Does Deck Repair Require a Permit? (Guide for Homeowners)

There are several things that must be considered before you decide whether or not you need a permit to repair your deck.If the deck is part of your house, then it is considered to be an improvement. If this is the case, then you will definitely need a permit.However, if the deck is not attached to your house, then it is classified as a detached structure and, therefore, may not require a permit.

If you do decide to go ahead with repairs without a permit, then you risk facing fines from up to $200 per day up until the time when you receive your permit. This can add up quickly and cost more than getting the permit in the first place.

When Is A Deck Repair Permit Needed?

A permit is required for any work that involves the alteration or replacement of an existing deck. This also includes any new construction, including the building of a new deck.

If you are making changes to your deck, you need to get a permit before starting work. If you do not have a permit and you’ve made changes to your deck, it can be very costly to fix them later on.

With the right information, you’ll know exactly how to get your permit and how much it will cost you so that you can make sure everything goes smoothly! Visit our website for more information.

Which Code?

 The IRC is a performance-based code; that is, it specifies the minimum standards a structure must adhere to. It doesn’t tell you how you must achieve those standards, though, leaving design professionals a lot of leeway but also leaving DIYers with the task of figuring out how to transform code requirements into construction plans.

That may seem like an odd question. The International Residential Code (IRC) applies almost everywhere, so there’s no choice, right? Well, there may be. The American Wood Council, which produces the document that the IRC is largely based upon—the National Design Specification (NDS) for Wood Construction—also produces an alternative building code for decks called the Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide and referred to commonly as the DCA 6. It’s updated periodically, and the most recent version is the DCA 6-12. It can be downloaded for free at awc.org, and many jurisdictions accept it as an alternative to the IRC.

Why bother? The DCA 6 breaks down deck construction into a series of steps that correspond directly with sections in its companion document

Who Is Responsible For Getting The Deck Repair Permit?

The expectation of nearly all building authorities is that the person acting as the contractor is responsible for obtaining the permit. If you’re the homeowner and are doing all the work, you’re the contractor. If you do no physical work but design, organize, and contract all the various pieces of the job yourself, you are still acting as the contractor, even if you are not a tradesperson.

Some homeowners have no involvement other than cutting the check. In most cases such as this, the person hired to build the deck should be responsible for permitting. If a contractor asks that the homeowner get the permit, it’s often because the contractor isn’t licensed. While some jurisdictions don’t require contractor licensing, in others, the licensing system can be a political mess. If it’s regulated at the state level, then a contractor’s license should be valid anywhere within that state. But licensing is often done at the municipal level, which means that a licensed professional may have trouble getting a permit in one town but not another nearby town with similar requirements but different standards for determining whether someone has met them

How Do You Get a Deck Repair Permit?

 The permit process begins with an application, and it may or may not be the full extent of it. In some locales, this may be the case—the application is just intended to convey the details about the property and owner, as well as information about the contractor who will be performing work on that property.

Once a permit has been issued, though, there’s still more to do. The generic application that is filled out at first will likely be used for multiple types of work. It’s not intended to be comprehensive; instead, it’s meant to convey basic details about what needs to be done and who will be doing it.

A “work description” or “project scope” field is likely on this application form but is nothing more than a written description: “Construction of a 250-sq.-ft. composite deck with stairs” would be an example of a basic project description. The information on this application allows someone who accepts your application into their plan review process and into their queue for later plan reviews if necessary.

Call Before You Dig

You can’t start digging without calling 811 first. It’s the law, and it’s in place to protect you from doing damage to underground utility systems. You’ll be connected with a locating service that will come out to mark the approximate location of gas, power, and communication lines so that you can avoid them while you’re digging. There’s no charge for this service—unless you hit an electric line with your shovel! Then there’s a really big charge.

Getting Inspections After Your Deck Repair

After a permit is obtained and the work begins, the next step is inspection. Inspections are intended to verify that the work is being done in the location, at the size, and with the materials that were approved. Inspections also visually verify that work is being performed in general accordance with the building code. It is important to understand that inspection is not intended to guarantee code compliance. Compliance is always the responsibility of the person building the project. An inspector only performs periodic inspections and can only verify what is observed. Inspections are snapshots of the process. Permitting and inspection should not be construed as quality control for a contractor’s work.

Inspectors will perform random inspections during construction to ensure that all stages of a project are being completed correctly and according to plan. Inspectors will also follow up on complaints made by neighbors or other members of the community about construction noise or changes in traffic patterns caused by ongoing construction projects in their neighborhoods.

When an inspector visits a site, they will make sure that all necessary permits have been obtained and all required inspections have been passed before allowing any more work to continue on site.