Decks and Patios

The process of issuing a permit will include an inspection by the Engineering Department prior to the approval of the permit.  This inspection is to verify the location of the patio or deck and to see if the installation will cause any future drainage problems in the yard.  If there are major existing drainage issues such as a back-pitched grade or severe settlement near the house, it must be resolved prior to the installation of a deck or a patio.  FLOOD PLAIN issues are negligible for decks and flat slab patios. 

The following are major construction requirements for patios:

The sod layer must be removed.

The patio area properly framed to provide for minimum 4” concrete thickness.

Minimum 2” CA-6 (Coarse Aggregate) must be placed as base and compacted.

6”x 6” wire mesh is recommended but not required. Mesh may be required by design.

Patios should be sloped to drain the water away from the house. This slope should be at about 1% (or 1/8^th of an inch per 1 foot).

Contraction joints where the size of the patio justifies, must be cut or trowled at appropriate intervals.

After the work is completed, the sidewalk, parkway, approach and the street must be cleaned.

Brick patios should be constructed according to the brick manufacturer requirements but the cumulative total of compacted CA-6 gravel base, sand, and brick cannot be less than minimum 9 inches in thickness.

Once the work on the patio is completed, the applicant should schedule a final inspection prior to the release of the preservation bond.

For the decks, the Building Department reviews the structural framing and the 42”depth of the piers will be verified by an inspection.

We ask the residents to contact JULIE (Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators) at (800) 892-0123 to schedule an underground utility location prior to any digging.