Code Compliance (Zoning, Railings, Stairs)

it to be super worth it. This leads right into my last point, which is code compliance and what the process is going to be when you're building a deck. So, in most municipalities, you're going to need two types of permit for a deck structure. You're going to need a zoning permit just to tell you whether you're allowed to build it in that spot at all. So, a lot of houses have setbacks where you might not even be allowed to build a deck. Once you determine that you can and you pass your zoning, then you go to construction and you're going to have to submit plans for it. and they're going to check all of these things for you, your spans, your lumber choice, all of that, and make sure that you're within those code requirements. A few things to think about when you are making sure that you're code compliant and making sure that you're building a structure for code compliance is things like railings. If you are over 30 in off the ground, your structure is going to need a handrail around the perimeter. Now, if you're installing a handrail, you want to make sure at the framing stage that you're preparing for it. 90% of the time are aluminum and we're installing them directly on top of the deck surface, but we need to make sure there's solid blocking underneath to lag into. So, make sure that you think about what your railings are going to be, whether you need railings or not. And make sure that you plan for it in the framing stage because there's nothing worse than a really loose railing. It just makes the whole project look and feel like crap. Another important part of co- compliance is going to be your stairs. The most common thing I see people fail for is their riser height. So the more steps you have, the more difficult this becomes in a way. You can't have a variance of more than 38 of an inch between riser height. So say you're shooting for a 7 and 1/2 in riser. If you go one is 7 and 1/4 and one is 7 and 3/4. Anywhere in that span, technically you fail because you're out of that 3/8 of an inch variance between risers. This might not seem like a lot and you probably won't have anyone fall down them, but there is a very noticeable cadence when you're walking down steps and even a little bit of a discrepancy can disturb that cadence and can cause a safety issue. So, really be particular about your riser heights and make sure that you're within that 38 of an inch variance. Another thing when it comes to stairs is if you have three or less risers. So, if you…