City Inspectors Work to keep decks safe

The deck is one part of the house many homeowners love to show off. Paul jones of Jones Brothers Building should know. he`s been building decks and patios for over 20 years. "There are a few homeowners now and then who`d rather have a deck than a patio," Jones says. Now decks` safety have been called into question because of deadly collapses in Chicago and New York. That hasn`t happened in little rock because of the city`s watchful eye. "We do inspections," says Chuck Givins, a Building Codes Manager with the City of Little Rock. "We do plan review on them so we do try to keep an eye on what`s going on and try to keep conscious of what`s going on." But Jones says it`s up to home owners to consult with their builder before construction even starts. "They need to make sure they let him know how much weight or how many people they may have on that deck at one time," he says. permits start at 32 dollars, depending on the size of the deck. All deck builders must have a permit before they begin construction. The cost of a permit start at $32, depending on the size of the deck. anyone caught building a deck without a permit could pay triple the cost of the permit in fines.