A wooden deck can be a great addition to your home in Rapid City. It gives you a good spot to enjoy the beautiful Black Hills evenings. Building or maintaining a deck is not always as simple as it looks. Our team has seen many decks in this town. We can tell you there is a right way and a wrong way to build a deck. This is especially true with our unique climate in Rapid City.
Before You Start: Planning & Permits for Your Rapid City Deck
The first thing to do is get your planning as well as your permits in order. Do not start swinging a hammer before this. This is not just about paperwork. It is about making sure your deck is safe as well as up to code. Fixing a code violation later on is much more expensive. It is also more frustrating than doing the Deck Construction right the first time.
Permits for Your Deck Construction: Do Not Skip Them
You will likely need a building permit for most Deck Construction projects in Rapid City. A permit is a must if your deck is attached to your house. It is also needed if it is more than 30 inches above the ground. In addition, you need a permit if your deck is larger than 200 square feet. Smaller, freestanding decks close to the ground might not need a permit. Always check with the City of Rapid City's Building Services Division. They use an online permitting portal called eTRAKIT. You will need a site plan for your Deck Construction. This plan needs to show the deck's location as well as its distance from property lines.
Deck Design for Our Rapid City Climate
Our Rapid City weather is very strong. We get big temperature swings as well as heavy snow loads. We also have freeze-thaw cycles. These things can really stress a Deck Construction. You have to think about these things when you are planning. For example, deck footings in Rapid City need to go deep. We are talking 42 inches below the finished grade. This gets them below the frost line. Your deck can shift or tilt if your footings are not deep enough. This happens because the ground freezes and expands. That is called frost heave. It is a common problem here in Rapid City. This is especially true in older neighborhoods like those near Canyon Lake. The original footings there might not meet current standards for Deck Construction.
You will also need to think about snow loads. Rapid City specifies 40 pounds per square foot. Wind speeds are also important. They are 115 miles per hour for Risk Category II structures. These are not just numbers. They tell you the size of your lumber. They also tell you how everything needs to be fastened for your Deck Construction. A professional's knowledge is very useful if you are not an engineer. They will make sure your Deck Construction design can handle what Mother Nature brings.
During the Deck Construction Project: DIY versus Professional Help
Your plans are approved. Your permits are in hand for your Rapid City Deck Construction. Now it is time to build. Many homeowners wonder at this point,