THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING A NEW DECK

Lots to Consider

When you are thinking about a building a deck, it can feel like it is a pretty simple process, but it can be fairly complex. There are a lot of things to consider from where on the home you want it located, the size of the deck, the material you want to use and your specific budget.

Location, Location, Location

When deciding on where on your home you want the deck located, take into consideration not only the location of the exit out of the back of the home, but also how the deck will look from inside of the home. Can you locate it more to one side or the other to avoid it blocking certain views from inside the home? If it is unavoidable to block the view from inside the home, maybe you consider smaller 3/4″ round aluminum balusters instead of the standard larger 2″x2″ balusters to open up the view. Also, will you have enough clearance to exit the back of your home and get to the stairs while holding items or having multiple people or pets exiting the home at the same time? While deciding on the location of the deck, the stair location is also important to consider ensuring that you aren’t blocking any possible basement windows that are under the new deck or deck stairs. You also want to consult your Plat of Survey and your Homeowner’s Association to find out any building setback lines that might impact the location of where the deck can be placed on your lot as well as how large of a deck you can construct.

“While holding items or having multiple people or pets exiting the home at the same time, will you have enough clearance to exit your home and get to the stairs?”

Size Matters

When deciding on the size of the deck you want, you want to consider the activities you plan on doing on your deck. Are you only wanting to grill on the deck or do you want to dine? Or maybe you want to grill, dine and relax? All of these activities require a certain amount of space and you want to make sure you plan for the amount of space you will need. You would rather build a larger deck than initially planned versus building a smaller deck that doesn’t meet your needs. Since building a deck is a large investment, you don’t want to regret not investing in a larger deck.

“Don’t regret not going larger.”

Material Choice

In regards to the material choices between wood and composite, your initial budget needs to be considered, but more importantly how you will maintain the deck ongoing and the costs associated with the ongoing annual maintenance of a wood deck needs to be considered as well. If you are on a tight budget and understand that a wood deck will require annual cleaning plus re-staining which you plan to keep up with for the next approximately 10-15 years, then wood is a fine choice for you. Also, if you choose a wood deck, it is important to budget that the average life cycle of a wood deck that is properly maintained is only approximately 10-15 years in our climate that experiences both extreme heat and cold which wreaks havoc on exterior wood products. Most wood decks will need complete replacement after only 10-15 years and less if the deck is not properly maintained. If you realize that you won’t have the time or desire to maintain a wood deck every year and you are able to invest more upfront to save money in the long run, composite is definitely the option that will fit your situation better. Read our information about the differences between wood and composite decks to help you in make this decision.

“Wood decks are less expensive but require annual maintenance. Composite decks are a larger up-front investment, but do not have traditional maintenance requirements. Which is best for you?”

Because Rock Solid Builders has designed and built over 1,000 outdoor living projects, we are the experts to help you with these decisions and look forward to helping you design your new dream deck! Contact us today at (815)363-7133 for a free deck estimate consultation at your home or over the phone!