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NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS • CALL (830) 400-4369 • OFFICE HOURS 8 AM–11 PM DAILY
Sandstone Construction & Remodeling
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Sandstone · New Braunfels, Texas

Decks and covered patios in New Braunfels, TX

Sandstone Construction & Remodeling builds decks, covered patios and porches around New Braunfels for two things every Hill Country yard faces: sun that makes bare concrete unusable by midafternoon, and rain that turns into a downpour in minutes.

Call (830) 400-4369

Office hours 8 AM–11 PM daily

Choosing the structure

Start with what keeps you indoors

Most outdoor projects begin with one complaint: a west-facing slab that bakes from June on, or no dry spot in a storm but a strip under the eave.

  • Deck: a framed platform that turns a falling backyard into flat, usable floor, or meets a door set well above the ground.
  • Covered patio: a solid roof over a slab or pavers, so furniture stays dry and a fan has somewhere to hang.
  • Covered deck: both together, common on hillside and waterfront lots where the view sits downhill.
  • Porch: a roofed front or side entry shaped to match the main roofline.

A deep roof on a south or west wall gives the most relief but can dim the room behind it; a taller, pale ceiling helps.

Attached or freestanding, and the roof tie-in

An attached cover joins the house one of two ways. New rafters can continue the existing roof plane or form a gable that meets it. Or a lower roof can hang from a ledger bolted to the wall framing, which is simpler but limited by eave height, since a low eave leaves little room for slope.

Either way, the joint is about water. Flashing must carry rain over the seam where new roofing meets old, and the pitch must suit the roofing chosen. If an old gutter ends up beneath the new roof, downspouts are rerouted so a cloudburst doesn’t dump against the foundation. We also check that existing walls and rafters can carry the added weight.

A freestanding cover stands on its own posts and beams. It fits beside a pool, at the edge of a slope facing the view, or where the house roof is too low or complex to join neatly. With no wall to lean on, its bracing and footings resist wind alone.

Hill Country ground

Footings on slopes and limestone

Plenty of Comal County lots have rock a short way down, and many backyards fall away toward a creek, the river or a view. Where an auger meets limestone, footing holes may be drilled into the rock or the footing designed to bear on it. That takes different equipment and more time than digging soil, so we look at the ground before pricing a deck.

On a steep grade, low-end posts can stand far taller than those by the house, which brings in bracing, heavier beams, stairs and guards. Storm water sheeting downhill can scour around posts, so drainage near each footing is part of the layout.

Materials

What holds up to sun and storms

Choices are made for long summers, quick soakings and how much upkeep you want.

Structure

Framing and posts

Pressure-treated lumber is the usual deck frame, with connectors rated for treated wood. Cover posts can be treated pine, cedar for warmth, or steel on long spans.

Underfoot

Decking

Composite and PVC boards resist rot and splinters, though dark colors run hot in direct sun. Wood looks natural and can be refinished but wants regular sealing.

Overhead

Roofing and ceilings

Matching the house shingles or standing-seam metal keeps an attached cover looking original. A tongue-and-groove or beadboard ceiling hides wiring and gives fans a firm mount.

Fans, lighting and outdoor kitchen plans

Shade helps, but moving air is what makes an August evening bearable. Fan boxes, fixtures and outlets go in while the ceiling framing is open, so we settle early how many fans hang over the seating, which fixtures are rated for damp or wet spots and where switches sit. That wiring goes into the estimate.

In unincorporated Comal County within three miles of Camp Bullis, the county’s Dark Skies Zone order requires a permit before any outdoor lighting is installed, so check whether your address falls inside the zone.

Thinking about an outdoor kitchen?

We treat it as a planning question. If a grill or sink might come later, the cover can be sized for it now, with clearance above the grill and routes for gas, water and power mapped out, so the roof and slab aren’t torn up afterward.

Permits for decks and covers

Which office reviews the work depends on where the lot sits. Inside New Braunfels city limits, Deck/Patio is one of the residential permit types the city lists, and its rules call for a permit to construct, enlarge or alter a structure. Bulverde follows the 2021 International Residential Code, under which building or altering most structures needs an approved permit. Garden Ridge’s building inspector reviews plans under the International Residential Code and city ordinances, and inside the City of Spring Branch, a lot near a creek is also checked against the city’s own flood damage prevention ordinance.

In unincorporated Comal County, the County Engineer’s Office at 195 David Jonas Drive, New Braunfels, handles county permits such as floodplain development, septic, driveway and dark-skies lighting. For floodplain review, the county first determines whether a project sits in the regulatory floodplain; if it does, the work must follow the Comal County Flood Damage Prevention Order.

Requirements are confirmed with the right office for each address. Where a permit is required, the application is filed before any posts go in. See the New Braunfels remodel permits guide.

Timing

Cooler months for outdoor building

Cooler fall weather is kinder to roofing, long days on ladders and concrete, which cures more evenly when it isn’t drying out under summer heat. A roof framed in fall is up before spring storms arrive.

River and lake rental owners can use the quiet months for outdoor upgrades; see short-term rental remodels.

Common questions

Deck and patio answers

Do I need a permit for a deck or covered patio in New Braunfels?

Inside city limits, plan on it: the City of New Braunfels lists Deck/Patio as a residential permit type. In unincorporated Comal County, the County Engineer’s Office handles floodplain and other county permits. Requirements are confirmed for each property before work starts.

Is an attached cover better than a freestanding one?

Neither is better everywhere. Attaching puts shade right at the door, but it depends on eave height, sound framing and careful flashing. Freestanding fits a spot out in the yard, by a pool or facing a view.

Can you build a deck on a sloped lot with rock near the surface?

Yes. Footings may be drilled into the limestone or designed to bear on it, tall posts get bracing, and drainage around them keeps storm runoff from washing out the soil.

Which season suits a covered patio build?

Fall and winter are comfortable seasons for this work, and a cover finished then is ready for spring rain and summer sun. Design, any permit review and material orders affect the start, so begin planning early.