted and we just had to put the deck top on. Good luck! :)

    Reply

  2. David says

    I’d like to thank you for showing the permit process and how easy it can be. Most of all I’d like to thank you supporting the permit process. There is a lot of cowboy construction performed without a permit out there and let me tell you it’s scarey as a potential home buyer nowadays. I love HGTV and DIY but i think it gives people a false sense that anything can be DIY’ed, especially DIY’ed in accordance to the codes, regulations and basic understanding of constructablity to give your project longevity and durability in it’s built environment. I can’t count the number of times people have really messed up their homes or apply a “lipstick” remodel to sell their homes to unsuspecting home buyers, who later finds everything breaking and falling apart with the most basic of use. Home inspections are a joke as the people who do them can’t be held accountable for what they do or do not find or know well enough to identify or look for ( read the fine print, it’s scary). After all with no liability rushing through an inspection has no real consequences, so more times then not(IMHO and personal/professional experience) many inspectors don’t do their full due diligence. Especially be wary of home inspectors that come recommended by real estate agents as again (IMHO) I find they look less closely for any major problems with a home because they want the real estate agents to keep recommending their services to their clients. For sure real estate agents will not recommend an home inspector that is supper picky as it creates more work for them in the long run or potential loss in sale.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Our friend actually gave us the advice to always get your own inspector instead of using the one the realtor recommends, just in case they might be a bit more reluctant to mention any potential issues for fear of ticking off the realtor and losing their business (even though they hopefully would never feel that way). Our independant guy did a great job and found lots of things after digging around for hours (we even got a radon test which came up positive) which was awesome because we could ask the sellers to remedy the major things (like installing a radon mitigation system and dealing with a few complicated issues we didn’t want to DIY).

      xo,
      s

    • Devon @ Green House, Good Life says

      I have extensive experience with inspectors from a job I had working with them, and I can tell you that there’s a HUGE range of abilities, diligence levels, honesty, etc. among inspectors (like any profession). It’s hard to know who are the best inspectors in any given area, but I would suggest looking at how long they’ve been licensed, referrals from friends and especially from professionals you trust who don’t have an interest in your transaction but who do have experience with real estate construction issues, and maybe even requesting a sample report to see the kind of information they are likely to give you.

    • David says

      Devon @ Green House,

      I’m talking about home inspectors used in the purchase of a home and i can tell you where I’m from, to make one of those guys liable for a poor inspection is like trying to catching a pig made of lubricant.

      Now a city inspector or any inspector that carries liability insurance are the only ones that are diligent as they can be sued but many ‘home inspectors’ are not so if they do a poor job good luck trying to make them liable for doing a poor job…it is virtually legally impossible. if you read most of the their ‘contracts’ they will state quite clearly exclusions of liability for errors and omissions. trust me on this I have a contract lawyer and a real estate agent as a family members on top of me being an architect myself.

  3. Barbara says

    Don’t plan on being lucky with your inspections. We flunked two of ours when building our deck two years ago. The first time was for the footings for the stairs. The town changed the rules between the issuing of the permit and the pouring of the footings. The second time was at the completion when the inspector decided that we needed another beam underneath. Our contractor was not happy and neither were we since there had been no problem in the previous inspections. It was cheaper to comply than to hire a lawyer.

    My advice: treat the inspectors with all the respect you can muster.

    Reply

  4. Stephanie says

    Love the permit-getting outfit. It’s going to be really cool to see you guys DIY this deck. :)

    I removed a cabinet from my wall this week (it was in a awkward spot) and I was looking at it and the first thought that popped into my head was “What would John & Sherry do?”

    Reply

  6. t says

    Also works well to use your building inspector as a consultant – run by all the questions/concerns you have as you come up with plan/design/etc.

    Reply

  7. Jamie says

    Congrats on the permit!! That’s awesome. John-love the permit-getting outfit as well :) Honestly, I think that probably worked in your favor.

    I think the 84 Lumber plan looks great. Can’t wait to see the progress!

    On a side note, I’m really appreciating all your old nursery and baby planning blog entries lately now that my husband and I are setting up a room for our first baby due in the fall (woohoo!) It’s really been an indispensable guide for us. The research and decisions you made feel very thorough and thoughtful, and are really helping us stay within our budget. Thank you!!

    Reply

  8. Nadia says

    When we finally decided to add on to our house so that we could have a bigger kitchen with a proper place for a dining table, the part I feared the most was the permit-getting. Seriously, I had nightmares about spending all the money for the architect, only to be told, “Nope! Permission NOT granted!” Our town in notorious for being stingy with their permits. The day we actually went, we went in with our contractor, who does a lot of local work, so his confidence made is feel better, and he answered what few questions the lady had and a week later we got a call that our permit could be picked up! Yay!

