Attached and freestanding decks — full construction drawings, material specifications, 3D renderings, and permit-ready document sets.
A well-designed deck does more than add square footage — it extends the way you use your home. Whether you're planning a simple ground-level platform, a multi-level structure with stairs and railings, or an elevated deck off the back of your house, the design process is the same: drawings that are accurate, buildable, and ready to submit for a permit.
We design both attached and freestanding decks for residential properties across Northern Michigan. Every project includes full construction drawings produced to Michigan residential code using prescriptive tables for beam sizing, post spacing, footing requirements, and connection details — the same approach we use for additions and remodels.
Every deck project is scoped individually. Depending on your project, the drawing set can draw from:
Attached decks connect to the house at a ledger board and share the home's structure at that connection point. Freestanding or detached decks are self-supporting structures that don't bear on the house — useful when ledger attachment isn't practical or when the deck is positioned away from the structure. Both types require a building permit in Michigan and both require drawings that show structural layout, footing locations, and connection details. We handle both.
We design within what Michigan's residential code allows a non-licensed designer to handle using prescriptive methods — span tables, footing sizing, beam sizing, and connection requirements from the Michigan Residential Code. Most residential decks fall well within that scope. If a project involves an unusual configuration, very long spans, or conditions outside what prescriptive code covers, we'll tell you upfront and refer you to a licensed structural engineer for that element.
Decks require a building permit in Michigan — any deck attached to the house and most freestanding decks above a certain size. The permit requires drawings showing the framing layout, footing locations, dimensions, and connection details. We produce drawing sets formatted for permit submittal to your local building department or township.
We offer 3D exterior renderings for deck projects — useful for visualizing the finished structure before committing to materials and layout, presenting the design to a contractor, or deciding between design options. Renderings can be included as part of the deck design package or added as a standalone service.
Homeowners planning a new deck or replacing an existing one. Builders who need permit-ready deck drawings as part of a larger project. Anyone who wants to see the design in 3D before the first board goes down.