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Need Advice Adding a screened-in porch / deck

Discussion in 'Homeowners Corner' started by blunoz, Jun 13, 2018.

  1. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    We just had a contractor come out to take some measurements and give us an estimate for building a screened-in deck on the back of our house. There are 3 other houses I can see from my back deck that have screened-in decks. The contractor expressed concern over the stand-off distance from the property line and that we might have to get a waiver from the county for that.

    Has anyone had a screened in porch or deck installed recently, and do you have any advice from your experience? I would ask our neighbors, but I think all their screened-in decks were installed by previous owners, so they wouldn't know first-hand what challenges they encountered along the way.
     
  2. JJB

    JJB Active Member

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    Your contractor should be well versed in the set back requirements and whether or not a waiver is required. Moreover, your contractor should be the one filing for the permit or at least providing you drawings that meet all code requirements that you can use to get the permit. You will also need approval from the HOA. The same drawings can be used for the HOA and county building permit.
     
  3. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    I learned something new today. I went up and obtained our PLAT from the Loudoun County mapping office. I thought the PLAT would be a detailed diagram of the building on our property, but it's just a diagram of all the property lines, and it covers our whole neighborhood. In hindsight, I wish I had emailed our neighbors to ask if anyone else had "our" plat from any previous home improvements they had done. Could have saved me a drive up to Leesburg. In any case, the people in the LoCo mapping office on the second floor of the county building are very friendly and helpful and got me what I needed very quickly.
     
  4. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    There's usually a copy of your plat in your Settlement package.
     
    PDILLM likes this.
  5. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    I thought so, too. I dug through all of our heaps of paperwork from when we closed on the house, but I couldn't find it.
     
  6. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    Well, maybe I spoke too soon. Contractor says the PLAT he needs should have the house dimensions on it, too. Back to the drawing board. Maybe the HOA has the PLAT with the actual house on it?
     
  7. techeng01

    techeng01 Member

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    Blunoz,

    did you not get a survey done when you bought the house? this is typical if not required. this is what the contractor is looking for.
     
  8. boomertsfx

    boomertsfx Booyakasha!

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    I wish they would let you have a screened-in porch on townhouses, but I don't think Broadlands allows that for some reason.... unless I'm mistaken.
     
  9. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    IDK / don't remember. We did whatever the realtor told us we had to do back in 2008.
     
  10. Dawne

    Dawne HOA Sec/Treas, Tech Comm

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    Loudoun GIS shows property boundaries, building and fences - in case that helps

    https://logis.loudoun.gov/weblogis/

    Here's a random screenshot of what's available. While it doesn't have the measurements on it, if you know your lot measurements you could extrapolate/estimate the house and other measurements.

    Screen Shot 2018-07-28 at 11.48.26 AM.png
     
  11. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    Turns out the HOA office had a copy of a plat that actually showed the house on it. Not sure why LoCo clerk didn't give me that version of the plat.
     

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