    Reply

  9. Katie @ Newcomb Home says

    Yay! Congrats on getting your permit. We just got our building permit for a kitchen addition and drew the plans ourselves. My husband did all the complicated ones like the foundation plan and framing plan. I did the easy ones like the site plan and floor plan, but its hard! I am a “math person” and still had trouble getting everything to scale.
    Can’t wait to see your new deck!

    Reply

  10. Jyl says

    My favorite thing about this post is John admitting he thought about his “permit getting” outfit. I’d probably do the exact same thing. Way to go the extra mile there, Captain Careful! Happy building!

    Reply

  13. Laura says

    Haha!! Love the professional looking outfit choice for applying for the permit.

    I can’t wait to see how the deck turns out. I’ve always thought the “alley” had a lot of potential. I envision a cool rectangle table with lights strung overhead and you guys dining al fresco!! So excited!! This may be one of my favorite projects yet!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We did! So funny, right? They originally asked to use them for last Fourth of July so they’ve popped up a few times since then – I think they used them for Labor Day too.

      -John

  15. Sarah says

    Hah, you definitely got off easy in the permit department. Granted it varies from state to state, city to city and county to county. I live in California and work for a large public homebuilder, actually. The permit (and inspection) process is not always that easy. I definitely chuckled when I saw your “permi-getting-outfit”. You’re so cute, John. I’m sure they appreciated your professionalism. Around here they see guys (and gals) in all sorts of stages of disarray. I’ve sat next to some gnarly-smelling construction folk before while waiting for permits.

    Can’t wait to see the deck!

    Reply

  16. meryl rose says

    My family owns a real estate company and one of the buildings we recently purchased is an apartment building in San Francisco. I was in charge of getting it all fixed up which included ripping down an old set of stairs to a unit built into the roof and rebuilding it. Actually GETTING the permit required 20 hours over one week spent going back and forth with the city and Cal OSHA. I won’t even get into the headache of inspections, over engineering, fees, etc. that went on after we got the permit and started building. But, the summary is: it totally sucked.

    Reply

  17. Jillys says

    Details please about John’s shoes! Hubby is looking for a pair just like them but can’t find just the right ones. Are they new? Where do I get em?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      They’re actually crazy old (probably need new ones – but I honestly don’t wear dress shoes that much anymore). They’re Dockers and I believe I got them at either Kohl’s or DSW about 3 years ago.

      -John

  20. Denise Z says

    Our “favorite” inspection story…many years ago, we were building our first home. Hubby and I did everything ourselves, with the exception of digging the foundation and hanging the sheetrock (we had VERY high ceilings). We lived 30 mins from our construction site and didn’t have water at the site yet and we were due for a plumbing inspection. So, we loaded our work van with 30 gallon garbage cans, filled them with water at the apt. and drove them out to our site. THEN we had to fill the standing pipes with water to show the inspector that our plumbing didn’t have leaks. A L-O-N-G slow process with a bucket-brigade. But we were ready for the inspector. He showed up, asked if we had filled the pipes and then said “Well, if it leaks…it’s YOUR problem” and signed us off. NEVER EVEN LOOKED at the plumbing! LOL! (Yah, funny now, not then!)

    Reply

  21. Laura says

    I actually work in a building department, and yours looks way nicer and newer than mine! Good luck with the inspection process! Usually if an inspection fails, the inspector will be very specific and tell you what you need to do to correct the issue and pass. Sometimes it takes a little longer than you might think, but it is a good learning process, too.

    Reply

  23. Jenny says

    We ripped out an old chimney/fireplace that wasn’t safe anymore. It was between the dining room and the kitchen, and we just wanted to open up the wall. We needed to have a permit to do the work and it took 2 months to get it!! We kept waiting and waiting and calling and calling and they kept saying it was coming. In the end, we found out that the guy with our permit on his desk quit, and it took a while to replace him, and our permit was just being ignored. Because of the timing, we ended up having to sledgehammer the fireplace with our brand new kitchen cabinets and granite right next to it. We built a box around it and it ended up being ok, but sheesh!

    Reply

  24. Melissa says

    We had to apply for a liquor license for our wedding (also here in Virginia) and it was seriously the easiest part of our wedding planning! I was so scared and I thought it would be really difficult to get. But $95, an application, and about 20 hours later, we had one! Woohoo for Virginia non-bureaucratic tasks!

