Curious, did you run into any weird code requirements about wind uplift or edge protection? My city had a whole section I almost missed buried in the fine print.
Yeah, the wind uplift stuff can get pretty technical. In my area (coastal, lots of storms), the code required a specific type of perimeter restraint and even called out fastener spacing for the edge zones. I almost missed it too—buried in an appendix, not the main section. They also wanted documentation on the ballast weight per square foot to counteract uplift. It’s a pain, but honestly, after seeing what a 50 mph gust did to my neighbor’s “budget” install, I get why they’re strict. If you haven’t already, double-check if your city wants a structural engineer’s sign-off—mine did, and it saved me a headache with permitting.
That’s wild, I had almost the opposite issue—my city’s code was super vague about wind uplift, but then got oddly specific about drainage and overflow scuppers. I spent more time trying to figure out where all that water was supposed to go than worrying about the roof blowing away. The engineer I talked to basically said, “Yeah, just overbuild it and you’ll be fine,” which… not exactly helpful, but it did get the inspector off my back.
Did you run into any weird rules about plant selection or soil depth? Mine had a whole section on “approved vegetation,” which I didn’t expect. Apparently, they’re worried about invasive species taking over the neighborhood. I ended up with a bunch of sedum because it was basically the only thing on their list. Just curious if that’s a thing everywhere or if my city’s just extra picky.
Yeah, I’ve seen that too—some cities get hyper-specific about what you can plant, while others barely mention it. Where I am, they wanted a minimum soil depth but didn’t care much about species, which honestly seems backwards. I get the invasive species worry, but it’s a pain when the list is so short you end up with a monoculture. Sedum’s tough, but it’d be nice to have more options.
I get the invasive species worry, but it’s a pain when the list is so short you end up with a monoculture. Sedum’s tough, but it’d be nice to have more options.
I’ve run into this too. The city here only cared about soil depth and drainage, but the plant list was basically sedum or bust. What I did was ask for a variance—had to submit a maintenance plan and show that my choices weren’t invasive. It took some back-and-forth, but they eventually let me add a few native grasses. Not saying it’s easy, but if you’re willing to jump through some hoops, you might get more flexibility than the rules suggest at first glance. Just be ready for paperwork... lots of it.
Did you have to deal with any weird inspection requirements once you added those grasses? I’ve seen some places get picky about root depth or even fire risk. Just curious if the paperwork circus ever actually ends, or if it’s just a new hoop every year...
