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I will not be able to finish my deck for months but would like to get a final inspection signed off.

hyler3 | Posted in Building Code Questions on

Suggestions for temporary deck railing that will meet code would be much appreciated. We are in Washington State.

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  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #1

    Jacque,
    By the time you go to the trouble of building a temporary code-compliant deck railing, you will have gone to the same amount of trouble as you would have to build it permanently. Just do the job once.

  2. fasteddie50 | | #2

    Hi there, I suspected in WA. st. for many moons....5 yr. Island Co, 1 yr. Port Townsend and 3 years in Marysville. I would have approved the home with a barrier in front of the door that provided access to the deck. As long as there was no access to the deck....no problem. That said, I would have required you (before I signed off on the dwelling) to obtain a permit for the deck guardrail to be installed. Most jurisdictions will work with you. It's totally a bldg. suspectors prerogative though...At the same time, if it's a sliding door or a door that opens to a deck and you put a barrier in front of the entrance to that deck....Then it's not really a door to the deck ....It's not what you say...but how you say it :) So pose the question in a friendly fashion. IF you can't get the suspector to go along with you... You could ask him to please approach the B.O. and see if there is a way you can both win :) Inspectors can find ways to help you achieve what you need. Last spec house I built in 1996, I had some Thomas Jefferson stairs in a house in Oregon. The inspector walked in and said "nice bookcase". I knew at that time how I wanted to inspect.... We can look for ways to help or not imho. Good luck!

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