Pick someone who doesn't just do decks...
Decks aren’t built in a vacuum. Because they’re attached to a home, they are in every sense an “extension” of that home. The best decks are integrated into the entire property, which can only be accomplished by a veteran contractor. Don’t put your faith in people who have only ever built decks as a summer job. Put your trust in a legitimate business that understands how homes are built and can extend the inside of your house outdoors.
Let's Talk Specialties...
1. What projects do you do?
Some contractors do everything. Others specialize. The best deck builders sit somewhere in between. Ask what projects they’ve worked on, and make an honest assessment of whether or not they have the right balance of general knowledge and deck specialization.
Find a deck builder who gets your space, has requisite experience, and is open to your schedule.
2. Do you have recommendations from past clients or examples of your work?
Your contractor should be able to rattle off a list of recently completed projects. It shouldn’t be difficult for them to think about. If they seem to be hemming and hawing, ask them for testimonials from former clients or examples of the work they’ve done. Don’t damage a future working relationship by needlessly coming out on the offensive, but don’t be passive either. If something doesn’t feel right, press them for more information on the sort of work they do.
3. How closely can we stick to our budget?
In construction, costs tend to increase at a moment’s notice for what seem like slight changes in design. Much of the time this is out of the contractor’s control, but be clear about your budget and what you hope to accomplish with it. Make sure they understand that any add-on costs will need to be brought to you immediately for review. You have to expect that changes to your design halfway through a project will cost more money than you’d originally agreed upon, but a good contractor will be able to cover all possibilities from the outset to mitigate surprises.
4. What sort of timetable will it take to finish our deck?
This is where it’s best to be honest from the get-go. If you have aspirations of sipping a cold beer from your deck in July and it’s already the end of June, you’ve likely underestimated the amount of work involved in deck building. Be clear about what schedule you’d like to stick to, and your contractor can tell you how realistic that timetable is (or isn’t).
5. Do you regularly work with subcontractors?
Find out if they work with subcontractors for electrical (if you want outside lighting), or design (if you want something tailor-made to fit your fever dream). These are expenditures that may or may not be included in the contractor’s initial estimate. If you decide you want a miniature version of the hanging garden of Babylon installed in the center of your deck, you’ll likely be best served by a landscape architect for that portion of the build. Understand the scope of work the contractor expects to accomplish so you don’t underserve your own expectations.
Finally, give us a call – we’d love to help! Although we work on many types of projects, decks are our favorite! Click the Contact Us Today button below, or simply call: (574) 210-5951