Decks
Covered Decks & Porches
A roof turns a deck from a fair-weather place into a room you use in July heat and October rain. We build covered decks and porches across Philadelphia, South Jersey and northern Delaware: a roof added over a deck we build or one you already have, or a full porch framed from the footings up, with or without a deck floor underneath.
In pictures
Decks · Covered Decks & Porches
What this work looks like
This is the biggest of the deck chapters and the one that most often needs a permit and a drawing. We handle both. The posts get sized for a roof, not a rail, and the roof ties into the house so water goes where it should.
Stock photography for illustration. Our own project photos are on the way.
Spec sheet
Decks · Covered Decks & Porches
Time, permit, material, lifespan
The questions we get on every call, answered before the call.
| On site | 1 to 3 weeks depending on size and roof type |
|---|---|
| Permit | Almost always. We prepare the drawing and the application. |
| Materials | Treated framing, shingle or metal roofing, composite or wood floor |
| Lifespan | The roof: 25 years and up. The floor: same as the deck material. |
| Upkeep | Gutters cleaned, wood stained on the same cycle as the deck |
| Best for | Decks that get afternoon sun, and homes that want a porch they never had |
What is included
- Drawing and permit application for your township
- Footings sized for roof load, posts set on hardware
- Beam and rafter framing tied into the house with flashing
- Roofing to match the house, gutters and downspouts
- Ceiling finish and fan or light box if wanted
- Deck floor, stairs and rail if the porch is a full build
Signs
Decks · Covered Decks & Porches
How you know this is the chapter you need
- 01
The deck is unusable from two to six
Full afternoon sun on a west-facing deck. A roof fixes it without moving the deck.
- 02
Rain sends everyone inside
A covered deck keeps the grill going and the table dry.
- 03
The front of the house has no porch
Many twins and singles around Philadelphia never got one. A covered porch changes the whole front.
- 04
You want to screen it later
A roof is step one. Screening the openings is a small job once the structure is there.
Not sure what it needs?
Text a photo. We tell you what it needs.
How it goes
Decks · Covered Decks & Porches
From the first visit to the walkthrough
- 01
Design at the house
Roof pitch, how it meets the house, where the posts land. We sketch it with you on the spot.
- 02
Drawing and permit
We prepare what your township needs and tell you how long their review usually takes.
- 03
Structure, then roof
Footings, posts, beams, rafters, roofing. Then the ceiling and any electrical box.
- 04
Finish and walkthrough
We finish, clean up and walk it with you. If something we built is not right, we come back and fix it.
Questions
Decks · Covered Decks & Porches
Covered Decks & Porches, answered
-
Can you put a roof over my existing deck?
Often yes. The deck posts and footings were sized for people, not a roof, so we usually add or upgrade posts. We check the frame first and tell you exactly what it needs.
-
How long does a covered deck take?
One to three weeks on site once the permit is in hand. The permit review itself varies from a couple of weeks to a couple of months depending on the township.
-
Do I need a permit for a porch roof?
Almost always, because it is a roofed structure attached to the house. We prepare the drawing and the application as part of the job.
-
Shingle or metal roof?
Shingle matches most houses and costs less. Metal lasts longer and sounds like rain on a cabin, which some people love and some do not. We show you both.
See also
Decks · Covered Decks & Porches
Chapters that usually go with this one
Order form
Free on-site estimate · No obligation
Tell us what you are picturing. We come and measure it.
Nothing is priced from a website. We come to the house, walk the yard with you, and you get a written scope with the material, the size and the dates. Most simple decks are a few days of work; most concrete is two to four.
- Measured on site, written down before anything starts
- If something we built is not right, we come back and fix it.
- The people who quote the job are the people who build it
Rather talk now?
