Illegal Deck/New Deck and Permitting

I’m getting a lot of mixed feedback about our illegal wood deck (the prior owners built it) and whether we need to remove it or can leave it when we permit a new 2nd floor deck with stairs. A well-regarded expeditor said he would just not mention the ground floor deck (wood structure within 3 feet of the property line, legal 3 family house) in his permit application for the 2nd floor deck and stairs, and he would file an Alt-2 and no one would come inspect and it should be fine. He said he wouldn’t file a self-certification as those get audited. Some architect candidates for construction drawings, have said that the project WOULD be inspected and the existing deck would be noticed, some have said just leave the current deck as is, don’t mention it, no one would see it, and it should be fine. I’m so confused.???Any thoughts???? If there’s other information anyone needs to give a good answer, I can supplement.??? We are more than open to demolishing our current deck and building a steel one in its place, have thought not to this go-round because we’re already at the high end of our budget for the 2nd floor work being planned, but would love a legal ground floor deck (aka steel), and it would look nicer to do all at once if we could swing it somehow.

jeanmarine2

in Decks and Porches 12 years and 9 months ago

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yum54 | 9 years and 11 months ago

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Hi jeanmarine2 and elanag1, I’m in the same situation as yours, building 2nd floor deck with stairs. I was also told that it’s illegal to put stairs to the 2nd floor. Please let me know what you have found out and if there was a way to do this. Thanks,

elanag1 | 11 years and 1 month ago

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Hi, I’m curious as to how this turned out- can you have a deck and stairs from the 2nd floor approved? Someone told me that a deck can only be from the 1st floor. We are looking at a 2-family where the owner apartment is on the 2nd and 3rd floor, so without a 2nd floor deck we’d have to go out the basement (1 floor below the 1st floor rental) just to get to the yard. Thanks.

rfarch | 12 years and 9 months ago

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You can file a post approval amendment……also check and see if your insurance policy willcover damage creted by the illegal deck…such as fire etc. The big issue is fire insurance and fire damage thats why the law is on the books…thats why the deck to be legal would have to be non flamable material as long as it is attached to the building

jockdeboeraia | 12 years and 9 months ago

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What does your architect say?  I would just correct it, leagalize it and forget about it.