Service area · Dunwoody, Georgia
In Dunwoody a replaced deck needs a permit just like a new one. We guide you through the permit, check the stream buffer map, and rebuild aging decks to current standards.
Building in Dunwoody
Dunwoody sits at the northern tip of DeKalb County and became a city in December 2008. Its subdivisions began going up in the 1960s, and most single-family homes here are now several decades old, many with a deck that has been repaired more than once.
That is why so much of the work here is replacement. Older decks were often attached with nails and no flashing, and their guard rails, stairs, and footings rarely meet what the code asks for now. A rebuild is the chance to correct all of that at once.
Many back yards are wooded and slope down to a small stream. We travel from Atlanta and bring the same deck services across metro Atlanta to Dunwoody: new builds, replacements, repairs, railings, and under-deck drainage.
We build throughout the 30338 and 30360 zip codes.
Local factors
The city's residential permit page says a construction permit covers new or replaced decks. Its permit checklist separates new construction and structural repairs from simple non-structural repairs, so the scope of a repair matters.
Georgia protects 25 feet along streams, and Dunwoody adds 50 more. Land disturbance and tree removal inside that 75 feet are not allowed without permits, and the city notes that something that looks like a ditch may be a protected stream.
On a single-family lot outside the stream buffer, Dunwoody does not require a tree removal permit. Inside the buffer, removal needs a permit and a certified arborist's report.
The city's online SmartMap shows the state and city buffers on every parcel. We check your address there before we measure anything.
Permits
Permits are handled by the city's Community Development department. For a deck on a single-family home, the city asks for:
The city says its review may take up to 10 business days. For a single-level, single-span deck, plans can reference Georgia's Prescriptive Deck Details, and a copy has to be on site for the inspector at each required inspection.
We recheck the city's current requirements during planning, since they change.
Sources, checked October 2026: City of Dunwoody: residential single-family permits; City of Dunwoody: stream buffers; City of Dunwoody: tree regulations.
What fits here
Most replacements here are elevated decks off a main floor, so the frame matters more than the finish: properly sized footings, posts on metal bases, a bolted and flashed ledger, and diagonal bracing on tall posts. A wider stair with a landing is a common upgrade over a narrow original.
Heavy tree cover keeps decks damp and covered in leaves. Capped composite boards and aluminum rail cut the upkeep, and an under-deck drainage system turns the shaded space below into a dry patio.
Is your Dunwoody deck original to the house? Have the frame checked first.
Call (470) 279-4199Common questions
Yes. The city's residential permit page lists new or replaced decks among the work that needs a construction permit. Simple non-structural repairs are treated differently, so ask the city if you are only replacing a few boards.
The city says its review process may take up to 10 business days, and it emails or calls when the review is finished. Corrections and resubmittals add time.
The city requires inspections during construction and expects the approved deck details to be on site for each one. On a typical deck the footings are checked before concrete is poured, the framing before it is covered, and the finished deck at the end. Your permit lists what applies to your job.
Possibly. The deck and all digging have to stay outside the 75-foot buffer unless the state or the city grants a permit or variance. We check the SmartMap first and design the deck to stay clear whenever the lot allows.
Service area
We build, replace, and repair decks throughout Dunwoody and the neighborhoods around it.
Start with your address
Tell us your address and how old the current deck is. We will check the buffer map, inspect the frame, and give you a written scope.
