Can we talk about the week I tried to build a deck without a permit

Last spring in Denver, I decided to put in a 12x16 foot deck over a long weekend and skip the city permit process. By day three, my neighbor Frank called code enforcement after seeing the posts weren't sunk deep enough for frost. The inspector made me tear out the whole frame, which cost me an extra $800 in lumber and a full week of rework. Has anyone else gotten burned trying to cut corners with a big outdoor build?

3 comments

3 Comments

andrew_kelly2mo ago

So Frank the neighbor just happened to know the exact frost depth code for deck posts? That feels like a guy who was just waiting for a reason to make a call. Did you two have any history before this, or was he just being extra helpful for no reason?

richard_wells592mo agoMost Upvoted

Oh man, that reminds me of my buddy's neighbor. Guy had a whole folder of city code printouts, just ready to go. He cited setback rules when my friend put a shed up, then water runoff rules for a gravel path. It wasn't even his yard. Some people just really love knowing the rules.

emmafisher6d ago

Gotta agree with @richard_wells59 on this one, some folks just live for the rulebook. After I got bit by a similar deal, I started checking with my city's planning department before I even bought materials. They actually have a free quick review service where you send in a sketch and they tell you if you're on the right track. Saved me a ton of headaches when I built a pergola last year. I just walked in with a rough drawing on graph paper and they pointed out a couple things I would've messed up. Frank definitely sounds like he had that frost depth rule memorized and was just waiting to use it.