We sort out the review track first
An exterior alteration in the single-family district may be subject to design review. We confirm with the city which track your deck or cover is on before drawings go far.
DECK BUILDER · LOS ALTOS
Planning a Deck on a Los Altos Lot?Let’s Plan It With the Review in Mind.
Lots here are generous, so the back yard is rarely the limit. The review process is, along with the trees and the lot coverage math. We work out which rules reach your deck or pergola before the drawings go far, so the design you fall for is one the city can approve.
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Trees and creeks shape the layout early
Footings are holes dug where a mature tree is working, and creeks have to appear on the drawings. We design around what stays.
We carry the permit and the inspections
We prepare the submittal, work the plan check corrections ourselves, and book the inspections, while your project manager keeps you updated.
THE DECK THE PROPERTY ALLOWS
Deck building services in Los Altos
Build a new deck on a deep lot
On a lot that falls away toward the back, stepping the deck down in platforms usually works better than one tall rectangle with a long stair run, and it keeps more of the structure under the guard-height line.
Add a pergola, gazebo, or patio cover
The city counts every structure over six feet tall toward lot coverage, which is where covers sit even when the deck below does not. We design the cover with the deck so posts land on footings sized to carry them.
Rebuild or inspect an existing deck
On older houses, rooms were added and work was done that may predate any permit record. We open a section and look at the ledger, the flashing, the joists, and the footings before recommending resurfacing or a full rebuild.
DECKING, RAILINGS & DETAILS
Deck materials and options
Composite or wood decking
Capped composite skips the sanding and sealing cycle, while real redwood or cedar keeps its grain for those who accept the upkeep. We set composite to the manufacturer’s published spans and gapping.
Guards, stairs, and footings
California requires a guard on a walking surface more than thirty inches above the ground, so on a falling lot stepped platforms keep more of the deck below that line. Pier locations are laid out around protected trees.
Drainage and wall repair
The city asks how winter water leaves a site without curbs, and we plan the grading with the deck. Where a ledger comes off a stucco or sided wall, siding and exterior painting put the wall back properly, with any electrical work completed by the appropriately licensed trades.
OUR DECK BUILDING PROCESS
Our deck building process
We visit your home and talk through the options
Our outdoor team walks the yard, measures the space, and looks at the slope, the soil, the trees and their driplines, any creek, and what the house wall is doing where a ledger might attach. We also check what the zoning and review situation is for your parcel.
We plan the design and structure
We review the layout, framing, and supports, involve engineering when needed, and work through the design and permit requirements with the City of Los Altos Building Division and, where design review applies, Planning. Anything needing Planning approval clears that before a building permit is issued. A 3D rendering may also be used when it is helpful and included in the project scope.
We confirm selections and order materials
Once the design and material choices are approved, we order the structural and finish materials needed for the agreed scope.
We build the deck and keep you informed
When the plans and required approvals are in place and the materials are ready, the construction team schedules the build. Your project manager coordinates the work and keeps you updated as it progresses.
FREE CONSULTATION
Get a free deck building consultation in Los Altos
Is it a new deck, a pergola you are considering, or an older deck you want inspected? Tell us about the lot, the trees, and what you have in mind, and we will contact you to arrange a visit.
Schedule my consultationDECK BUILDER IN LOS ALTOS FAQ
Deck building FAQs in Los Altos
Does a new deck need design review?
It depends on what the structure is and what it changes. Exterior alterations, additions, and new construction in the single-family district are subject to design review against the city’s Residential Design Guidelines. A low deck behind the house and a raised deck with a solid cover are different proposals. We confirm which track your project is on, then prepare the package it needs.
Does a pergola or patio cover count toward lot coverage?
Assume yes if it stands over six feet tall. The city counts every structure over six feet toward lot coverage, so a pergola, gazebo, or solid cover can matter to the planning math even when the deck beneath does not. We work the question at the start because it decides the post locations and footings.
A protected tree stands where I want the deck. Can it still be built?
Usually, and the tree shapes the pier layout rather than ending the project. Protected status can attach by trunk size, native species, Heritage Tree designation, an earlier approval, or a location in the public right of way. Digging inside the inner part of a protected tree’s dripline brings in an arborist’s report and protection fencing, and the deck is designed around what stays.
Can a deck be built near a creek?
It can, and the creek goes on the drawings early. Three creeks run through the city, and one on, beside, or near the site has to be shown with its top of bank. Footings near a bank are a structural question, and the city also asks about cut and fill, impervious surface, and stormwater treatment.
Who issues the building permit, and what about a property near Los Altos Hills?
The City of Los Altos Building Division runs the plan check and the inspections, with drawings filed electronically. Los Altos Hills is a separate town with its own review process, so any parcel near that line gets its jurisdiction confirmed first.
How do I get a deck estimate?
Book the free in-home consultation. We walk the yard, look at the slope, the soil, the trees and their driplines, and the house wall. The written scope arrives before any number does, and if a pergola or cover is anywhere in the plan, mention it at the visit.
PROJECTS, GUIDES AND LOCAL PAGES
Projects, guides and city pages
YOUR NEXT STEP
Ready to start your deck project?
Whether you are building new, adding a cover, or checking an older deck, the first step is a visit to understand your property and your priorities.