Deck builders in Missoula
New decks, rebuilds, railings and shade across the city, from steep South Hills lots to flat older blocks near downtown.
Missoula counted 73,489 residents in 2020 and serves as the Missoula County seat. The city spreads across the floor of the old Glacial Lake Missoula, where the Clark Fork comes out of Hellgate Canyon, and you can still see the lake's ancient shorelines etched on Mount Sentinel and Mount Jumbo.
What do decks in the city usually need?
- Tall decks on sloped lots in the South Hills, the Rattlesnake and Grant Creek
- Rebuilds of aging decks on older homes in the University District and the Northside
- First decks on newer homes on the west side that came with only a slider and a step
- Stair and railing replacement where old guards have worked loose
City permits
Deck permits inside city limits go through Development Services in the city's Community Planning, Development and Innovation department. Applications run through the city's online Permits and Licensing portal, and the department's coordinators can help with it. Zoning is reviewed as part of the building permit, so setbacks can matter on smaller lots.
Bears in town
Bears turn up in neighborhoods along the edges of the valley. The city prohibits feeding wildlife, and parts of Missoula fall inside the Missoula Bear Buffer Zone, where bear-resistant garbage containers or enclosures are required. If a new deck changes where your trash cans live, plan a secure spot for them.
Near the rivers and creeks
The City of Missoula runs its own floodplain office. If your home is close to the Clark Fork or Rattlesnake Creek, ask the builder to check the flood maps before you finalize a design.
Common questions
Do builders work in every Missoula neighborhood?
Yes. Call with your address and we'll connect you with a builder who covers that part of town.
Does a low deck in Missoula need a permit?
Published summaries say freestanding decks no more than 30 inches above grade are exempt, but attached decks need a permit even if they're low. Confirm with Development Services.
Services in Missoula
- New wood decksDecks designed for your lot and built on footings below frost depth, from a back-door landing to a multi-level deck.
- Composite and PVC deckingLow-upkeep boards that skip the stain-every-few-years cycle, on new frames or sound existing ones.
- Deck repair and rebuildsSoft boards, sagging joists, a rotted ledger or lifted footings, fixed properly or rebuilt from the ground up.
- Railings and stairsWood, aluminum, cable or composite guards and stair runs, new or replacing loose and worn ones.
- Covered decks and pergolasRoofs and pergolas over new or existing decks for shade in summer and some cover in winter.
Nearby areas
Thinking about a new deck, or worried about the one you have?
Call the number above and a Missoula-area deck builder will talk through what you need.