Deck Construction in Elm Grove, WI
T And J All In Remodeling designs and builds wood and composite decks for Elm Grove’s postwar colonials and ranches, with owners Teli and John Karampetsos quoting every job. Any deck 6 inches or taller goes to the village Building Board first, so the elevations, samples and survey are ready before a permit is requested.
Board package drawn · Village inspections booked · One written price
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Village rules first
Elm Grove Deck Requirements: Board, Setbacks, Permit Timing
Frost still sets the footing depth here, as it does across Wisconsin. What changes in Elm Grove is the approval path: the village reviews how a deck looks before anyone checks how it is built, and yard setbacks decide where it may sit.
Board review
6 in and up
The village FAQ says any deck 6 inches or greater in height needs Building Board review before a permit, so even a low platform is drawn and submitted.
Permit timing
About 10 business days
Once the Board approves the design, the village says the building permit follows in roughly ten business days. Digging waits for that permit.
Setbacks
20 ft sides, 25 ft rear
Residential zoning here sets 20-foot side yards and a 25-foot rear yard, and deck plans are checked against those lines.
Deck work here
T And J Deck Projects Behind Elm Grove Houses
Every deck below follows one structural sequence: footings below frost, posts and beams, a flashed ledger, joists spaced for the boards, then decking, guards and stairs. In the village, Building Board drawings come first, and the in-house crew starts only after approval and a permit.
New deck
Custom attached and freestanding decks
Village zoning sets minimum lots of 15,000 to 25,000 square feet, so a new deck is rarely squeezed. It is shaped around the door height, mature trees and neighbors’ sightlines and drawn to scale from every side for the Board. A through-bolted, flashed ledger protects the house rim.
Style
Attached or freestanding
Frame
Treated lumber, sized to span
Surface
Wood, composite, PVC
Raised decks
Walkout and second-story decks
A 1950s or 1960s colonial often has its kitchen or family room door well above the yard, and a ranch on a sloping lot may open from a lower level. Braced posts carry these decks, open sides over 24 inches get guards, and the Board sees the underside treatment on the elevations.
Height
Upper-floor and walkout doors
Guards
36 in or taller
Underneath
Screened, stored or open
Access
Stairs and deck lighting
Stairs land where yard grade and the setback line both allow, with even risers, a graspable handrail and a landing on a long run. Step or post lighting appears on the Board elevations, which must note exterior lighting, and is wired during framing.
Stairs
Uniform risers, landing
Handrail
Continuous, graspable
Lights
Shown on elevations
Replacement
Replacing or resurfacing a deck
Decks and exterior alterations both appear on the village list of work that needs Board review, so a tear-out and rebuild is submitted with decking cut sheets. A sound frame can take new boards and rails, while rot at the ledger or shallow footings means a new frame.
Inspect
Ledger, posts, footings
Resurface
Boards and rails renewed
Rebuild
Old frame out, new one in
Railings
Guard and railing installs
Aluminum, wood, cable and glass-panel railings mount to through-bolted posts built to resist a leaning load. Baluster spacing follows the state code, which requires openings that stop a 4 3/8 inch sphere.
Styles
Aluminum, wood, cable, glass
Posts
Through-bolted
Guard height
36 in or more
Entry
Front steps and landings
Front stoops on postwar village houses were often poured concrete that has since cracked or settled. They are replaced with framed wood or composite steps and a landing on footings below frost, and because the change faces the street, John confirms with Zoning and Planning whether it needs Board review.
Replace
Settled concrete stoops
Build
Landing and two rails
Base
Frost-depth footings
Recent decks
Decks Our Crew Has Finished Across the County
Real T And J decks photographed after completion, each permitted and inspected from the footings up, from jobs around the county.
Raised deck
Raised deck over a storage space, lit under the frame
Rear deck
Broad stairs stepping down to the yard
Stairs
Stair treads with a light set into each riser
Wood deck
Reddish deck boards framed by a black metal rail
By the water
Waterfront deck with a black rail facing the lake
The full T and J gallery adds siding, porches and other outdoor work.
Budget
How Elm Grove Deck Prices Are Set
Square footage, height, boards, railing and stair count set most of the price. Village review adds preparation rather than lumber, through scaled elevations, samples and a stamped survey. Height moves the number most, because guards and longer stairs start above 24 inches.
