Deck Builderin Compton, CA
A deck builder in Compton cannot point to a City page that clears decks, because the Municipal Code's exemption list mentions sidewalks and driveways but never decks. Treat any attached, raised or large deck, and any repair that touches the ledger or posts, as permit-required until Building and Safety, (310) 605-5509, says otherwise.
A Compton backyard usually belongs to a house older than the people living in it. The city incorporated on May 11, 1888, and the Housing Element says half of all homes were built between 1940 and 1959. Its average household is 4.17 people against 2.96 across the county, so a rear deck often has to work as an extra room. Richland Farms, the agricultural acreage Griffith Compton required, is still listed among the city's neighborhoods, and the Zoning Code keeps a separate R-A zone for large lots. We did not match the two, so ask Planning which zone your parcel is in.
MDG Builders, CSLB #1040337, is a general contractor in Tarzana. We design the deck, take the permit question to Compton Building and Safety and book the trades, while licensed carpentry subcontractors build it, and you can request each one's license number and certificate of insurance. Materials and sources are on the decks page, and the Compton overview lists the other trades we manage here.
What Compton's code and the state residential code say about decks
Where decks permits come from in Compton: City of Compton Building and Safety Department.
- The Municipal Code's building permit exemption list names sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade but says nothing about decks, so a raised deck, patio cover or similar structure should be confirmed with Building and Safety. The Planning Fee Schedule lists $770 for residential additions, patio covers and garages under Architectural Review Board design review.
- Section 30-20.3 lets uncovered porches, platforms and landings that do not extend above the first floor level of the main building project up to six feet into a required front or rear yard, with an open-work railing of no more than 30 inches, and lets open unenclosed stairs or balconies without a roof project up to four feet.
Sources for these rules
Does a deck need a permit in Compton when the City's exemption list never mentions decks?
Assume yes unless the department tells you in writing that it does not. Compton publishes no do-I-need-a-permit page. The only rule text we found is the amended exemption list in Chapter 15 of the Municipal Code, which covers one-story sheds up to 120 square feet, fences, retaining walls, painting and similar finish work, and sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade. It does not mention decks, and it says exemptions never authorize work that violates a code.
The model residential code is more specific. Section R105.2 of the International Residential Code exempts a deck of 200 square feet or less that is not attached to a dwelling, not more than 30 inches above grade and not serving the required exit door. Compton's list does not repeat that, and we cannot tell you the City applies it. Anything attached to the house, anything high, and anything large should be treated as permit-required.
A permit becomes invalid if work does not start within 365 days of issuance or stops for 180 days (Section 105.5), and the City's plan check form says submittals expire 180 days after approval if the permit is never issued.
How far can a deck or patio cover reach into a Compton front or rear yard?
Section 30-20.3 of the Zoning Code lets an uncovered porch, platform or landing that stays at or below the first floor level of the house project up to six feet into a required front or rear yard, with an open-work railing no taller than 30 inches. Open, unenclosed stairs or a roofless balcony may project up to four feet. The required yards come from the residential zone: 20 feet in front in the R-A, R-L and R-M zones and 15 feet in R-H, interior side yards of at least three feet, street side yards of at least five feet, and five-foot side yards for buildings of two or more stories.
A roof changes the picture. The City's planning fee schedule lists residential additions, patio covers and garages as projects for Architectural Review Board design review, so a roofed cover is a planning question as well as a building one. Ask which zone and which review applies before drawing a footprint, and look at deck building in Long Beach to see how another city handles projections.
Does deck repair need a permit in Compton, and what about termites and rot?
It depends on what is being repaired. Replacing a few worn boards is maintenance in most people's minds, but Compton's exemption list does not name decks, so we describe the work to Building and Safety first. Replacing a ledger, posts, joists or a guard changes the structure and is the kind of repair we expect the City to want to inspect.
Wood decks on older houses fail from the bottom and from the wall. UC Integrated Pest Management says drywood termites are most prevalent in southern California and infest decks and fences, and it points to fixing moisture and sealing exterior wood. Where the deck meets the house, flashing that has failed lets water into the ledger and the wall behind it.
