From the deck off the kitchen, the yard falls away into the trees, and the old posts holding it up have started to lean downhill. Murrysville's typical house dates to 1979, on a wooded slope its owners tend to hold for decades. We build the next deck to stand tall on that hill and stay put.
Murrysville Decks
Murrysville added the most homes in the 1970s, over 90% are owner-occupied, and the 2015 plan says families tend to stay 35 years or more. Out back, that usually means a hillside, a lot of trees and a deck that's done its time.
When a house steps down a hill, the deck off the main floor ends up a whole story over the yard, above the walkout. Owners want it rebuilt solid, with room underneath that stays usable and dry.
Tall posts stand on frost-depth footings with cross-bracing to stop any sway, and the ledger is through-bolted to the house and flashed above. Any deck over 3 feet needs Murrysville's building permit, so drawings go to Community Development first.
DecksOwners who want shade over the deck are often surprised that a roof changes the zoning. An open deck may come within 20 feet of the rear line, but a roofed one must respect the house's full rear yard, which is 50 feet in both of the town's large-lot districts.
Lot lines are measured first, so you see how much of the deck a roof can cover. Where it fits, the roof is built for snow and joined to the house; where it doesn't, a pergola over the open part can give partial shade.
Murrysville setbacksWooded lots drop leaves, needles and seed pods all fall, and shade keeps boards damp. Wood decks there grow moss and soften at the joints; owners ask whether composite holds up better under a canopy.
We talk through composite and wood for a shaded deck, then gap the boards so debris and water fall through. The frame sits high enough off the ground for air to move under it, so the joists dry between rains.
Composite and wood deckingLiving next to the trees is the point of a Murrysville lot, but bugs come with it. The hope is a summer-evening room nobody has to leave at dusk.
The room gets a roof, screen walls and its own screen door, or glass panels if it's to be a three-season room, all on a frame built to carry it. Because a roof changes the setback, we check the lot before designing.
Screened roomsRoughly a sixth of Murrysville owners have reached 75. On a deck stair that drops to a sloping yard, a loose rail or an uneven riser is the thing they want fixed before anything else.
We rebuild stairs with even risers and a landing where the run is long, and fit a firm handrail to every stair of four risers or more. Wherever the deck floor is over 30 inches up, guards go on too.
Railings and stairsNot every lot is steep. On flatter yards, the request is often a low platform or a roofed patio just off the kitchen, close enough to the grass that the kids can run on and off it.
A deck 3 feet or under needs a zoning permit rather than a building permit in Murrysville, and an open one can reach into side yards by up to 3 feet. Even then, footings go down past the frost line so it won't heave.
Murrysville permitsHousing ages: Census ACS 2020–2024 for the municipality. Long stays and woods: its 2015 plan. Deck permits and yards: the permit FAQ and Chapter 220 zoning.
The rest of the job
How it runs, what it costs and who builds it are on our main decks & covered patios page.
Decks in Murrysville
Murrysville's rules touch a deck three ways: the height that sets which permit you need, the steep slope limits on its hillsides, and a noise rule that keeps the work to weekdays.
3 ftHeight that brings a building permit
Decks taller than 3 feet go through the building permit process; shorter ones get a zoning permit. Open decks may come within 20 feet of the rear line, but roofed or enclosed ones meet the house's yards. Our Murrysville additions page covers the zoning districts.
Murrysville setbacks25%+Slope where the steep slope rules begin
Ground pitched at 25% or more counts as steep here. Work on or next to 25–40% grades can only go ahead as a conditional use, with soils engineering behind it, and grades past 40% allow no uses. A tall deck on a steep yard is worth a check first.
Murrysville's hillsidesMon–FriConstruction noise in daytime hours
The noise ordinance confines construction to daytime on weekdays, so digging, framing and sawing are a Monday-to-Friday affair. We plan the schedule around that from the start. Our Murrysville kitchen page has the rule.
Murrysville work hoursDeck Questions
Murrysville owners raise these as we look downhill from the back door. The decks service page describes every stage.
Ask a QuestionHeight drives it here as much as size: a deck a story above a slope needs longer posts, bracing and deeper work than one at grade. Decking choice and any roof matter too. We price it after seeing the lot.
What decks costOften, but check the rear yard first. An open deck can sit 20 feet from the rear line; roof it or enclose it, and the house's setback applies instead. We measure before anything is designed.
Murrysville setbacksYes, a zoning permit, even under 3 feet. Over 3 feet, it's a building permit, with drawings and inspections. We prepare whichever one the deck needs and take it to the municipal building on Sardis Road.
Murrysville permitsOnly for quiet tasks, if any. The noise rule keeps loud work to weekday daytime, so footing and framing days fall Monday to Friday, and a half-built deck is left safe and covered until Monday.
Murrysville work hoursIt won't stop leaves from falling, but it won't rot or need staining when they sit. Board gaps let debris fall through, and a leaf blower clears the rest. Shade can still grow mildew on any surface, so a yearly wash helps.
Composite and wood deckingOther Services
Indoors and around the house, we also do Murrysville kitchens, baths, attics, lower levels, additions, windows and outside repairs, each on its own page.
Kitchen RemodelingNew layouts, new cabinets, new counters: framed, built, and installed by the same crew.View Service
Bathroom RemodelingFull gut renovations with proper waterproofing, new framing, and tile set by hand.View Service
Attic FinishingUnused attics framed into bedrooms and offices: subfloor, insulation, drywall, and a proper stair.View Service
Basement FinishingUnfinished basements turned into real rooms: framed, insulated, drywalled, and finished by our crew.View Service
Additions & ADUsAdditions and accessory dwelling units (ADUs), framed from the ground up and tied in clean.View Service
Windows & Exterior DoorsWindows and exterior doors set, flashed, and trimmed so water stays out of the wall.View Service
Exterior Restoration & Structural RepairsRotted trim and siding, sagging joists, failed sills: opened up and repaired to solid wood.View ServiceVerified Google Reviews
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Written by the homeowners we've worked for across Westmoreland County. Every one verified on Google, every one pulled from the real feed.
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Trafford, PA 15085
