The first steps in deciding how to build a deck or gazebo require finding out about the local building codes and the permitting process. In this first section on how to build a deck or gazebo, I cover the important questions you need to find answers to before the first rough sketch goes down on paper.

Along the way, I'll let you in on a couple of pointers I picked up that will make getting along with your local building inspector much easier. After you know what all the parameters are, this section concludes with the first physical step of how to build a deck or gazebo by showing you a method for quickly and accurately laying out your project using string lines.

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