Most people choose a deck by the boards: the color, the grain, wood or composite. The boards are the part you see and the part that is easiest to replace. What decides whether a deck is safe and lasts is underneath: the footings, the beams, the connectors and the joint where the deck meets the house.
If you are hiring a deck builder in Los Angeles, especially for a house near the ocean in Redondo Beach or elsewhere in the South Bay, the questions below will tell you more about a builder than a brochure of finished decks.
Wood, composite or aluminum framing near the coast
The walking surface comes in three broad choices.
- Redwood and cedar look natural and age to a soft gray. Near salt air they need cleaning and a sealer every year or two to stay sound.
- Composite boards hold their color longer and do not splinter. They get hot in direct afternoon sun and need closer joist spacing than wood, which changes the frame.
- PVC and capped boards resist moisture best and cost the most.
Under the surface, most decks are framed in pressure-treated lumber. A few builders offer aluminum framing for balconies and roof decks, which does not rot but needs isolation from other metals in a salty climate. Whatever the frame, the screws, hangers and post bases matter as much as the wood. Standard galvanized hardware corrodes fast within sight of the ocean. Stainless steel or heavily coated connectors rated for coastal exposure are the usual answer.
What a deck permit covers in LA County cities
In most Los Angeles County cities, a deck attached to the house, or one more than 30 inches above grade, needs a building permit. The plan shows footing sizes and depths, beam and joist spans, the ledger attachment, the guard height and how the stairs are built. Inside the coastal zone, some projects also need coastal review.
A permit is not paperwork for its own sake. It is the only time someone other than the builder checks the footings and the ledger before they are covered up. Ask any builder whether they will pull the permit, and be wary of one who suggests you do not need it for an attached deck.
Footings, ledger and flashing: where decks fail
Three spots account for most failures on older decks.
Footings. Posts set straight into soil or on shallow blocks shift and rot. Concrete footings sized for the load, with post bases that hold the wood off the concrete, keep the frame stable and dry.
The ledger. This is the board bolted to the house that carries one side of the deck. If it is fastened straight against stucco or siding without flashing, water runs behind it and rots both the ledger and the house framing. A correct ledger has a membrane and metal flashing behind and over it, and is bolted through to the house structure.
Connections and guards. Joist hangers, lateral load connectors and guard posts all need the right hardware and fasteners. A guard that wobbles is a sign of undersized posts or missing blocking.
Questions to ask any deck builder
Before you sign, ask:
- Will you pull the permit, and who draws the plan?
- How will the ledger be attached and flashed? Can you show me a detail?
- What footings will you use, and how deep?
- Which fasteners and connectors will you use, given how close we are to the water?
- What joist spacing does the board I want require?
- How will water drain from the deck and away from the house?
- If you find rot in the house framing when the old deck comes off, how will that be priced?
- What is included in cleanup and disposal of the old deck?
A builder who answers these clearly, in writing, is a builder who has thought about the hidden parts.
How a deck quote is built
A clear deck quote breaks the job into parts: demolition and disposal of any old deck, footings, framing, ledger and flashing, decking, railings, stairs, and finish or stain. Material choices are priced as options, for example composite against redwood, so you can see the difference. Permit and plan fees are listed separately.
If you are also thinking about a patio cover or a balcony over living space, ask for those to be priced in the same visit. A balcony over a room needs a waterproof membrane and careful drainage, which is a different job from an open deck. Our page on decks and patios describes how we handle both, and structural repair covers the framing work that sometimes shows up when an old ledger comes off the house.
The short version
Choose the boards last. Ask about footings, the ledger, the fasteners and the permit first. The answers tell you whether the deck will still be solid after many winters of fog and salt, and whether the wall behind it will stay dry.