I found this on a how to site as one of the comments before I began my mission of building my first deck:
"Decks are easy to build! They sell books at home depot with instruction, prints, and a material list. Can be built buy anyone that can swing a hammer, operate a saw, and read a tape measure. As for the permit, usually you don't need one if it isn't attached to the house(build it real close) but in some local regulations if you attach it to the house it becomes part of the house and will require a permit. If you don't want to buy the book, go to the library with a handful of dimes and photo copy the prints from books they have IF they wont let you take them home(sometimes they are considered reference material and can't be taken from the library)"
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