Mission Hills, Los Angeles County
Retaining Walls and Decks in Mission Hills
Retaining walls, low decks and patio covers in Mission Hills, laid out to zoning setbacks and engineered for LADBS plan check and inspection.
Can a retaining wall sit right on the rear property line of a Mission Hills lot, and at what height does it need a permit? Both answers sit with the City of Los Angeles, which permits Mission Hills work through LADBS and sets wall placement in its zoning code. Once a wall reaches the permit threshold, or holds up a driveway, a parking pad or a structure on its high side, it needs engineered drawings.
Measuring a wall for the permit
LADBS counts a retaining wall's height from the bottom of its footing to the top of the wall, so a wall showing modest height above the yard can still need a permit. A surcharge, which is any added load on the high side such as a car, a fence or a building, raises the pressure the wall is designed for and usually brings a wider footing and more steel. Zoning rules limit wall height within the front, side and rear yard setbacks. We set the property line from a survey or recorded corners before any footing is laid out.
Patio covers and low decks
A patio cover or low deck on a level yard stands on isolated footings sized for the posts above them. A yard that steps down raises the frame, which then needs bracing and engineered piers. An attached cover hangs from a ledger bolted into the house framing, with flashing tucked behind the stucco or siding so water stays out of the wall. Rafters or beams are sized for the span, and post bases hold the wood clear of the slab. North Hills, Granada Hills and Panorama City sit inside the City of Los Angeles as well, and their plans reach the same LADBS counter.
Work we take on in Mission Hills
Each service is planned around the lot, sloped or level.
Building in Mission Hills?
Send the address and the job, and a builder will arrange a visit to read the lot.