Rebuilding deck. Need certified plans. Any suggestions?

[olliesix.livejournal.com]

I'd really like to renovate the deck on the back of my house this year (it's falling apart). The City of Somerville requires certified plans be on file for all such projects in order to get a permit. Most contractors I've talked to say that a) Somerville is very rigid in its building requirements and b) that you need to get an architect or structural engineer to do the plans before contractors will take up the job.

Has anyone had experience with renovating decks in Somerville? And if so, who did you get to do your plans?  Any suggestions/recommendations about how to find reasonably priced folks to draw up the plans would be great (and if you loved your deck contractor, I'd like to know that too). Thanks!

Comments

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

we used Domenic Quarglia for our basement remodel. We needed some major structural engineering work done; he did it at a very reasonable rate.

(781) 395-9146‎

[narya.livejournal.com]

Our design and plans were done by Leslie Brayton (http://www.neldha.org/php/weblisting_a_showdetail.php?id=25) who is local to Somerville. If you need any actual design work done, I highly recommend her.

We're working with Chris Harkins (also local to Somerville) to get it built. Working with him has been fine thus far but we haven't really started the construction phase yet. I can give you his contact info if you want.

I don't think it's true that you need a licensed engineer or architect to draw up the plans. Ours were done by a landscape designer and the city didn't object. I think you should be able to find a contractor who will work with you on it, especially if you're just rebuilding what's there and not trying to redesign it.

[wallacestreet.livejournal.com]

We've used Paul Lukez (http://www.lukez.com) whose office is on Broadway near the Foodmaster for both interior and exterior (rear deck in fact) work. Great design out of ordinary (i.e. relatively inexpensive) materials.

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

When it comes to doing work on your own home, you do not need an licensed Architect to draw up the plans. I believe you need to have the plans approved by a Building Inspector.

I'm a Architectural Grad Student, and have drawn up plans for a shower house at a camp site that has been built. It took a few rounds of approvals to meet all the ADA requirements, but I'm not licensed by a long shot.

Deck drawings.

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

If the building inspector of a particular town or city says you need a certified drawing than you need certified or stamped drawings. Some towns accept almost any drawing or sketch done by a contractor but many do not and they make the rules.

Try Daveta Associates at 617-666-9840 they are local and resaonable as well.

Re: Deck drawings.

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

It would be interesting to see if the building inspectors of those particular towns who say you need a certified drawing are those who get some bribes from the architects. I bet there is a strong correlation.

Re: Deck drawings.

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

Well it mostly about ass covering as opposed to raking in the money. By requiring drawings it means that its one more layer of responsibility to go through if it falls down, but if a building inmspector pushes you towards a particular Architect/Engineer than that’s a problem, but that's not been my experience in Somerville.

What if you just need to fix your deck?

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Or just maintenance (e.g., replacing some parts of it with new parts). Do you need certified drawings for that too?