Whittier Mill Historic District
Whittier Mill is on the City of Atlanta's list of Historic Districts. Exterior work there goes through the city's historic preservation review ahead of the building permit.
Service area · Westside Atlanta
Deck Builder Westside Atlanta
From townhomes near Howell Mill Road to mill houses by the Chattahoochee, we build decks for Northwest Atlanta's older houses and hillside lots.
✓Older-home decks
✓Townhome and infill decks
✓River corridor checks
✓Permit guidance
Building in Northwest Atlanta
From industrial lofts to river neighborhoods
West Midtown was largely industrial, and its factories and warehouses, some from the 1880s, are now lofts, shops, and offices. Around them sit older residential pockets usually counted as part of the area: Berkeley Park, Underwood Hills, Howell Station, and the western side of Home Park.
Farther northwest the housing changes. Riverside takes its name from the Chattahoochee, which forms its northern border, and its lots were first sold in 1892 and 1914. Whittier Mill Village grew up around a mill founded in 1895 and still has its bungalows and Colonial Revival houses.
To the west, toward I-285, Grove Park and Collier Heights are residential neighborhoods of mostly mid-twentieth-century houses, and Collier Heights is known for its brick ranch homes. Decks there usually come off the back of a ranch or a raised main floor.
Deck work here ranges from a small rear deck on a mill house to a rebuild on a hillside lot near the river, and our Atlanta deck company builds both.
We build throughout the 30318 zip code.
Local factors
What applies in Northwest Atlanta
The Chattahoochee corridor
The river is the city's northwest edge. Land within 2,000 feet of its banks is covered by the Metropolitan River Protection Act, which requires a certificate for projects that add land disturbance or impervious surface, after review by the Atlanta Regional Commission.
Creek buffers
Away from the river, Atlanta's 75-foot riparian buffer applies along creeks. Work inside it needs an authorized encroachment from the Department of Watershed Management first.
Tree review
Any permit application that may affect trees has to follow a meeting with the city's arborist staff. On a wooded lot near the river, that covers most decks.
Permits
How permitting works here
Every neighborhood in 30318 is inside the City of Atlanta, and the City of Atlanta's Office of Buildings issues deck permits. What the city typically asks for:
- A site plan with the deck, setbacks, and easements
- River corridor or stream buffer information where the lot is near water
- Tree locations, plus the arborist meeting record
- Framing, footing, and ledger details
- Guard, handrail, and stair details
Townhome owners should also get written approval from their association, which usually controls what a deck can look like.
Submittal rules get updated, so we check the current list with the Office of Buildings when we plan your deck.
Sources, checked October 2026: City of Atlanta Office of Buildings; Atlanta Regional Commission: Metropolitan River Protection Act; City of Atlanta historic preservation: homeowner resources; Atlanta Watershed Management: stream buffer technical panel.
What fits here
Deck designs that suit this side of town
On mill houses and bungalows, a low rear deck with wood rails fits the house and the budget. We check the old framing before attaching anything, and build free-standing where the wall cannot carry a ledger.
On newer townhomes and infill houses the deck is small and usually raised a full story, so the rail and the view matter. Aluminum or cable rail, capped composite boards, and a drainage system over the patio or parking pad below are the usual requests.
Near the Chattahoochee or in Whittier Mill? Call before you design.
Call (470) 279-4199Common questions
Westside Atlanta deck questions
Does the river corridor apply to my house in Riverside or Bolton?
It applies to land within 2,000 feet of the Chattahoochee's banks. If your lot is inside that line, a project that adds land disturbance or impervious surface needs a river corridor certificate. The city can tell you whether your parcel is in the corridor.
Can I add a deck to a house in Whittier Mill Village?
It needs historic review first, because Whittier Mill is a City of Atlanta Historic District. Contact the historic preservation office early to find out what kind of review a rear deck needs and what materials it will accept.
Can you replace the deck on my townhome?
Yes, with your association's approval. Many townhome decks are small and identical by design, so the association will have rules on size, materials, and color. A rebuilt deck generally needs a city permit too.
Who issues deck permits in West Midtown?
The City of Atlanta's Office of Buildings. If trees may be affected, the application has to follow a meeting with the city's arborist staff.
Service area
Our Westside Atlanta service area
We build, replace, and repair decks throughout Westside Atlanta and the neighborhoods around it.
Start with your address
Plan a deck for your Westside home
Tell us your address and what kind of house it is. We will check for river corridor and historic rules, look at the framing, and give you a written scope.