The room beyondthe threshold.
For owners, architects and interior designers planning a custom home or major renovation with considered exterior spaces.
Explore the approach ↓A deck should belong to the architecture of the home. We coordinate decks, terraces and exterior transitions within substantial residential projects, bringing structure, drainage, materials and everyday use into the same construction conversation.
Discuss your project Start with the home, not an isolated platform.
Consider where the interior meets the exterior: the direction of a floor pattern, the width of an opening, a view, a shaded place to sit. These relationships belong in the drawings before the materials are ordered.
We work with your design team to coordinate thresholds, steps, edges and connections within the larger residential scope. The selected details need to support access, water management and maintenance as well as the appearance.
- Interior and exterior level coordination
- Door, wall and deck interfaces
- Layout, circulation and intended furniture
Resolve the structure beneath the finish.
A raised deck and a terrace over occupied space ask different questions. Existing support, attachment to the building, foundations and the site conditions need to be understood before a construction approach is agreed.
Structural design and any geotechnical requirements come from the responsible professionals. We coordinate trade information, access and construction sequencing around that design, including specialist foundation work where specified.
- Existing conditions and engineered support
- Building connections and movement
- Guard, stair and support coordination
Give water a designed route.
Exterior finishes sit within an assembly. The surface, slope, waterproofing, drains, flashings and adjacent door details need to work together. A clean threshold cannot be developed independently of the water-management strategy.
We coordinate the specified assembly with its installers and manufacturers, including preparation, penetrations and inspection stages before concealed work is covered. Test and inspection requirements are established for the particular system and project.
- Waterproofing and flashing interfaces
- Drainage paths and service access
- Defined inspections before covering work
Detail for the site and the way you live.
Timber, tile, stone and other exterior finishes have different movement, support and care requirements. Sun, coastal exposure and the chosen construction assembly affect what is appropriate. Samples should be reviewed with the adjoining interior and landscape materials.
We coordinate edges, joints, fixing methods and transitions with the design team. Where fire-exposure requirements apply, the specified materials and assemblies must be assessed against the actual site requirements; a general material label is not a project approval.
- Samples and adjoining finishes
- Fixings, joints and edge conditions
- Maintenance information and exposure
Understand the property before pricing the work.
Confirm the authority that reviews the property, the applicable zoning and the proposed scope. The City of Los Angeles publishes information on deck projections and routes projects through its relevant planning and building reviews; other cities and unincorporated areas have their own processes.
Your design professionals and reviewing authority establish the approvals and documentation the project needs. We coordinate construction information and inspections within our agreed scope. We do not assume that a small area or a low height makes a project exempt.
- Property jurisdiction and zoning review
- Design and permit responsibilities
- Inspection and completion requirements
The work.
In sequence.
Each stage brings a different set of questions into focus. The programme develops around your scope, the available information and the decisions still ahead.
Construction sequence01 / 04
Define the exterior space
Connect the intended use and design to the larger home, site and access conditions.
Construction sequence02 / 04
Coordinate the assembly
Bring structure, waterproofing, services, material selection and thresholds together.
Construction sequence03 / 04
Build in sequence
Coordinate installation and the agreed review stages before affected work is covered.
Construction sequence04 / 04
Review and hand over
Resolve remaining details and assemble the relevant care and maintenance information.
Before we begin
Your questions.
A clearer start.
Do you focus on small stand-alone deck jobs?+
Our focus is custom homes and major renovations. Decks and exterior living spaces are considered as part of that broader residential scope.
Can a deck be part of a hillside project?+
Yes, when the site, design and required approvals support it. Engineering, access and construction sequencing are considered for the property; a deck is not a substitute for the necessary site assessment.
Who decides the structural and waterproofing details?+
The responsible design professionals and specified system requirements establish the design. We coordinate field information, trade interfaces and construction questions with them.
Can you promise a permit-free design?+
No. Requirements depend on the location and actual scope. Confirm the applicable approvals with the reviewing authority and your design professionals before work begins.
Technical references
General information supports the discussion. The requirements for your property come from its jurisdiction, approved documents and appointed professionals.
