Roof decks in Queen Village

Queen Village houses and roofs

Queen Village runs from Lombard Street to Washington Avenue and from the Delaware River to 6th Street, including South Street and Fabric Row. Many blocks are narrow side streets with small rowhouses, including the three-story “trinity” houses described in the City’s Rowhouse Manual.

What we hear about in Queen Village

• Very small roofs where the pilot house eats most of the space
• Getting lumber, pavers and a crew up through a narrow house
• Older roof framing that needs reinforcement
• Front setback on shallow, small houses

What to know before you build

On a small roof, a hatch or ship’s ladder may leave more deck than a pilot house would. If you do build one, it can’t exceed 10 feet above the deck, and any part more than 42 inches above the deck needs an extra 5-foot setback. Ask your contractor how they will hoist materials and whether the street needs to be blocked; tight blocks add labor. Philly Home Collective’s cost breakdown includes structural reinforcement at $3,000–$20,000, which older houses often need.

The rules are the same citywide

In every Philadelphia neighborhood, roof decks on homes are allowed by the Zoning Code within limits: 5 feet back from the front, a deck surface within 48 inches of the roof’s mid-plane, railings up to 42 inches, and a pilot house of limited size. Every roof deck needs a building permit, and properties on the Philadelphia Register need Historical Commission review. Read the rules guide · See typical costs

Services in Queen Village

• New roof decks
• Pilot houses & roof access
• Roof deck repair & replacement
• Roofing under the deck
• Design, engineering & permits

Nearby: Society Hill · East Passyunk & Passyunk Square · Graduate Hospital · All neighborhoods

We are a free referral service, not a contractor. We pass your request to an independent Philadelphia contractor who quotes and does the work.