CompletedDecks
New decks and rebuilds in pressure-treated lumber or composite, from ground-level platforms to elevated decks with stairs, rail and staining.
Douglas County and Douglasville
Decks, fences and remodels in Douglas County, Georgia
West Georgia Decks Docks Fencing and Remodels, based in Villa Rica, about 13 miles by road from Douglasville.
- 17+ years in the trade
- Licensed and Insured
- Based in Villa Rica, GA
The short answer
Most decks need a permit, and the office depends on your address.
West Georgia Decks Docks Fencing and Remodels builds decks, fences, screened porches and remodels for homes in Douglas County. Our home base is Villa Rica, on the Carroll County side, about 13 miles by road from Douglasville.
Unincorporated Douglas County and the city of Douglasville issue their own permits under different rules. Send Ambrose the address and the plan, and we will tell you which office applies before you file.
A Douglas County address inside Villa Rica is a third case. That city's building department handles it, and we cover it on our page about deck building in Villa Rica.
The rules
Two offices, two sets of rules.
Douglas County and the city of Douglasville each issue their own permits. Every rule below names the county document or the section of the city code it comes from, with a link. Offices read their own rules, so confirm your lot before you pay anyone.
Unincorporated Douglas County
A deck needs a building permit if it is 200 square feet or larger, is attached to the house, or sits more than 30 inches off the ground. The county's own FAQ adds that all structures of a permanent nature require a building permit, so confirm a small freestanding deck with the Building Department. An accessory building of 200 square feet or more needs one as well, and so does any accessory building attached to the house, at any size.
Douglas County, Types of Permits Required (Word file)Douglas County, Building Permits and Inspections FAQ
Additions and accessory buildings start at Planning and Zoning, not the Building Department. The county asks for the receipt showing property tax is paid, a survey with the surveyor's seal, and the warranty deed. An interior remodel starts at the Building Department, unless you are on septic and adding a bedroom.
Douglas County, Types of Permits Required (Word file)Douglas County, Residential Building Permit Walk-Thru sheet
Fences do not need a county permit, according to the county's own FAQ. Retaining walls four feet or higher do, and so does every swimming pool. The FAQ answers the permit question only, so check your HOA covenants before the posts go in.
Douglas County, Building Permits and Inspections FAQDouglas County, Types of Permits Required (Word file)
A residential permit is active for six months and can be extended for six more, but the extension is not automatic: you have to contact the Building Department. Inspections are requested by phone at 770-920-7333 and scheduled for the next business day. The county does no same-day inspections.
Douglas County, Building Permits and Inspections FAQDouglas County, Building Permits and Inspections
Douglasville city limits
The city requires a building permit from its building official before anyone builds, alters or repairs a structure, and applications go to the community development department. The list of work exempt from a permit names fences not over six feet and retaining walls not over four feet, measured from the bottom of the footing. It does not name decks.
Douglasville UDO, Sec. 10.09Douglasville UDO, Sec. 8.04(E)Douglasville UDO, Sec. 12.02(C)
Every fence and free-standing wall must show a finished and attractive surface to the outside of the lot, so the good side faces the neighbor or the street.
In a locally designated historic district, adding, removing, enclosing or changing the material of a porch or deck is a Major project: the Historic Preservation Commission must approve it and issue a certificate of appropriateness. Repainting and repair with like materials are ordinary maintenance and need no approval.
Douglasville UDO, Sec. 12.04, Table 12-2Douglasville UDO, Sec. 6.02
The historic rules cover exterior changes only. Interior work and paint colors need no approval. The district boundaries are on the city zoning map, and the code tells owners to ask the community development director whether a certificate is needed.
What we build
Decks, fences and porches for Douglas County lots.
These are the jobs we take on across west Georgia. The photos show our regional work, not Douglas County addresses.
Completed
CompletedFences and retaining walls
Wood privacy and farm fences built with the good side facing out, and block retaining walls where the yard needs one.
CompletedScreened porches and remodels
Screened porches and screened decks, plus kitchens, bathrooms and finished basements.
How it goes
From the first call to the finished job.
Send the address
The address tells us whether Douglas County, Douglasville or Villa Rica issues the permit.
Plan to the rules
Deck size and height decide whether the county wants a permit. In Douglasville, a historic district adds a review step.
Permit
In the county, additions start at Planning and Zoning with the tax receipt, survey and deed. In the city, the application goes to community development.
Build and inspect
We build to the approved plan. Inspections are requested by phone a day ahead, because the county schedules for the next business day.
Questions
Straight answers.
Do I need a permit for a deck in Douglas County?
Almost always. Outside the cities the county requires one for a deck that is 200 square feet or larger, attached to the house, or more than 30 inches off the ground. A deck attached to the house needs one at any size. The county's own FAQ says all structures of a permanent nature require a building permit, so confirm a small freestanding deck with the Building Department.
Do I need a permit for a fence in Douglas County?
Not from the county, according to its FAQ. Inside Douglasville, a fence not over six feet is exempt from a building permit and a taller one needs it. Your HOA may still have its own height and style rules.
Does a deck near downtown Douglasville need extra approval?
If the house is in a locally designated historic district, yes. Adding or enclosing a deck or porch is a Major project that needs Historic Preservation Commission approval. Ask the city's community development director whether your street is in a district.
I am on the Douglas County side of Villa Rica. Which rules apply?
The ones Villa Rica sets. Inside its city limits the city building department issues the permit on both sides of the county line. See our Villa Rica deck page for the details.
Building in Douglas County?
Send Ambrose a quote request. Tell us the address and what you want, and we will tell you which office and which rules apply.
Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm, Sat 8am to 1pm, closed Sunday