Deck builders in Garfield Township
Decks for the Charter Township of Garfield, which wraps around the west and south sides of Traverse City.
With 19,499 residents at the 2020 census, Garfield Township is more populous than Traverse City itself and is described as the largest municipality in northern Lower Michigan. It became a charter township in 1977. The Boardman River and Kids Creek run through it, Silver Lake sits in its southwest corner, and US 31 through the township is lined with shopping. Away from that corridor are subdivisions, condos and rural homesites.
What Garfield homeowners usually ask for
- First decks on newer homes that came with a slider and temporary steps
- Composite boards for owners who don't want to stain
- Larger decks or screened rooms on homes facing Silver Lake
- Board, stair and railing repairs on homes built a few decades ago
The township does its own building review
Garfield is different from much of the county: its own Building Department, at 3848 Veterans Drive, issues building permits, and its Zoning Department issues land use permits. Its deck handout says a land use permit is needed for decks over 100 square feet, and nearly every deck needs a building permit. The narrow exemption covers small, low, detached decks that don't serve a door. Plans have to show footing, beam and joist sizes, and the township inspects the footing holes, the framing and the finished deck.
Subdivision rules
Many newer neighborhoods have covenants or an association that reviews decks, fences and colors. Get any approval in writing before the permit application goes in.
Common questions
Who issues deck permits in Garfield Township?
The township itself. Its Building Department issues building permits and its Zoning Department issues land use permits, both at 3848 Veterans Drive.
Does a small deck need a permit in Garfield?
Nearly all decks do. The township's handout exempts only decks of 200 square feet or less that are no more than 30 inches high, detached, at least 36 inches from the house and not serving a door.
Services in Garfield Twp.
- New decksDecks on footings set below frost, from a back-door landing to a multi-level deck down a slope.
- Composite and PVC decksLow-upkeep decking that skips the staining, on a new frame or a sound existing one.
- Deck repair and rebuildsFix soft boards, loose ledgers and shifting footings, or tear off a tired deck and rebuild.
- Railings and stairsGuards, handrails and stair runs built to the Michigan Residential Code, new or replacing loose ones.
- Covered and screened decksRoofs and screen rooms over decks, with posts and footings sized for snow on top.
Nearby areas
A deck that's gone gray and soft, or one you've only pictured over the bay?
Call the number above and a Grand Traverse area deck builder will talk through what makes sense for your house.