Do we need permit for replacing roof deck on 2nd flr extension?

Had to remove yea olde wooden deck that came with house to re-seal roof membrane underneath — do we need a permit to replace it?  It’s on top of the 2nd floor extension.  Would replace with something very simple, about 14’x10′.  What the guidelines we need to follow to make sure it’s built to code?

hbranty

in Decks and Porches 12 years and 1 month ago

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hbranty | 12 years and 1 month ago

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thank you James. i would be surprised if the original deck was legal. so it sounds like we should get a permit and a structural engineer (?) to make sure extension can support new deck. if we decided to leave the extension roof surface “naked” (no deck) — have you seen any good-looking solutions? it’s so unattractive to look at from bedroom window as is.

jcarch | 12 years and 1 month ago

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You’re allowed to replace what you pulled up for the roof work, and that’s what you should do. But there’s one big caveat.  Was the original deck legal?  The fact that it was there when you bought the building is irrelevant.  If you brought this to DOB’s attention, or if a neighbor called 311 and they got involved, for them to consider it legal you’d either have to show that it was there before the 1938 code went into effect (unlikely, and almost impossible to prove), show that it was properly filed with the city at some point in the past. By code, wood roof decks cannot cover more than 20% of the total roof area of a building, and no combustible materials can be w/in 3′ of a property line.  They also need a legal guard rail around their perimeter, and DOB may have questions about whether the roof of the extension can handle the higher structural loads that a deck, rather than a roof, is supposed to be designed for.   jcarch————————               James Cleary Architecture brownstoner.staging.wpengine.com/jamescleary