Deck Builders in Aurora, CO

Choosing deck builders in Aurora means choosing someone who understands what this city does to outdoor structures. The city's official elevation sign reads 5,471 feet, and the land rises nearly 1,000 feet from the low spot along Sand Creek in the northwest to the Douglas County line in the south. The climate is semi-arid, with roughly 18 inches of precipitation a year, snow that usually arrives in late October and can linger into late April, and hail that is common in spring and summer. A deck here freezes and thaws, carries snow, bakes in thin-air sunshine and takes the occasional hailstorm, often all in the same year.

What the city's design numbers mean for your deck

The City of Aurora Building Division publishes the loads it expects structures to be designed for. Its criteria list a minimum foundation depth of 36 inches for frost, a ground snow load of 34 pounds per square foot, a roof snow load of 30 psf (20 psf for pergolas), and a design wind speed of 115 mph for ordinary homes. The city's homeowner handbook lists a 40 psf load for decks. In practice that means footings that go deeper than many people expect, joists and beams sized for real weight, and posts that are anchored rather than set on blocks. Shallow concrete can be lifted by freezing ground, and a deck that was level in October may tilt by April.

When Aurora requires a deck permit

Under Aurora's handbook, any deck whose surface is over 30 inches off the ground always needs a permit, plan submittal and a framing inspection, and a lower deck needs the same if it is attached to the house. The plot plan you submit is checked for setbacks from property lines and for utility easements. A permit expires if work does not begin within six months or is not finished within a year. We prepare the drawings and plot plan, submit them, and schedule the inspections. Aurora builds to the 2021 International Residential Code with local amendments, so we design to that edition.

Sun, hail and the materials question

UV exposure rises with altitude; the EPA estimates roughly a 2 percent gain per thousand feet of elevation, which works out to roughly 10 to 11 percent more than sea level at Aurora's elevation. That extra sun fades stain and dries out wood faster. Hail is the other factor. Colorado State University's climate center data show severe hail days peaking in early to mid-June, with activity starting in late April and tapering off by mid-August. Capped composite holds color without stain; wood is cheaper on day one and asks for periodic refinishing. We will walk through both with you and explain where each makes sense.

Soil and drainage under the deck

The Colorado Geological Survey calls expansive soils the state's most significant geologic hazard, because clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry can lift and crack slabs and lightly loaded foundations. The survey notes that these clays are common on the plains and that most of Colorado's homes are in areas with potentially expansive clay. Deck footings that reach below the active zone, plus grading that sends water away from posts and the house, help keep a deck stable. If we see signs of swelling soil or standing water at your site, we will point them out before you commit to a design.

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Steps in a typical new build

• A visit to take measurements, read the slope of the yard and study where the deck meets the house
• A design with decking, railing and stair options, and a written, itemized quote
• Permit drawings, plot plan and submittal to the building department when needed
• HOA architectural request materials, if your community requires approval
• Footing holes dug and poured below the frost line, then framing with flashed, bolted ledger connections
• Decking, railings and stairs installed to the manufacturer's instructions
• City inspections passed and a final walk-through with you

We work throughout Aurora, from older neighborhoods near Colfax and the former Fitzsimons and Lowry areas to newer subdivisions such as Saddle Rock, Tallyn's Reach, Murphy Creek and the communities around Southlands. Aurora spreads across three counties (Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas), and the same building division covers all of it. We also build in nearby communities across the east and south Denver metro, including Denver, Centennial, Parker, Englewood, Greenwood Village, Littleton, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, Commerce City, Brighton, Thornton, Northglenn, Westminster, Arvada, Lakewood and Elizabeth. Each city and county runs its own permit office and may set different thresholds, fees and submittal rules, so we confirm the requirements for your address before drawings are prepared. Many neighborhoods also have HOA covenants that call for architectural approval, which we account for in the schedule.