I have to say that a lot of the custom details in the area of decks and stairs are beautiful. My only question is how does one get half these details past the local building inspector. For example, the article in Finehomebuilding titled, “Custom Details Make a Better Deck”, is showing a benchseat wraping a deck. As we all know the top of the seat now becomes the top surface (place to fall from). It’s clearly high enough to require railings. Why aren’t there any? I think you all see where I’m going with this. I’d love to build half of what I see only building codes won’t permit it. How does one do it?
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Some times it is best to go informally to the plan examiner and talk about what you want to do.
I had a deck in a historic district but on a 1958 house. Talked to the receptionist, given a list of what they would need. When home drew site plans up showing house garage all that, drew deckplans, cross sections, footings. Went back told to start with zoning got there stamp, told to go to historic review was told that was needed. Even though the night before I found on the city's own web site given the newer age of the house that a historic review was not needed. They insisted it was had to find it on the web site and show them it wasn't.
Then off for walk in plan review, The reviewer looks at it says how high is this deck, I said varies from one to two feet. Shoves my drawings back to me and says, "go build your deck".
"What about my permit" "you don't need one it is a foot off the ground as far as I am concerned".
So lesson is to start at the source the one with the finial decision, ask for their input talk to the inspector he is the one that has the real finial say.
Wallyo
I've often considered how I might build a deck without a guard rail or with a lower one, in order not to interfere with the view from inside the home. The only safe thing I've come up with is to lower the deck and keep it fairly tight to the house.
I've been toying with building a deck and after seeing the deck with the wrap around benchseat, which is clearly above 30" to top of seat, I had to ask the question. I'm starting to look at these projects and say to myself, "It's beautiful but I'll can't build that", knowing it doesn't meet the building code. I've seen open stairs that have horizontal guards and out of cable and turnbukles. Code, not to produce a ladder effect and shall be spaced where a 4" sphere can't fit through any part of the guard system. I'd like to know where the code, especially where the new IRC is in effect, allows these things to be built.
Lot's of places don't have code enforcement or code (contrary to what I used to think). Not that it's right but that's how a lot are done that way.
Thank you all, if anything, next time you look at some of these details as you thumb through the magazines, you as yourself if you can build it where you live. I can't be the only one who questions, "How do they get that past code?"
The deck I am talking about, no guardrail it floats like a dock above the yard after all it is a only a foot off the ground. That's what the examiner said it must be true.
I hear ya. I see it often with stairs and railings (or lack thereof). I know what codes we gotta meet here and often those pictures would not be permitted in this area.