Real stories from real clients

What are you repairing or renovating? 

Most often we see customers just wanting to replace the top boards and the railing on their deck. If you want to make additional changes such as extending, downsizing or adding custom elements, that’s no problem. 

Which material to use?

Chances are your deck is made entirely of wood. Are you going to replace existing wood with new wood or are you considering other options such as composite decking? Wood typically is a cheaper option even after considering the cost to stain and paint. Composite decking costs can be 4 to 5 times (or more) greater than the cost of wood, but it also lasts much longer. Composite decking is also more dense and heavier which will add weight to your deck. This may increase the requirement for support which could add to materials and labor costs to your project.

Things to keep in mind.

Sometimes structural elements of your deck such as joists, posts, and the band need to be replaced as well but it may not be as clear. Joists particularly can be difficult to assess until top boards have been removed. Fortunately, replacing a joist or two shouldn’t add a significant cost to your bill in most cases.

Another thing to keep in mind is that your new wood deck elements cannot be stained or painted for a while after the project is finished. This is because the wood needs time to dry out.

How long will it take to repair/renovate my deck?

Sometimes on smaller projects, repairs can be done in a day or two whereas on larger or more complex projects it can take more than a week to complete. Some important factors that affect length (and total cost) are the deck size and how elevated it is (that is, is your deck raised into the air?).

Things we often recommend.

Consider the long-term health of your deck. Even small decks are a big investment and can affect your home’s value. We recommend taking steps to preserve your investment such as adding joist tape during repair or renovation to preserve your joists. We also suggest staining and painting your wood deck or going with composite decking. Another thing you can consider is having your deck boards screwed down instead of nailing them. Screws not only hold boards in place better but they also make it easier to remove boards in the event you need to access underneath a board or if you simply need to replace it.

We offer competitive pricing. We always try to get you the best value for your money and will discuss what makes the most sense for your situation. 

We typically start with a phone call where you give us a rough idea of what you're trying to accomplish in your project. Next, we will come out to the location of your project for an assessment. After further discussion with you to confirm your needs, we will build you a formal project proposal that details the steps of your project. This proposal will include price. 

We are licensed contractors (BC-2: 84615 and Home Improvement Contractors: 12917). We have completed the state's (TN) rigorous course requirements for licensing including the licensing Trade Exam and Business Law Exam. We have over 20 years of experience in construction and business.  

Our family has been in construction for over 50 years. We've been building houses since before nail guns were common - just kidding but close! 

Ask someone you know about a contractor they had a pleasant experience with. Before deciding to contact a contractor, do some research of your own to determine if you are also likely to have a pleasant experience. Don't be hesitant to ask for references or about previous similar projects where the contractor was successful at meeting the customer's expectations. 

Do some research on your own to get a rough idea what the requirements might look like with respect to time and cost. The thing some customers don't think about are unexpected barriers in a project. That is, sometimes things come up that could not have been or were difficult to anticipate. The more preliminary work done, the less the chance of change orders in a project.