Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building Your Deck
"Homeowners don't anticipate how much time it takes to build a deck."
Dunn Lumber partnered with professional deck builder Ron Spillers, from West Coast Decks, and created a series of videos that cover a series of decking questions. In this post Ron addresses common mistakes people make when building a deck. For more in this series, click here.
Mistake 1: The Time it Takes to Build a Deck
Homeowners don't anticipate how much time it takes to build a deck. Contractors get a lot of calls about framework that has been sitting untouched for several months. If you do have the time or can make the time on weekends to build a deck, it can be lot of fun. But if you don't have a lot of time, you may want to consider hiring a contractor.
Mistake 2: DIY-ING a Sloping Deck
If you're building a deck on sloped ground and it's 8-10 feet off the ground you should consult a professional and have them involved in the construction. (It'll help your project move a lot faster.) You'll pay a little more, but you'll have peace of mind knowing that a deck of that height is built safely and will stay in place.
Mistake 3: Hiring on the Cheap
Contractors like Ron are often called in to fix "cheap" decks. A cheaper builder may not be in the loop on current code, may not know what's required to make a good deck, may not know what new products are available, or simply won't have the skills to tackle certain technical aspects of building a deck. Save yourself the additional cost of a hack job and start with the experts.