    Reply

  25. gina says

    Please tell me that weathered wood you are tearing down is salvageable and you have a plan for it. I lovelovelove the grey of weathered wood.

    Reply

  26. Ally says

    J-Boom, that’s some sartorial splendor ya got goin’ on there…this whole permit thing could have easily went the other way…good thing you covered up your “parking space” tootsies with those nice loafers (props to $herdog :)

    xox

    Reply

  27. Melissa @ HOUSEography says

    Congrats on your first permit! In my experience, the inspectors are generally pretty nice guys (the only ones in Arlington are men!) and they aren’t trying to “get you”. They just want to be sure you’re following the plan and making your deck safe. They might be a good resource for you if you want to ask questions about the next step in any of your inspections.

    Reply

  28. Sally says

    Ha! I love John’s permit outfit. It’s perfect – jeans and a button down are a sure-pick for the construction site or permit office. A tip: it’s the shoes that really tell the story. There are lots of folks on construction sites in jeans and button downs, but the type of shoes and the amount of wear on those shoes says it all about who the person is an how they want to be perceived.

    Also – that’s a fancy waiting room! I’ve never gotten to watch HGTV while waiting.

    Reply

  29. Kelley says

    Woohoo! Congrats on the permit-ation! Can’t wait to see you guys get started and see how it turns out. I love that you’re turning an awkward outdoor gap into a function hanging out space.

    Reply

  30. Bethany says

    Another permit question for you – did you guys get one when you did your bathroom re-do in your first house? We’re facing a complete gut job, and it’s intimidating as newbie DIY-ers. I wish we had a contractor friend!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We actually didn’t need to for our county since we weren’t replacing the tub or moving the toilet/sink (not redoing any plumbing)!

      xo,
      s

  31. Krys72599 says

    We feel as though we’re old hands at the whole permit/construction thing: we’ve added a deck onto our primary residence, tore out and rebuilt the kitchen, and tore out and rebuilt the main bathroom. At the lake house we’ve added on a second floor, using some workers (we acted as our own GC). That was a lot more complicated, since it required various inspections during the work and that house is 45 minutes away. I had to take some time off to be there for inspections during the week… We lucked out, though, and had an AWESOME inspector – he gave us great suggestions, required some changes but accepted photographic evidence they were done, so we didn’t have to wait for another inspection before proceeding; we could just go on to the next step. What everyone has to remember is that the inspections are to protect YOU, not just to make the county/city a few dollars. You can’t put a price on, let’s say, Clara, if something wasn’t up to code… I know you’re going to do great on this deck – can’t wait to follow your exploits!

    Reply

  32. Briel K. says

    Looking sharp John! Love the permit getting outfit. :) My dad is a carpenter and has built a ton of decks. Looking forward to seeing how yours goes!

    Funny how people didn’t know about Young House Life. You link to it all the time and it’s linked in the header and on the side.

    Reply

  33. Jessica says

    Whoa John looks hot in that pic! As soon as I saw it, I thought that if the county personnel was a lady she would give him permit right away and I guess that is what happened ;)..

    Reply

  34. miriam says

    I love that they show HGTV in the building permit office… I guess they really know their audience!

    Reply

  35. QS says

    We had to get a permit a few years ago for a pretty big project that we were doing ourselves. We live in a medium-sized town and had heard it wasn’t going to be easy. The permit office was really helpful and even tried to figure out ways to lower the permit price!

    FWIW, I think most towns are pretty accommodating when they know the homeowner is doing the work instead of a contractor. I don’t think it hurt that I had my two young kids with me, either. ;) Just a helpful hint to maybe have Clara around when the inspector comes to check on your work.

    Reply

  36. Callie says

    ha ha! That outfit is perfect! My husband works for a custom home builder and that is seriously their “uniform.” Tough yet stylin’ boots, nice jeans with belt, blue button down. Always BLUE button down! :)

    Reply

  37. Mallory says

    John and Sherry, I’ve been reading your blog for almost 2 years now, and it feels like watching a TV series. I tune in every day as part of my morning routine, and each day I’m left with a cliffhanger! I get so anxious… like right now, I can’t wait to see how your new deck looks all finished and you haven’t even tore down the old one yet! Haha. :)

    Reply

  38. Christa @ a*typicaljourney says

    I love this post so, so, so much. I actually used to be one of those receptionists in the City Building Department in my town. Let me tell you, if ANYBODY coming in for a permit had put HALF of your thought and preparation into their permitting process, my job would have been about infinity times easier! Haha. So, on behalf the people who reviewed your permit application – assuming they are unaware of this blog & will never get the chance to tell you themselves – thank you, John, for playing by the rules!!! :)

    Look forward to seeing the deck progress!