A sale adds a deadline. The City's presale report covers exterior space, so a deck with no permit history can be flagged. The seller then legalizes it, which may mean permits, or the buyer signs an AS-IS release before a notary.
How is a deck attached to a 1950s Compton house, and what do the footings need to resist?
The section numbers below come from the 2022 California Residential Code. Compton's Municipal Code adopts the 2019 California codes, while the City's plan check form cites 2022 editions and a newer form cites 2025, so we confirm the edition in force at the counter. Under R507.9.1.1 a ledger is at least a pressure-treated 2x8 and carries no concentrated loads from beams or girders, and it cannot be bolted to stone or masonry veneer. R507.9.1.3 calls for hot-dipped galvanized or stainless fasteners, with the ledger flashed under R703.4. R507.9.2 requires lateral hold-downs, either two devices of 1,500 pounds within 24 inches of each end or four devices of 750 pounds.
Local conditions come from the plan check form: Seismic Zone D, a 110 mph basic wind speed with Exposure C, and Climate Zone 8. Liquefaction zones appeared at 30 of 42 sample points on the County's map, and the form says additions and remodels normally do not need a soil report. Ask whether a deck's footings fall under that, and who is responsible for the footing size.
How high can a Compton deck be without a railing, and is a guard 36 or 42 inches?
Thirty inches is the trigger. Under R312.1.1 a guard is required where the walking surface is more than 30 inches above the grade within 36 inches of its edge, so a low platform needs none. Where one is needed, R312.1.2 sets the minimum height at 42 inches, which answers the 36 or 42 question for a house deck, and R312.1.3 says openings must not let a 4 inch sphere pass. Stairs have their own rules for handrails and rise, and we do not condense them here.
Those are the model state rules. Compton's yard standard separately limits an open-work railing on a deck projecting into a required yard to 30 inches, so a tall guard and a projection allowance may pull against each other. Raise that with the department at the drawing stage, since the railing is often the first thing a plan reviewer circles.
Does a Compton deck need fire-resistant boards?
Probably not, but verify the address. All 42 sample points we checked returned Non-Wildland in the County copy of CAL FIRE's Local Responsibility Area layer, revised August 21, 2025, and the Housing Element calls Compton an urban environment with little wildfire danger. The ignition-resistant decking list in R337.9.3 is aimed at wildland-urban interface areas, so it should not apply to a typical Compton lot.
A sample is not a parcel map. Check the State Fire Marshal's fire hazard severity zone map for your address, and if any board is ever required to be fire rated, confirm the exact product on a listing rather than a sales sheet.
What does a deck cost in Compton, and is wood or composite cheaper?
Wood costs less to build and composite costs less to keep. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report for Los Angeles priced a defined 16 by 20 deck with treated framing, a built-in bench and planter, three steps and full railing at $18,419 in wood, with $18,341 recouped at resale, or 99.6 percent. The same deck in composite cost $26,872 and recouped $19,845, or 73.9 percent. Divided across 320 square feet, that is about $58 a square foot in wood and $84 in composite.
Our working ranges for a standard attached deck on an accessible lot are $45 to $75 a square foot in pressure-treated wood, so about $14,500 to $24,000 for 16 by 20, and $65 to $110 in composite, about $21,000 to $35,000. Permits and engineering are extra. Angi's Los Angeles page shows an average of $13,570 with a $6,335 to $20,871 range, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts carpenters in the Los Angeles area at a mean of $37.79 an hour (May 2025). Decks that are high, roofed or on poor ground are priced by site visit, because we found no independent figures.
Deck photos from Compton and nearby communities
Seven photos of decks around Compton and its neighbors, from low rear decks and framing to posts, rails, covers and boards. Tap a photo to enlarge it.
