ADU Construction in Palms, Up to the Roof Deck
Palms ADUs, including units with a usable roof deck, built with a noncombustible deck surface, guarded edges and a membrane that sends water off fast.
"Could the unit have a deck on its roof?" On a Palms lot where yard space is tight, that question can come up on the very first visit. A roof deck is possible on many units, within the height limits that apply to the parcel, and it changes how the top of the unit is built. The deck surface, the guardrail and the stair all have to be detailed as part of a hardened exterior.
What the deck sits on
Under a roof deck, the roof is nearly flat and wrapped in a waterproof membrane that turns up the walls and the parapet. Pedestals set on that membrane carry the deck surface so water can run underneath to the drains. We use porcelain pavers or concrete tiles for that surface, since they will not burn and will not rot. A railing of steel or aluminum with glass or cable infill closes the edge at the height the code sets, and the stair to it is steel or concrete. Nothing on the deck adds fuel near the unit.
Sending water off a flat roof
A deck roof still needs pitch, so the membrane is laid over tapered insulation that slopes gently toward a drain at the low point and toward a scupper through the parapet as a backup if the drain clogs. Both outlets are sized for heavy rain and screened against leaves. The membrane laps under door thresholds from the unit, and every rail post that pierces it gets a sealed boot. Before the pavers go down, we flood test the roof to confirm the membrane holds water without a single leak.
ADU Construction in Palms: common questions
A Palms parcel needs the wildfire exterior when it lies in a mapped fire hazard zone, and LADBS settles that for the address. Our drawings carry rated details regardless: a Class A membrane roof, noncombustible pavers on any deck, listed vents and tempered glazing, since sparks travel on wind.
With a roof deck, a Palms set leans on the structural sheets, which size the framing for people and pavers up top, and on the wall drawings that detail the parapet, guardrail and membrane edges. A qualifying single-level unit is what the package draws, and a deck or second level is quoted separately.
It can be, depending on the lot and how LADBS permits the house. If both go ahead, the roof deck is easiest to add while the unit's framing is still open, and planning both together lets the deck's view and the new house's windows be placed so neither looks straight into the other.
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Tell us about the house and the adu construction work. We reply about a walk-through and a written scope.