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Roso Deck, Fence & Patio

Service areas

Deck, fence, patio, and concrete construction across central Maryland

We build for homeowners in Baltimore City and Baltimore, Harford, Howard, Anne Arundel, and Carroll counties, Maryland. Permit rules, historic-district and HOA expectations, soils, and lot sizes differ from one jurisdiction to the next, and we plan each project for where it sits.

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Coverage

Baltimore City and the five counties we serve

Community names are examples of where we work, not an exhaustive list. If your address is inside one of these jurisdictions, we can very likely help.

Counties

Baltimore County

Baltimore County wraps around the city from Catonsville and Owings Mills to Towson, Perry Hall, and White Marsh, with older established neighborhoods and newer developments alike. Many homes here have deep back lots and aging original decks that are ready for replacement.

Communities we serve include

Towson · Catonsville · Perry Hall · Lutherville-Timonium · Pikesville · Owings Mills · Parkville · White Marsh

Local notes

  • The county's deck permit page requires a permit for decks more than 16 inches above grade or larger than 120 square feet, and for any deck in a county historic district, on the Landmarks List, in the floodplain, or in the Critical Area; inspections follow through the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections.
  • County zoning limits residential fences to 42 inches in a front yard and 6 feet in side and rear yards, with taller fences allowed only with additional setback.
  • Accessory structures over 120 square feet need a permit and must sit at least 2.5 feet from side and rear lines; fences may not be placed in easements.
  • Inside the county's historic districts (including Lutherville, Sudbrook Park, Relay, and Historic East Towson), the Landmarks Preservation Commission must approve exterior and site changes such as fences and decks.

Permits: Baltimore County Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections. Requirements change; we confirm current rules for each project.

Community pages

Decks in BaltimoreFences in BaltimorePatios in BaltimoreConcrete in BaltimoreBaltimore County guide

Baltimore City

Baltimore City is a jurisdiction of its own, separate from Baltimore County, and we serve all of it: the rowhouse neighborhoods of Canton, Highlandtown, Federal Hill, and Locust Point with their small rear yards and rooftop decks, and the leafy northern neighborhoods of Hamilton-Lauraville, Mount Washington, Roland Park, and Homeland with full-size yards.

Communities we serve include

Hamilton-Lauraville · Mount Washington · Roland Park · Homeland · Canton · Highlandtown · Federal Hill · Locust Point · Hampden · Belair-Edison

Local notes

  • City permits for decks and fences come from the Department of Housing and Community Development's Plans Review and Permits office through the ePermits system; Roso pulls the permit as part of the project.
  • The city building code limits front-yard fences to 42 inches and allows fences up to 6 feet in side and rear yards; corner lots and fences on retaining walls are reviewed case by case.
  • In the city's 33 local historic districts, including Mount Washington and Federal Hill, the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) must authorize exterior work visible from the street, including fences, porches, and decks, before a permit issues.
  • Any work in the public right-of-way, including a new or altered driveway apron, curb cut, or sidewalk, needs a Department of Transportation right-of-way permit; new residential curb cuts are approved only in limited cases, so alley-served rear parking pads are the usual path.
  • Rooftop decks are reviewed structurally by the city and are subject to height and street-visibility rules in rowhouse districts.

Permits: Baltimore City DHCD, Plans Review and Permits. Requirements change; we confirm current rules for each project.

Community pages

Decks in Baltimore CityFences in Baltimore CityPatios in Baltimore CityConcrete in Baltimore CityBaltimore City guide

Harford County

Harford County runs from the Bel Air and Abingdon subdivisions along I-95 and US 1 to the waterfront lots of Joppatowne and the large well-and-septic lots of Fallston and Forest Hill. Two of our framers live just across the county line in Dundalk, so Harford is a short drive for our crews.

Communities we serve include

Bel Air · Fallston · Forest Hill · Abingdon · Joppatowne · Edgewood · Jarrettsville · Churchville · Aberdeen · Havre de Grace

Local notes

  • The county's Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits runs a one-stop Permit Center in Bel Air; the county adopted the 2021 International Residential Code in May 2024 and publishes its own Residential Deck Construction Guidelines.
  • A zoning certificate is required for every fence and wall in unincorporated Harford County, with height limits that are lower in front yards, and a building permit is required for decks and other accessory structures.
  • The Town of Bel Air issues its own building and fence permits inside town limits and asks for a plat with the application.
  • Driveway entrances onto county roads need a Department of Public Works utility and access permit and must follow the county's standard driveway entrance detail; entrances onto US 1, MD 24, MD 152, and other state roads go through MDOT SHA.
  • Within 1,000 feet of tidal water, including parts of Joppatowne and Abingdon along the Gunpowder and Bush rivers, the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area program requires new lot coverage to be mitigated with plantings.

