Concrete Patios & Stairs in Enumclaw, WA

Patios & stairs in Enumclaw: what to know

A patio at grade is not named on the exemption page, so its permit status is a question we put to the city rather than an assumption we make. Where a raised edge holds back soil, we measure it as a retaining wall, from the underside of its footing up to the wall top, and we confirm that reading with the city before we rely on the four-foot exemption. The city’s deck item covers decks not exceeding 200 square feet that are not more than 30 inches above grade at any point, so a low platform may fall under that item instead, subject to its conditions.

Steps and landings on a sloped lot raise their own questions, so we confirm stair and landing answers with the city before the forms are set. Where a landing sits against a wall or a cut, the wall check comes first.

Permits and rules in Enumclaw

The city’s exemption items name walls, driveways, sidewalks, and decks. They do not name patios, so we confirm a patio’s permit status with the city for your address. We measure each raised edge against the four-foot line and check the surcharge exception before we price the job.

Rules change and vary by parcel, so we confirm the current requirements with the city before we start.

How we approach it

Measure each raised edge from the footing to the top
Check every edge for soil, a cut, or a driveway pushing against it
Set the slab so roof water runs away from the house
Confirm stair and landing answers with the city before the forms are set

For the full process, see our Concrete Patios & Stairs page.

Building in the cold months? See our guide to winter concrete pours.

Our patios & stairs work, serving Enumclaw

Examples of our work. We build patios & stairs in Enumclaw and the cities around it. See all of our work

Questions from Enumclaw homeowners

Is a patio at grade named on Enumclaw’s exemption page?

No. The city’s exemption items name walls, driveways, sidewalks, and decks, and they do not name a patio. We ask the city about a patio at grade for your address before we quote the work.

When does a raised patio edge count as a wall in Enumclaw?

When it holds back soil, we measure it as a retaining wall. The city’s exemption reaches a wall of four feet or less, measured from the underside of the footing up to the top, unless extra load sits behind it or it holds back Class I, II, or IIIA liquids.

Do steps and landings need a permit in Enumclaw?

We check the stair and landing question with the city before a layout is fixed. Where a landing sits against a wall, the wall rule applies to that part first.