Permission granted!
Before we dive into the deck and permit details this post is really about, a quick note: we’ve been getting messages from readers surprised to learn we have a family/personal blog called Young House Life. We launched it nearly a year ago as a behind-the-scenes spot for family photos, everyday chaos, and life beyond home improvement. If you want messy-house snapshots, candid family moments, and far too many photos of Burger and Clara, that’s the place. We usually post three to four times a week, unpredictably, and you can find it by clicking “Life” under our header or the “Our Family Blog” button in the sidebar. On that site we chat about everything from the Kool-Aid man and traveling with a toddler, to left-handedness, kid-speech, The Hunger Games, and Clara’s moves like Jagger.
For example, today’s Life post covers Memorial Day weekend antics, including a photo of Sherry being overly enthusiastic on a carousel, me attempting to display swagg (yes, double g), and a short video of Clara riding a few boardwalk attractions.
We only mentioned Young House Life briefly last summer when we redesigned the whole site, so maybe that post didn’t clearly introduce the blog. Sorry about that! Now, back to our slow-and-steady deck progress. I’ll admit this project gives me an edge of nerves: attaching a structure to the house that must support people is a little unsettling to think about. Fortunately, this will be just a ground-level deck, not a second-story structure. Getting a permit added to my nerves because decks are priority projects for building departments — rightly so, since improper construction can be dangerous — and the county requires inspections at multiple stages. But as the title says, I did get our permit, so work is officially allowed to begin. Woot! Here’s how we got here.
We started by figuring out what we wanted. A Photoshop sketch I made and our decision to go with wood decking helped guide the design direction.
My doodle was a fun starting point but not nearly enough for a permit application. The county’s how-to guide for deck permits was dense — it took several reads and lots of Googling before it stopped making my head spin. After a few attempts at drawing formal plans, I asked Sherry for help. She recommended two places we’ve trusted for project planning: Home Depot and Southside Builder Supply, where we bought materials for our patio. SBS referred me to 84 Lumber for decking, while Home Depot offered their own planning service. I decided to get plans and estimates from both to compare.
At Home Depot I brought my measurements to the Pro Desk and had a plan and estimate drawn up. The associate used their planning software and asked questions about footings and attachments — good thing I’d read up beforehand. In about 20 minutes they printed a comprehensive deck design suitable for county submission, complete with detailed cut lists.
The first plan was for a freestanding deck, but they revised it to be attached to the house, saving me a lot of post-hole work. They also provided a cost comparison between composite and pressure-treated wood, which helped us decide on wood. I appreciated that they accommodated multiple revisions without eye rolls.
Overall the Home Depot experience was straightforward and helpful — I like talking to someone face-to-face. 84 Lumber’s process was more remote: the local store advised that designs are done at their central office, so I submitted my information through their online form. I uploaded my sketches and photos, and two days later they emailed a plan. It wasn’t as detailed as Home Depot’s printout, but it felt like a more straightforward approach for what we needed.
The 84 Lumber contact was responsive by email and made requested revisions quickly, but I did miss the in-person interaction. In the end we chose 84 Lumber because their plan seemed more direct, their materials quote was about $400 less, and they specialize in lumber for lumber-heavy projects. They also source wood regionally; our deck’s wood will come from the South and meet safety standards (no arsenic treatment). We plan to use an eco-friendly sealer to make the surface safer for Clara and Burger — more on that later once we research options.
With two printed copies of the 84 plan in hand, I collected the paperwork required by the county (plus a few extras just in case). I wasn’t 100% certain I had everything, but figured the worst-case scenario was being told to return with additional documents.
We called the county’s Office of Building Inspection and learned about the one-day walk-through permit process. For some reason I pictured it like a job interview or a court hearing, so I dressed up — shirt tucked in, no tennis shoes or hat — trying to look both professional and handy. I seriously thought about my permit-getting outfit.
The reality was much calmer. I checked in, filled out a form, waited, and tried to ignore the House Hunters episode playing in the waiting room while mentally rehearsing possible inspection questions. Then a friendly woman handed me the permit and said, “You’re free to begin work.” Score!
I was pleasantly surprised by how smooth it was. I’m still a little anxious about the county’s inspection process, but getting the permit gave me confidence to move forward. Sherry, Clara, and Burger celebrated when I returned home with that important piece of paper. I’ve ordered materials from 84 Lumber and am waiting for delivery. While we wait, we’ll begin by removing the old balcony. Demolition, here we come — though rain postponed my original plan today. Fingers crossed for sunny weather tomorrow.
Have you been through the permit process? Any tips, stories, or disaster warnings to share? And did I overdress for the permit appointment, or was the shirt-tuck-and-no-sneakers look appropriate? A few dusty contractors came in wearing steel-toed boots and definitely made me feel less rugged by comparison.