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Whether you’re looking for how to build a deck yourself or you’re looking to hire a professional, adding or remodeling a deck is an important factor to your home.  

It creates an outdoor living space and it increases the resale value.

We are so excited to show you our latest deck build project! We were very thankful when we were recently contacted by John to build a deck for his brand-new beautiful home.

We handled the design and building process from start to finish.

There are many styles and sizes of decks, just depending on the home they are designed for or the taste of the homeowner. Homeowners are always faced with doing home improvement projects themselves or doing it themselves.

As you know we are big advocates of DIY, and we will give you tips on how to build a deck! There is nothing more rewarding than doing it yourself, especially accomplishing a huge project such as a new deck build.

How to Build a Deck

Building your own deck can definitely save you a lot of money, however, mistakes can be costly. When thinking about tackling a large project such as the build of a brand new deck, consider the pros and cons before tackling this project, while checking out our latest project!

DIY Costs

When it comes to how to build a deck, there are definitely some pros to doing it yourself.

DIY saves you money.

With any home improvement project that you hire out rather than DIY, materials are typically marked up. The markup is usually 5-10% because the contractors have to pay for the materials, spend time picking them up, dropping them off, hauling them, and carrying the cost of materials until the project is finished.

We at construction2style typically mark up 5%.

Keep in mind that this number is only for the cost of materials, and builders and contractors have all of the necessary materials for the job, which would drive the cost up as these professional tools cost a lot of money.

There are other costs of materials that come into play that most don’t think about such as: concrete, fasteners, lumber, nails, screws, support plates, etc.

And from the experience we have had, if the homeowner buys materials we are always short materials which mean the timeline gets delayed due to the ordering of materials. So if you hire us and read this post (and bring it up) we won’t mark up any materials for your job!

Save Time & Effort

Another huge factor to consider is time. This is definitely not a few weekends of work. And there is definitely no argument on if a pro can do it quicker.

This deck build took us a full 3 weeks to build. A qualified deck-building professional has the experience and expertise necessary to build a deck using the correct materials, safety, and building it to code.

A pro will provide you with a project timeline and will have access to the resources necessary to keep things on schedule. They also have the necessary tools for things such as the footings.

Permits

If your remodel is major you will need a construction permit to do it legally before the project begins. You’ll need to submit your forms to the building department, along with a copy of your construction plans, a property survey, and a filing fee.

Safety

One scary problem you could run into is having a deck that becomes wobbly. Decks may collapse due to several foundation issues like loose connections or board fasteners, inadequate diagonal bracing, inaccurately installed posts, and many more.

If you DIY, make sure you are taking all safety precautions to avoid big costly mistakes.

DIY Rewards

Don’t have the skills? Don’t worry, DIY tutorials are all over the web. Almost all major manufacturers have tutorials on their websites.

Learning DIY home improvement projects last a lifetime, you will always use those skills and in the long run, will save you a lot of money.

And the biggest reward is that you will feel like a really big manly man once you finish a deck build! Or the biggest bad-ass chick!

Contractor Pros

A professional will do a quicker job, this is their profession after all. Professionals know how to create beautiful, sturdy decks in a matter of weeks. And they know how to prevent small mistakes that can lead to big problems later. They are the experts.

Contractor Cons

If you’re hiring a contractor to build the deck, plan on spending double. Contractors have to make money, so they charge labor and overhead fees.

Most of the time, those fees add up to about the same cost as time and materials.

If you are a control freak, you might as well DIY. When someone else handles the project, you have to trust them to do the job. When you DIY, you have control over every detail.

Whether you plan to tackle a new deck build project yourself or plan to hire a professional, we hope you come to construction2style for guidance or to do the job!