Permits: Harford County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits. Requirements change; we confirm current rules for each project.

Community pages

Decks in HarfordFences in HarfordPatios in HarfordConcrete in HarfordHarford County guide

Howard County

Howard County, from Columbia and Ellicott City to Elkridge, Clarksville, and western Howard, has a large share of planned communities with active homeowners associations. HOA architectural approval is a common step alongside the county permit.

Communities we serve include

Columbia · Ellicott City · Elkridge · Clarksville · Fulton · North Laurel · Woodstock · Glenelg

Local notes

  • The county deck guide states that only decks smaller than 25 square feet are exempt from footings and permits; all other decks require a permit.
  • Fence permits are tied to height; the county's FAQ cites fences taller than 6 feet. Zoning distinguishes open fences from closed privacy fences for setback rules.
  • Replacing only deck boards does not require a permit; replacing guardrails does.

Permits: Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits. Requirements change; we confirm current rules for each project.

Community pages

Decks in HowardFences in HowardPatios in HowardConcrete in HowardHoward County guide

Anne Arundel County

Anne Arundel County stretches from Glen Burnie and Severna Park to Annapolis, Crofton, and south county. Waterfront and near-water properties fall under the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, which changes how patios and new lot coverage are reviewed.

Communities we serve include

Annapolis area · Severna Park · Glen Burnie · Pasadena · Crofton · Odenton · Arnold · Edgewater

Local notes

  • Anything attached to the house, including a deck, requires a building permit. Detached decks and fences are reviewed as accessory structures.
  • In the Critical Area, new impervious surface such as a patio counts toward lot coverage limits and may require a Critical Area worksheet; a 100-foot buffer applies near tidal waters and wetlands.
  • Permit applications are submitted online through the county's Land Use Navigator system.

Permits: Anne Arundel County Department of Inspections and Permits. Requirements change; we confirm current rules for each project.

Community pages

Decks in Anne ArundelFences in Anne ArundelPatios in Anne ArundelConcrete in Anne ArundelAnne Arundel County guide

Carroll County

Carroll County, including Westminster, Eldersburg, Sykesville, Hampstead, and Manchester, mixes suburban neighborhoods with larger rural lots where long fence runs and freestanding outdoor spaces are common.

Communities we serve include

Eldersburg · Westminster · Hampstead · Manchester · Sykesville · Finksburg · Mount Airy (Carroll side) · Taneytown

Local notes

  • The county treats deck construction as an addition, so permits and inspections are required; replacing only the deck boards is exempt.
  • Fences do not require a county permit unless they exceed 10 feet, but they must stay out of county easements and back from the road edge for sight distance.
  • Properties inside an incorporated town (Westminster, Sykesville, and others) follow the town's permit process instead.

Permits: Carroll County Bureau of Permits and Inspections. Requirements change; we confirm current rules for each project.

Community pages

Decks in CarrollFences in CarrollPatios in CarrollConcrete in CarrollCarroll County guide

Building in Maryland

What our climate and soils mean for your project

Local building conditions

Central Maryland sits in a freeze-thaw climate with humid summers and clay-heavy soils in many neighborhoods. Deck and fence posts need footings that reach below frost depth so they do not heave, and county deck guides in our area call for footings around 30 inches deep. Patios need a compacted stone base and a surface pitched away from the house so water does not sit against the foundation or lift pavers in winter.

Wood decking and fencing here benefit from periodic cleaning and sealing because of summer humidity; composite decking and vinyl or aluminum fencing trade higher upfront cost for far less maintenance. Near tidal water in Anne Arundel County, the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area program limits new impervious surface, which affects patio design.

Each county, and Baltimore City, runs its own permit office with its own thresholds, and towns such as Westminster, Bel Air, or Annapolis have separate processes. Inside Baltimore City, historic districts add a preservation review before the permit. Requirements also change over time. We verify the current rules for your address as part of every estimate rather than relying on general statements.

FAQs

Service-area questions

Service-area questions

Very likely, if it is inside Baltimore City or Baltimore, Harford, Howard, Anne Arundel, or Carroll County. The community names on this page are examples, not a complete list. Send your ZIP code with the estimate form and we will confirm coverage.

Tell us where you are and what you're planning

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