Nearly a decade ago, I designed and built a whole-house remodel that was located just a little too far back from the waterfront to enjoy an unobstructed ocean view. When I suggested a rooftop deck, to my pleasure, the owners jumped. I’d stuck my chin out a little, not having built a rooftop structure before — I knew there were a couple of unique problems to solve. I wasn’t too worried about the structural issues; we’d retained only about 10% of the original building (to satisfy zoning requirements), so it was wide open for modifications. I figured a structural ridge beam and some ganged rafters would handle any point loads imposed on the roof by the deck and
