Deck Builders in Aurora, CO

Deck Builders in Aurora have to answer to more than a homeowner's wish list. The city publishes its own engineering design criteria, and a deck plan that ignores them gets sent back. We start every Aurora project from those figures: footings below the 36-inch frost line, framing sized for the loads the city lists, and a plot plan that respects setbacks and utility easements. Once the structure is right, we help you pick the boards, railings and cover that suit how you use the yard.

The numbers behind an Aurora deck

Aurora's Engineering Design Criteria (Form A200) set a 36-inch minimum frost depth for foundations, a 34 psf ground snow load, a 30 psf roof snow load and a 20 psf snow load for pergolas and patio covers. Residential wind speed is listed at 115 mph for Risk Category II. The city's homeowner handbook adds a deck load of 40 psf. These figures drive post spacing, beam size, joist span and how deep we dig. A pier that stops short of 36 inches can be lifted by frost; a pergola framed without the snow load in mind can sag after a wet spring storm.

When a permit is required

The city's "Do It Right" handbook is direct about decks:

• A deck more than 30 inches above grade always needs a permit, a plan submittal and a framing/structural inspection.
• A deck under 30 inches needs the same if it is attached to the house.
• The plot plan is reviewed for setbacks to property lines and utility easements.
• A permit expires if work does not start within six months or is not finished within one year.

We draw the plan and plot plan, submit them, keep the approved set on site and schedule the inspection, so the paperwork moves alongside the build instead of holding it up.

Ground that moves

The Colorado Geological Survey calls expansive soil the state's most significant geologic hazard and notes that lightly loaded structures are especially prone to damage from soil movement. A deck is about as lightly loaded as construction gets. On clay-heavy lots we keep downspouts and sprinkler heads from soaking the footing area, slope the grade away from posts and use adjustable post bases where the design allows, so small seasonal shifts can be corrected instead of cracking a ledger connection.

A city with a 1,000-foot spread

Aurora's posted elevation is 5,471 feet, but the city runs from about 5,285 feet where Sand Creek crosses the northwest boundary to 6,229 feet near Inspiration and Gartrell roads in Douglas County. At that height, sunlight carries more UV than at sea level (roughly 2% more per 1,000 feet, per EPA figures). Darker composite boards get hot underfoot in a July that averages 89°F, and unprotected wood grays quickly. We will show you cooler-toned boards, UV-rated stains and shade options before you commit.

Hail and snow seasons shape the schedule

Hail activity in Colorado starts climbing in late April, severe hail days peak in early to mid-June, and storms taper off by mid-August, according to CSU climate data. Aurora's first snow usually arrives in late October and the last in late April. We like to pour footings and frame in the shoulder months, and we discuss board and cover materials that shrug off hail better than others.

Older neighborhoods, newer subdivisions

Aurora went from 11,421 residents in 1950 to 158,588 in 1980, so many homes have decks that were built decades ago to older standards. Those often need new ledger flashing, lateral connections, guards and stairs as much as new boards. In newer subdivisions toward the city's eastern and southern edges, the first question is often whether an HOA architectural committee has to sign off. We can prepare drawings and material samples for that review before anything is ordered.

What we build in Aurora

• Composite and PVC decks for low upkeep
• Pressure-treated and cedar wood decks
• Repairs, rebuilds and full replacements of aging decks
• Covered decks and pergolas framed for Aurora's 20 psf pergola snow load
• Railings and stairs, including code-height guards and graspable handrails
• Staining and sealing for wood decks

Call (720) 604-3036 or

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