Trex Deck Builder in Lowry Hill, Minneapolis
Planning a deck for a Lowry Hill home with real character, and worried a new deck will look out of place? We build and replace decks in Trex and other composite, with board color, railing, and detail chosen to suit the house. Call to talk it through.
Composite Decking Services in Lowry Hill, MN
Trex Deck Installation
Composite Deck Installation
Composite Deck Replacement
Custom Composite Deck Building
Trex Deck Resurfacing
Composite Deck Railing Installation
Elevated Composite Deck Construction
Composite Deck Repair
How a Lowry Hill deck project is planned
- 01
Describe the house
Age, style, and any exterior review you know of.
- 02
Confirm the rules for your property
Permit needs, and whether the city reviews exterior changes there.
- 03
Design to suit the house
Board color, railing, stairs, and trim.
- 04
Build and review
Construction, required inspections, and a walkthrough.
What the Lowry Hill plan says about the neighborhood
- The city-adopted Lowry Hill action plan (2007) says the neighborhood is bounded by I-394 to the north, Hennepin Avenue to the east, 22nd Street to the south, and Kenwood Park to the west.
- It describes the neighborhood as home to many historic and architecturally significant residential structures.
- It says Lowry Hill Residents, Inc. was formed in 1946 with the primary purpose of preserving those structures and maintaining the neighborhood's residential character.
- It reports approximately 2,200 households.
Source: City of Minneapolis — Lowry Hill NRP Phase II Neighborhood Action Plan (2007, PDF)
A neighborhood that has worked to preserve its houses since 1946 is one where how a deck looks from the street and the yard matters. Color, railing style, and trim all show on an older house.
The plan does not say whether any given property is in a historic district or under design review, so that is a question to settle before drawing a deck.
Deck concerns on a house with character
- 1
A new deck that clashes with the house
Board color, a modern railing, or a bulky stair can look wrong against older architecture.
- 2
Uncertainty about exterior review
Some Minneapolis properties are in locally designated districts or are landmarks, and changes to the exterior can be reviewed. Finding out late can mean redrawing the plan.
- 3
A deck attached to an old wall
The ledger and flashing on a historic house deserve care, and the wall may not be uniform.
- 4
Wood upkeep on a prominent deck
A deck in view of the street shows its weathering, which is one reason owners look at composite.
Permits, review, and construction in Lowry Hill
The City of Minneapolis has locally designated historic districts that review exterior changes. The Lowry Hill East Residential Historic District, designated in 2015 with published design guidelines, is one example, though it is in the neighboring Lowry Hill East neighborhood. Ask the city whether your property is in a district or is a landmark before you design.
Deck work generally needs a permit, including a rebuild at the same size, with a narrow exemption for small freestanding decks, per city guidance. Plans show the site, framing, and a cross-section with footings, stairs, and guards.
Footings follow the frost rule in force, and published depths differ between documents, so the design uses the current code.
Lowry Hill deck questions
How do I know if my Lowry Hill home is in a historic district?
Ask the City of Minneapolis, which maintains the list of designated districts and landmarks. We do not assume it either way.
Can a composite deck suit an older house?
It can, with careful choices of color, railing, and trim. Seeing full-size samples next to the house helps.
Does exterior review slow down a deck project?
It can add steps if your property is covered. We will not promise a timeline before you know what applies.
How should I judge color against my house?
Look at full-size samples outdoors, next to the house, since color reads differently in daylight than under store lights.
Keep reading
Sources
- City of Minneapolis — Lowry Hill NRP Phase II Neighborhood Action Plan (2007, PDF)
- City of Minneapolis — Lowry Hill East Residential Historic District
- City of Minneapolis — Decks and Building Permits for 1 & 2 Family Dwellings (PDF)
- Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Residential Decks and the Minnesota Residential Code (PDF)
Neighborhood figures come from the cited documents and describe the neighborhood, not any one property. Permit and code requirements change, so confirm current rules with the City of Minneapolis.