Concrete Patios & Stairs in Fircrest, WA

Patios & stairs in Fircrest: what to know

In the R-6 zone, structures are capped at 40 percent of the lot, and structures plus other impervious surfaces at 50 percent. The coverage rule leaves out up to 200 square feet of a covered, unenclosed front porch with a six-foot minimum depth, and the impervious rule uses the same porch exclusion. A ground-level slab sits outside both named exclusions, so we confirm its count with the city before the size is set.

The handout’s no-permit item covers a wall not over four feet, with its height taken from the footing’s base, even if buried, up to the top edge. That item ends where a surcharge begins, and the handout defines one as any added weight, such as a fence, patio or structure. A patio or stair on top of a wall therefore counts as added weight, so we check the wall’s permit status before the patio above it is designed.

Permits and rules in Fircrest

The Fircrest pages we read do not list a patio or a slab at grade as a permit item, so we confirm with the city whether a patio or stair needs one before we quote it. A stair or landing that reaches into the street or right-of-way falls under the Street Work Permit, which covers any work by homeowners or contractors in the street or right-of-way. A homeowner who wants a fence or rock wall to project into the right-of-way applies for a Right-of-Way Encroachment permit.

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

How we approach it

Add the lot’s structures and hard surface against the R-6 caps before the layout
Set the height of any wall under the patio or stair from its footing’s base
Confirm whether a front porch meets the six-foot depth and 200-square-foot exclusion
Keep steps and landings out of the street or right-of-way unless a permit covers them

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 Fircrest

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

Questions from Fircrest homeowners

Would a patio on a Fircrest lot use up part of the R-6 coverage cap?

It may. In the R-6 zone, structures are capped at 40 percent of the lot, and structures plus other impervious surfaces at 50 percent. The rules name two exclusions, a covered front porch and certain driveway strips, and a ground-level slab sits outside both. We confirm with the city how it counts before the size is set.

Can a patio sit on top of a retaining wall in Fircrest?

Ask first. The city’s handout says a retaining wall not over four feet needs no permit unless it supports a surcharge. A patio on that wall falls under the surcharge language, so we confirm the wall’s status with the city before we design the patio.

Do stairs that reach the right-of-way in Fircrest need a permit?

They can. The Street Work Permit covers any work by homeowners or contractors working in the street or right-of-way, so we confirm the path with Public Works before the stair footing goes in.