Below 24 in
Low Platform Deck
Near grade
- One or two steps
- Under the 24 inch guard line
- Treated, cedar or composite
- Still Board-reviewed above 6 in
Common choice
24 in and higher
Raised Deck
Guarded sides
- Stairs down to grade
- Guards 36 in on open sides
- Composite or PVC available
- Step lights on request
Upper floor or walkout
Second-Story Deck
Braced posts
- Tall posts, braced beams
- Stair runs with landings
- Space below planned
- Aluminum, cable or glass rails
Estimate before the visit
Multiply your planned deck area by the Wisconsin per-square-foot figures in T And J’s guide, then set that number beside John’s written price.
Boards and rails
Choosing Decking for a Wooded Elm Grove Lot
The frame is pressure-treated lumber whatever goes on top. The surface sets the upkeep, and in this village it also becomes a sample on the Building Board table, because decking cut sheets and material samples are part of the submittal.
Pressure-Treated Pine
Lowest-cost boards that accept paint or stain.
Cedar
Natural grain that holds up best when resealed on schedule.
Capped Composite
Grain-textured boards that skip staining.
PVC Decking
Light, moisture-proof boards for shade under mature trees.
Wood Balusters
Square wood spindles to suit a stained frame.
Aluminum Railing
Powder-coated rails with no repainting.
Cable Railing
Thin stainless lines that keep the trees in view.
Hidden Fasteners
Concealed clips leave the board faces clean.
Board by board
Material
Maintenance
Appearance
Weak point
Suits
Pressure-treated pine
Wash, restain every few years
Takes paint or stain
Checks and splinters unsealed
Tight budgets
Cedar
Clean and reseal on schedule
Natural warm grain
Soft, dents easily
Real wood look
Capped composite
Seasonal wash only
Wood grain, many colors
Hot in full sun
Low upkeep
PVC decking
Seasonal wash only
Light, even color
Higher board price
Shaded, damp yards
Joist spacing for composite and PVC is often tighter than for wood. T and J follows the board maker’s span table and fixes that spacing before the Board drawings are final.
Village lots
Which Deck Fits a Postwar Elm Grove Lot?
American Community Survey estimates put the median Elm Grove house at 1962, and roughly half the stock dates from the 1940s to the 1960s, mostly colonials, capes and ranches on wooded lots. With deep yards set by zoning, grade, trees and neighbors’ views usually decide the deck.
Colonial Back-Door Deck
A two-story colonial often puts the kitchen door several steps above the lawn. A deck at that height usually crosses the 24 inch guard line, so the railing, visible from next door, is drawn with care for the Board elevations.
Low Ranch Deck
Village ranches often sit close to grade, so the deck can stay under 24 inches and read as part of the lawn. At 6 inches or higher it still goes before the Board.
Tree-Shaded Deck
Under a mature canopy, PVC or capped boards cope with the damp and leaf litter shade brings, and footings are placed clear of major roots.
Two-Level Deck
Where the back yard slopes, two connected levels follow the grade: a dining level at the door and a lounge nearer the lawn.
Freestanding Deck
Built away from the house, near a patio or out on the lawn. On lots near Underwood Creek, floodplain overlay status is checked first, since village code also requires a permit for grading and fill.
Village approvals
Elm Grove Deck Approvals, Board Review Then Permit
A deck needs both, in that order. Every deck 6 inches or taller goes to the Building Board, which meets the first and third Tuesday, and approval covers design only. Digging waits for the Zoning and Planning permit and the construction code of conduct sign.
The deck package is scaled elevations of every side noting materials, lighting and colors, decking cut sheets and a stamped parcel survey, filed as 14 copies on 11×17 sheets. The Uniform Dwelling Code then sets footings at least 48 inches down, 36 inch guards above 24 inches, balusters that stop a 4 3/8 inch sphere and a handrail past three risers.
Board + permit
New deck, 6 in or taller
Board review, then permit and inspections.
Board + permit
Replacing an existing deck
Board review, decking cut sheets.
Confirm with village
Front steps and landing
Street-facing change, footings inspected.
Inspected
Guards and stairs
Guards over 24 in, 36 in minimum height.
Ask the village
Platform under 6 in high
Below the Board threshold; permit confirmed.
Usually none
Cleaning and routine sealing
Upkeep only.
Order of work
Elm Grove Deck Construction, Drawing to Final Inspection
The Building Board calendar sets the earliest start, so drawings are finished and submitted before anything is ordered. After the permit issues, the village inspector sees the footing holes before concrete and the frame before boards cover it.
