Multi-Level Wood Deck & Pool Surround — Valley Village Residence
Completed April 2025- Scope
- Fency Builders Inc constructed a multi-level hardwood deck system wrapping the rear and side elevations of a single-story stucco residence, integrating directly with an in-ground pool surround. The deck transitions across several stepped tiers from the house's sliding-door threshold down to the pool coping, with a narrow elevated walkway continuing along the side of the house between the pool edge and the building wall. A flush-mounted recessed-lighting patio cover is visible integrated into the existing roofline at the indoor-outdoor opening.
- Materials
- Visible materials include clear-finished hardwood decking (wide-plank, consistent with an ipe or similar tropical hardwood species) on the main and upper tiers, composite or PVC decking in a grey-brown tone on the side-passage walkway, dark bronze powder-coated steel vertical-bar guardrailing on the pool-side walkway, light-stone or concrete pool coping, dark charcoal horizontal-board perimeter fencing, and recessed LED downlights integrated into the patio cover soffit.
- Site challenge
- Valley Village flat lots with established mature trees near property lines present root systems that restrict where concrete footings can be placed without damaging existing trees or utilities. The tight side-yard corridor between the pool shell and the building wall left minimal bearing width for framing while still requiring a compliant guardrail along the pool edge.
- How we solved it
- The deck framing appears to follow the pool perimeter closely, with the side-passage walkway cantilevered or close-supported to avoid disturbing the pool shell and adjacent root zones. Vertical steel guardrail posts on the walkway are closely spaced and anchored at the deck edge, keeping the structural footprint narrow while maintaining a barrier along the pool side; footing placement and any root-zone encroachment should be confirmed with City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety prior to final close-out.
- Result
- The finished deck presents a continuous, level-to-level flow from the interior living area through large-format sliding doors to the pool surround, with clean shadow lines and consistent wood tone across all tiers. The dark steel guardrail and charcoal perimeter fence read as deliberate trim elements that frame the hardwood deck without competing with the house's white stucco exterior.
