Second Story Deck in Fort Collins CO

A second story deck in Fort Collins CO is a raised deck off an upper floor or a walkout, and it costs toward the top of the Denver market's $22 to $55 per square foot range because of tall posts, bracing and long stairs. Pineridge Deck Pros builds raised decks to the City's 2026 deck guide, with engineering where it requires stamped plans and bracing where the height calls for it.

Second story deck in Fort Collins CO

Many Fort Collins houses have a door upstairs or a walkout basement with a drop to the yard, and a raised deck is what makes that door useful. It is also the kind of deck where the structure does all the talking: posts 9 to 12 feet tall, a ledger high on the wall, bracing, and a long stair to the yard. Mistakes show up as sway, and the City's rules are written to stop them.

Height brings views. Second story decks on the west side of town look toward Horsetooth and the foothills, which is why they often get cable railing or glass instead of balusters.

When an engineer is needed

Multi-story or stacked decks, one above another.
Diamond Piers on a second-story deck, or any deck more than 10 feet tall to the top of the beam.
Beams supported by hangers, including beam-to-beam connections.
A ledger on a cantilever or overhang, such as a bay window bump-out.
A hot tub, a roof or a pergola bearing on the deck.

Those come from the Fort Collins deck guide's engineering list; everything else can follow the code's tables. The Fort Collins deck permit guide has the full list. City source: Residential Deck Guide.

New two-story house with a raised screened porch and deck over a fenced backyard — A newer two-story house with a raised screened porch.

Bracing, ledgers and stairs on a raised deck

Bracing and lateral ties

Tall posts need diagonal bracing. Larimer County's handout sets the threshold at 10 feet above grade for an attached deck and 5 feet for a detached one; Fort Collins' guide asks to see a lateral connection that ties the deck framing back to the house. The Larimer County deck permit guide covers the county version.

The ledger

On a raised deck the ledger carries half the deck on one board, high on the wall. It bolts to solid house framing, with flashing and a water-resistive barrier behind it (a 2024 code change in the City's guide), and never to a cantilevered floor without an engineer.

Stairs and landings

A second-story stair is long. Fort Collins wants stairs at least 36 inches wide, risers 4 to 7-3/4 inches, treads at least 10 inches, center support on any stair longer than 6 feet, a solid 36 by 36 inch landing at top and bottom, and a light at the top. Details are in the railing and stair code guide.

Second story deck costs

Raised deck cost pieces (2026)

Item	Cost	Source
Deck installed, Denver market	$22 to $55 per sq ft	Angi Denver; raised decks in the upper part
Aluminum railing	$40 to $70 per linear ft	Angi railing replacement, national
Cable railing, stainless	$150 to $285 per linear ft	HomeGuide
Engineered plans	Quoted by the engineer	When the City's list requires them
Fort Collins deck permit	$110 plus tax	City of Fort Collins

Quotes vary by site.

Three workers building new deck framing, with joists and blocking set on posts in a backyard — New deck framing going in: joists, blocking and beams before the boards.

How a second story deck goes up

1
Check the house end
The rim behind the ledger has to be solid framing, not a cantilever or bay; otherwise the deck needs its own beam or an engineer's detail.
2
Engineer what the code doesn't cover
Stacked decks, tall Diamond Pier decks and hanger-hung beams get stamped plans before the permit.
3
Footings and tall posts
Piers 30 inches deep sized for the load each post carries, and posts sized for their height.
4
Brace and tie back
X-bracing on tall posts and a lateral connection to the house keep the deck from swaying.
5
Guards, stair, landing
Guards on every open side, a stair with center support past 6 feet, and solid landings top and bottom.

Worked example

A 12 by 16 deck off an upstairs family room, 10 feet above a walkout patio

In this example the ledger bolts to the solid rim of the upper floor, not to the bay window next to it. Three posts on 30 inch piers carry the outer beam 10 feet up, with X-bracing and a lateral tie back to the house.

The deck sits over a walkout patio, so the underside is left open and tidy, and a roof or screens can come later.

192 sq ft raised deck at $40 to $55 per sq ft	$7,680 to $10,560
36 ft of aluminum railing (two 12 ft sides and the 16 ft front, less a 4 ft stair opening) at $40 to $70 per ft	$1,440 to $2,520
City deck permit	$110 plus tax
Example total before stairs	$9,230 to $13,190

A worked example, not a past job or a quote. Rates: Angi 2026 Denver deck guide and national deck railing replacement guide (aluminum); City of Fort Collins fees.

Second Story Deck in Fort Collins: Questions

White two-story house with a raised screened porch and stairs to the backyard lawn

A raised screened porch with stairs down to the lawn.

How much does a second story deck cost?

Expect the upper part of the Denver market's $22 to $55 per square foot installed range (Angi, 2026), because tall posts, bracing, a long stair and guards on every open side all add work. A 12 by 16 second-story deck (192 square feet) runs roughly $7,700 to $10,600 at $40 to $55 a foot, before stairs and any engineering.

Does a second story deck need an engineer in Fort Collins?

Not always, but often. The Fort Collins deck guide requires stamped engineering for multi-story or stacked decks, for Diamond Piers on second-story decks or decks more than 10 feet tall to the top of the beam, for beams hung on hangers, and for ledgers on a cantilever or bay. A single raised deck built to the code's tables can go without one.

Does a tall deck need bracing?

Yes. Larimer County's deck handout calls for X-bracing on an attached deck whose surface is 10 feet or more above grade at any point, and on a detached deck 5 feet or more above grade. The 2024 code also asks for a lateral connection tying the deck to the house.

Can a deck be built over a basement window well?

Yes, if the escape window still works. Fort Collins requires 36 inches of clear height between the top of an egress window well and the underside of the deck structure above it.

What contractor license is needed for a second-story deck in Fort Collins?

Fort Collins licenses contractors working in the city, and its deck guide lists classes A, B, C, C2, D, D2 and MM as allowed to build decks, with the note that MM does not include two-story decks.

Second Story Deck in Fort Collins CO