Free yard visit · Board drawings prepared · No deposit
Visit
Yard, grade and lot lines
John measures door heights and slope, finds where the ledger can attach, and checks lot lines, trees and any floodplain question near Underwood Creek.
No charge, on site
Drawings
Elevations, samples, fixed price
Layout, boards and railing are chosen, the deck is drawn from every side for the Board, and one written price is set.
Nothing paid up front
Village review
Board review and permit filing
T And J submits the package, takes the samples to the Tuesday meeting, then files the permit while materials are ordered.
T And J files it
Build
Footings, frame, inspections
The inspector sees the footing holes before concrete, then posts, beams and a flashed, bolted ledger go in, and the frame is inspected before boards.
Own crew
Finish
Boards, guards, final walk
Boards, guards and stair treads are installed. Once the village signs off the final, an owner walks the finished deck with you.
Owners sign off
Google reviews
4.9
4.9 average from 60+ Google reviews of T And J remodeling projects across Waukesha County and southeastern Wisconsin.
Nearby
Decks in Towns Bordering Elm Grove
The Building Board is Elm Grove’s own step. From its Georges Avenue headquarters in Brookfield, T and J also builds decks in the communities around the village, where each city runs its own permit route.
City of Brookfield
The City of Brookfield surrounds the village on most sides, and its deck permits go through the city office rather than Elm Grove Village Hall.
Milwaukee County suburbs
Wauwatosa, West Allis and Milwaukee sit in Milwaukee County, east of the village’s 124th Street edge.
Waukesha County towns
Pewaukee, Waukesha and New Berlin in Waukesha County, plus Menomonee Falls, each with its own inspection office.
Visit or call
T And J’s Brookfield Headquarters
T and J’s office is at 985 Georges Avenue in Brookfield, off I-94 and minutes from the village. Deck consultations happen in your yard, standing where the deck will go.
T And J All In Remodeling
Brookfield, WI 53045
Monday to Friday
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday
Closed
Water emergencies
24/7
Deck questions
Elm Grove Building Board and Deck FAQ
Questions about your own lot? Call John at (262) 352-9525.
What drives the cost of a deck in Elm Grove?
Size, height, board and railing choice and the number of stairs set the build price. In the village, drawings and samples for the Building Board add preparation time rather than material cost. John measures the yard and gives one fixed written figure.
Is a low deck exempt from Building Board review?
Only a very low one. The village FAQ says decks 6 inches or more in height require review, and most decks off a back door stand taller than that. Anything lower is confirmed with the Zoning and Planning office before work.
How long before deck construction can start?
The Board meets twice a month, packages are due at least 21 days ahead, and the village says the permit issues about ten business days after approval. Designing over winter lets building begin once the ground thaws.
Does an Elm Grove deck need a stamped survey?
Usually yes. A deck extends the house beyond its footprint, so the village checklist asks for a stamped parcel survey showing distances to every lot line and the location of neighboring structures. A plain site plan is not accepted.
Can I replace my old deck without Board review?
No. Decks and exterior alterations both need Board review, so a rebuild goes in with cut sheets for the new decking, and samples are brought to the meeting. If the old frame is sound, resurfacing is possible after T And J inspects the ledger and footings.
What if my lot is near Underwood Creek?
Parts of the village fall within floodway and floodplain fringe overlay districts along Underwood Creek, and village code requires a permit for grading or fill. John looks up the parcel on the FEMA flood map and confirms the village rules before design.
Will the Board accept composite decking and metal railings?
They can be. The Board judges each design for compatibility with neighboring homes in scale, proportion and materials, so T And J brings the actual composite board and railing samples to the meeting and picks colors that suit the house.
What setbacks apply to a deck on an Elm Grove lot?
Residential districts RS-1 to RS-4 set 20-foot side yards, a 25-foot rear yard and a 50-foot front yard. John checks your district and draws the site plan against those lines, and any exception is confirmed with the village.
Other village work
More T And J Work in Elm Grove
Next step
Schedule an Elm Grove Deck Yard Visit
John walks the yard, measures door heights and slope, checks setbacks and any floodplain question, explains the Building Board step and sends one fixed written price. The visit is free and there is no deposit.
Tell John About Your Elm Grove Deck
Answered by John the same working day.
No deposit · No obligation · Details stay with T And J