    Reply

  39. Anne Gore says

    If I lived in Richmond, I would never have to do ANY work or research prior to starting house/yard projects! You guys are so thorough. I love that you share every detail. I hate reading blogs where they show the before and after but don’t tell you how they got from point A to point B, let alone from point A to point Z! So, thank you.
    BTW, we recently installed cork flooring that came with zero instructions about sealing or maintenance or long-term care. We relied on your blog to guide us, and we are thrilled with the result so far. We even searched for a week to find a store that stocked the exact water-based poly sealer you guys used, because I was terrified to try something other than what you guys had already tested and approved!

    Reply

  40. Kari says

    Curious, what does the “F” in “John F Petersik” stand for? I know that the “T” is for Sherry’s maidenname, but what was her middle name at birth? Inquiring minds want to know! (or at least this one does :))

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Sherry tried to play coy when this was asked earlier in the comments (before realizing we’ve mentioned it in more than one post). It’s Freeman, which was my grandfather’s middle name (John was my other grandfather’s middle name).

      -John

    • Katie says

      Was it Sherry Belle or Sherry Marie, but both names were considered to be her legal first name. My mind immediately jumped to this, I could be(and probably am) way off!

  41. Michelle W. says

    First off I gotta say that John is the cutest and I mean that in the most manly kind of way, John :). Second, I continue to be impressed, in awe and inspired by your money-saving and practical posts! I am not currently a homeowner (apartment living) but someday will be and I plan on referring to your blog a lot to help me navigate my way through home ownership. Loved this post today, keep at it Petersiks!

    Reply

  42. Lori says

    Ha, I love the outfit. Reminds me of my husband when he went to go buy my engagement ring. It was a Saturday that I had to work and I got home just before he did and he was wearing a suit… on a Saturday??! He made up some lame excuse about meeting a client, but then after the proposal he spilled it that that was his ‘ring buying’ outfit… He insisted that the salesman would take him more seriously if he were dressed the part. haha

    Reply

  43. Leigh says

    My daughters first outing was a walk to our local hardware store and village hall for a deck permit. She was three days old and so cute the inspector filled out the permit paperwork for me.
    Now a one she loves playing picnic on our second floor deck.

    Reply

  44. Cindy @ The Flipping Couple says

    We’ve pulled 12 permits on our house since we bought it 4 years ago! Everything from a dryer-duct permit (no joke)to general building permits to re-do half the house. We’ve gotten to know the inspectors in our city very VERY well, and we’ve found that they’re usually very helpful and like to see homeowners following the proper processes. You guys will be fine! But I’m quite familiar with the permit-pulling butterflies. : )

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I can’t speak for everywhere (since it varies state to state and county to county) but it’s required for all of them in our area.

      -John

  47. Anne says

    We’ve used Home Depot’s planning services too and mostly been happy–but a little warning to others–they don’t seem to be very up on local codes. We’ve had a few issues where they told us one thing and we later found out something different was required. Our neighbor spent Memorial Day weekend deconstructing his new deck to rebuild in code compliance after Home Depot created plans (and the city permitted!) something that didn’t end up meeting code. After a few major and a few minor headaches, we’ve learned our lesson to make sure we have access to and double check every detail of the locally applicable building code ourselves.

    Reply

  48. Amanda says

    Nothing wrong with being rugged and classy at the same time, John. I think you looked great. I think I would have had the same feeling — like I was being quizzed or interviewed, so I would have dressed to a similar level. I don’t know if that means we’re both dorks, or both normal.

    Reply

  49. StephanieC says

    We just handed in all our plans and drawings in to our township on Friday for the addition on the back of our house. It took us 2 1/2 years to get the courage and the correct information to do this project the right way. I wish our town had the same day permit station we’re sitting on pins and needles for the next three weeks wondering if we’ll be approved. I do think the eat in kitchen and 2nd bathroom will be totally worth it though.

    Reply

  50. Crystal @ 29 Rue House says

    Definitely a great idea to get someone else to draw up your plans for you for free! Sometimes you just got to know when to do something yourself and when to get help. Glad your town office visit was less painful and scary than you imagined and so good they said yes! I hate that our towns have our house plans in their hands (unless it’s for safety, then that’s different).

    P.S. How do I add a picture for my little avatar thing for comments?

    Reply

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