What decks costs around Compton
These are Los Angeles figures from the Cost vs. Value report, Angi and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not a Compton quote, and Angi does not publish its method. See the subcontractor guide for how the trades divide, plus decks in Los Angeles, decks in Downey, concrete work in Compton, flooring in Compton and the flooring cost guide.
| What it covers | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Pressure-treated wood deck | $45 to $75 per square foot |
| Composite deck | $65 to $110 per square foot |
| 16 by 20 foot wood deck (320 sq ft) | About $14,500 to $24,000 |
| 16 by 20 foot composite deck | About $21,000 to $35,000 |
| Hillside, second-story, rooftop and ipe decks | Priced by site visit |
| Permits and engineering | Quoted as separate lines |
Compton deck questions, answered
Can I build a deck without a permit in Compton?
Not safely. Compton's Chapter 15 exemption list names sheds up to 120 square feet, fences, low retaining walls and driveways but never decks, and it never authorizes a code violation. Treat any attached, raised or large deck as permit-required until Building and Safety, at (310) 605-5509, tells you otherwise in writing.
What is the largest deck without a permit in Compton?
Compton names no size. The model International Residential Code exempts decks of 200 square feet or less that are detached, no more than 30 inches high and not serving an exit door, but the City's list does not repeat that. Ask the department before relying on it, and assume anything attached to the house needs a permit.
Does deck repair need a permit in Compton?
Replacing a few boards is routine, but the exemption list never mentions decks, so describe the repair to the department first. A new ledger, posts, joists or guard changes the structure, and we expect the City to want an inspection. Termite or rot damage in the framing is a reason to call before the work, not after.
Is railing height 36 or 42 inches for decks in Compton?
Forty-two inches is the minimum guard height in the 2022 California Residential Code, section R312.1.2, and openings must stop a 4 inch sphere. Compton's code text adopts older editions while its forms cite newer ones, so we confirm which applies at the counter. The same code requires no guard at all below 30 inches.
How high can a deck be without a railing in Compton?
Thirty inches. Under R312.1.1 of the 2022 California Residential Code, a guard is required where the walking surface is more than 30 inches above grade within 36 inches of the edge. Compton's code adopts the 2019 codes and its forms cite newer ones, so confirm the edition with Building and Safety before you finalize a low deck.
How much would a 16x20 deck cost in Compton?
About $14,500 to $24,000 in pressure-treated wood and $21,000 to $35,000 in composite at our working ranges for a standard attached deck, with permits and engineering extra. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report for Los Angeles priced a bigger-scope 16 by 20 deck at $18,419 in wood and $26,872 in composite. Final pricing follows a site visit.
Is it cheaper to build a wood deck or a composite deck in Compton?
Wood is cheaper to build: about $58 a square foot against $84 for composite in the 2025 Cost vs. Value report for Los Angeles. Composite recouped 73.9 percent of its cost at resale in that report and wood recouped 99.6 percent. Composite saves upkeep, so the cheaper choice over ten years depends on how much staining you will do.
What happens if a deck is built without a permit in Compton?
It can surface at sale. The City's presale Report of Residential Building Records covers exterior space, and the seller either legalizes the work, which may require permits, or the buyer signs an AS-IS release before a notary. If violations stay open 30 days after closing, notices run up to 60 days and a substandard notice can be recorded against the title.
Can a deck fail a home inspection in Compton?
Yes. Inspectors look at the ledger connection, flashing, post bases, guard height and rot, and a deck can also draw a correction on the City's presale report if it has no permit history. A private home inspector and the City's inspector are different checks, so ask your agent which one is coming and fix both lists.
Does a Compton deck need fire-rated boards?
Probably not. All 42 sample points we checked returned Non-Wildland in CAL FIRE's Local Responsibility Area layer, and the Housing Element describes Compton as urban with little wildfire danger. The ember-resistant decking rules in R337.9.3 target wildland-urban interface areas. A sample is not a parcel map, so check the State Fire Marshal's hazard zone map for your address.
Send the address and a photo of the yard
Tell us the size, how high the deck sits above the ground, whether it touches the house and what stands there now. We put the permit and yard questions to the City before we call.