Screened Porches in West Chester, OH

It depends on whether the structure below can support a new roof, and that is the first thing we assess. A platform constructed only for people and furniture will not automatically hold a roof plus the weight resting on it. We inspect pier dimensions and depth, the capacity of the posts, the beam spans and the ledger before giving an answer. Very often the piers turn out to be the weak link, because the original crew worked to the bare minimum and the swelling clay beneath has since done its own damage. Adding piers beneath the new roof is a genuine expense and still far below the price of starting over.

It comes close to doubling the comfortable hours over a year. Once rain and the harshest midday sun are no longer reasons to head indoors, and the mesh keeps biting insects away through the long river valley evenings, the room gets used on days when nobody would have considered sitting on an open platform. The improvement is greatest at the west and south faces, where an unprotected deck becomes unpleasant by mid afternoon.

It goes to two offices. West Chester is a township rather than an incorporated city, so the township's Community Development Department reviews the plans and issues the zoning certificate, and the Butler County Building Department handles the building permit and inspections. The township line is (513 777 4214). We prepare the plan with the footing detail, the guard and stair geometry and the material list, submit it, answer any comment the reviewer raises, and meet the inspector at the footing pour and at the final inspection. A deck attached to the house requires a permit, and so do most detached decks. Ohio waives a state permit only for a detached deck of 200 sq ft or less that sits no more than 30 inches above grade and does not serve a required exit, so very few projects actually qualify.

A surround is held to a tighter standard than a deck set away from the water. The walking surface has to stay grippy when wet, the guard has to run continuously around the open side, and the space between balusters is checked against the 4 inch sphere rule so a small child cannot pass through. The guard itself is required at 36 inches where the drop exceeds 30 inches. Beyond the code, we plan the surround around how the household moves, which means a clear route from the house, room for the equipment, and a gate that closes where it should. A surround that ignores those routes tends to be rebuilt within a season.

Confirm the zoning certificate with the township first, then the county permit steps, before material is ordered. The builder should also confirm the scope, existing condition and the approval route before work starts. Use the site and house opening pattern to set screen walls, airflow and drainage before finishes are selected.