Deck Builder in Laporte CO

Pineridge Deck Pros is a deck builder for Laporte CO and the Bellvue area, building and rebuilding decks, railings and covers on the Poudre valley's foothill lots. Laporte is unincorporated, so Larimer County issues the permits, and since January 1, 2026 its Wildfire Resiliency Code treats the whole unincorporated county as a wildland-urban interface area, which shapes which deck boards qualify.

Deck builder in Laporte CO

Laporte is the oldest place in Larimer County: French-Canadian trappers built cabins along the Cache la Poudre here as early as 1828, it was the county seat in 1861, and it served as a stage stop on the Overland Trail before Camp Collins and then Fort Collins took over. Today it is an unincorporated town of about 2,400 people at the mouth of the Poudre valley, with Bellvue and the foothills just beyond.

Decks here are about the view up the valley and the ridges, so cable railing and raised deckssuit the sloping lots. So does planning for fire: the county's new code cites "the history of and potential for large, destructive wildland fires" in Larimer County, and it applies here.

The old stone Pleasant Valley School near Bellvue, Colorado — The old Pleasant Valley School near Bellvue.

Laporte deck permits: Larimer County rules

County rules that apply to a Laporte deck

Item	Larimer County
Permit trigger	More than 30 in above grade, or the main entry or exit
Footings, attached deck	At least 30 in below grade
X-bracing	Attached deck 10 ft or more above grade; detached 5 ft or more
Guards	Over 30 in: 36 in minimum, 4 in sphere rule
Ground snow	55 psf at 5,000 ft, 70 psf at 6,000 ft (strength level)
Setbacks and floodplain	Apply with or without a permit (Planning 970-498-7679)
Wildfire code	All unincorporated county is a WUI area (from January 1, 2026)

Sources: Larimer County Residential Deck Information; Structural Design Information (January 2026); 2025 Wildfire Resiliency Code with county amendments.

The full county rules are in the Larimer County deck permit guide, and snow and frost compared with other towns in the footing depth and snow load guide. County source: Residential Deck Information.

Choosing deck boards under the wildfire code

Where the county's structure rules apply, section 403.8 requires the deck walking surface to be noncombustible, Class A rated, exterior fire-retardant-treated wood or ignition-resistant material, with composite accepted at Class B or better. Standard cedar and treated boards don't qualify. Trex rates its Select, Transcend and Transcend Lineage lines Class B and approved for WUI areas, so composite deck installation is the straightforward route.

Around and under the deck

Noncombustible ground cover within 5 feet of the house and under the deck: rock, gravel, concrete or pavers.
At least 6 inches of metal flashing where the decking meets the house wall.
Fences within 8 feet of the house in noncombustible or ignition-resistant material.
Tree branches kept 10 feet clear of the house and deck.

Exceptions for additions and alterations are explained in the wildfire code guide.

Close view of brown composite deck boards with a wood-grain texture and long shadows — Wood-grain texture on capped composite boards.

Worked example

A raised composite deck facing up the Poudre valley

In this example the house sits on a slope with the deck attached along its 20 foot side and 11 feet above grade at its outer edge, so it needs a county permit, footings 30 inches deep and X-bracing under the county handout. Class B composite boards meet the wildfire code's deck rule where it applies, and gravel goes down under the deck and in the 5 feet around it.

Cable railing at 3 inch spacing keeps the view west toward the foothills.

12 x 20 ft (240 sq ft) composite deck installed at $25 to $54 per sq ft	$6,000 to $12,960
40 ft of stainless cable railing (two 12 ft sides and the 20 ft front, less a 4 ft stair opening) at $150 to $285 per ft	$6,000 to $11,400
Larimer County permit	Set by the county
Example total before stairs and the permit	$12,000 to $24,360

A worked example, not a past job or a quote. Rates: Angi 2026 national composite deck figures; HomeGuide cable railing guide.

Deck Builder in Laporte: Questions

Smoke from the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire.

Who issues deck permits in Laporte?

Larimer County. Laporte is an unincorporated town and census-designated place governed by the county, so deck permits go to Larimer County Building (970-498-7700). The county requires a permit when a deck is more than 30 inches above grade or is the main entry or exit to the house.

Does the wildfire code apply to decks in Laporte?

Laporte is unincorporated, and Larimer County's 2025 Wildfire Resiliency Code declares all of unincorporated Larimer County a wildland-urban interface area. On construction the code covers, the deck walking surface must be noncombustible, Class A, exterior fire-retardant-treated wood or ignition-resistant, with composite allowed at Class B. Additions and alterations have exceptions; confirm with the county.

What snow load applies in Laporte?

It goes by elevation. Larimer County's January 2026 design table lists 55 psf ground snow up to 5,000 feet and 70 psf at 6,000 feet, on the ASCE 7-22 strength basis. Check the lot's elevation: the higher a house sits in the foothills, the higher its snow figure.

How deep do deck footings go in Laporte?

30 inches below grade for an attached deck. The county sets 30 inches countywide as the minimum frost depth, and its deck handout requires attached deck footings at least that deep.

Deck Builder in Laporte CO