apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We weren't impressed with the Ikea tiles ... they look and feel cheap, and won't last more than a year (though once you have the deck built, go back for their outdoor furniture).

Smith and Hawken has high-end tiles, but they're expensive.

We ended up using Westminster Teak ... better price, all teak tiles, great shipping and return policies. http://www.westminsterteak.com/wt/products.php?cat=61

Josh

If this turns into a DIY project, remember that you have to make sure you're not destroying your roof through bad drainage and the collective weight of everyone you know doing a drunken stomping dance . . .

www.parkslopeparents.com and www.brownstoner.com both archive local builders . . .

You might want to skip back to this Green Roof Blocks posting, at least to get info on what they grow things in that is so light that it avoids the problems of heavy wet planters
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/main/archives/003045.html

I had the same issue, but unfortunately I am in Chicago so the person I used won't be much help. I would say though that if you are at all handy you can probably do it yourself. We used someone to do a small portion of our roof deck just to feel better that it was done properly. Next summer when we finish off the rest of the roof we will probably do it ourselves. Our contractor just built a basic deck and used some of the rubber roof protecting pads to set blocks on which the deck rests on. Other than that there was nothing special done. I too was worried about price, but at least here in chicago found someone to do it for what I considered a reasonable amount.

Good luck!

I too want to do this and my husband is a great carpenter, so I would have him do it, but I am worried about NYC legalities. I really don't know anything about what I can and can't do? I really don't think a project of this simplicity warrants the price of an engineer -- I've looked on line for info. on codes and such just so that I can stay in the ballpark and I didn't find much definitive information even on the City's DOB website. I've heard there are codes for height of railing and issues with using wood. When my mind starts going here I just never end up building the deck. I know lost of people have them and build them, but I'm still worried to just do it. What do you all think?

You should check out 'Decks By Bart'.
http://www.decksbybartnyc.com/door/

This guy has done several in the park slop area and is liscenced. He builds them modularly so they can be pulled up for repair work. They do need to be stained every 2 years to ensure a long life.

Does anyone have any pictures of their roof decks? Also, can anyone give an idea of how much they've paid or were quoted?

Dear roofdeck owner,

Please feel free to visit my website at www.alterrydesign.com if you wish to view professionally installed projects both in Brooklyn and Manhattan. We are fully knowledgable of all code issues and construction details regarding roofdeck and rearyard deck construction in NYC. Call for a free consultation. Al Terry

Check out www.sketchandhammer.com for roof decks.
The site tells it all.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/green-ideas/green-roof-blocks-water-not-required-003045

After talking to MANY Park Slopish contractors who gave us head-spinning estimates, we hired a Staten Island company to build our fabulous roofdeck for a great price. We loved them. It could not have gone smoother.

Decks R Us - ask for Phil
856 Morrow St
Staten Island, NY 10303
(718) 983-7854

Steve Rayboy of Urban Exteriors builds the best decks and pays at of attention to the fine details. He built our deck here in Manhattan. His website is:

http://www.panix.com/~brooklyn/