Roof decks in Spring Garden & Fairmount

Spring Garden & Fairmount houses and roofs

Spring Garden borders Center City to the north, and the Historical Commission designated the Spring Garden Historic District in 2000. Fairmount, often called the Art Museum Area along with Spring Garden, is home to Eastern State Penitentiary. Brewerytown, named for its old breweries, runs west to the Schuylkill, with Girard Avenue as its commercial corridor.

What we hear about in Spring Garden & Fairmount

• Historic review for decks in the Spring Garden district
• Big older houses whose roofs need reinforcement
• Decks on new construction in Brewerytown
• Choosing between a hatch and a pilot house

What to know before you build

Inside the Spring Garden district, a deck needs Historical Commission review, and visibility from the street is the deciding factor for staff approval. Outside it, in much of Fairmount and Brewerytown, the zoning limits and the building permit are the main hurdles. Either way, L&I says the zoning and building reviews for small residential projects can be done together if you file a building permit application.

The rules are the same citywide

In every Philadelphia neighborhood, roof decks on homes are allowed by the Zoning Code within limits: 5 feet back from the front, a deck surface within 48 inches of the roof’s mid-plane, railings up to 42 inches, and a pilot house of limited size. Every roof deck needs a building permit, and properties on the Philadelphia Register need Historical Commission review. Read the rules guide · See typical costs

Services in Spring Garden & Fairmount

• New roof decks
• Pilot houses & roof access
• Roof deck repair & replacement
• Roofing under the deck
• Design, engineering & permits

Nearby: Northern Liberties · Rittenhouse & Fitler Square · Fishtown · All neighborhoods

We are a free referral service, not a contractor. We pass your request to an independent Philadelphia contractor who quotes and does the work.