5 Tips When Hiring A Deck Builder

Having the perfect deck will help you take advantage of your outdoor space, giving you a great place to relax, as well as entertain guests. A new deck also provided the added benefit of increasing the value of your home. However, before you begin hiring a contractor to construct your new deck, there's a number of considerations that you should take into account.

Approaching deck construction as informed as possible is necessary to make certain that you get a good deal on your deck construction, and that you get exactly what you want out of the project itself. To guarantee the outcome you want, see about following these tips when it comes time to hire a deck builder.

1. Do Your Research, Check Reviews

The more informed you are before beginning the process, the more likely it is that you will make the right choices when deciding on a deck builder for the job. You should check online reviews on individual deck building contractors, as well as see if those that you are considering can provide examples of their work. Make certain that the deck builders you are considering are licensed and meet state requirements.

You want to know if others would recommend this contractor and the quality of their work before you decide to have them begin construction outside of your home. Consider using online search tools to try and find out as much about a contractor's past work, their licensing, and customer impressions.

2. Develop a Solid Plan

Don't go into the deck building process without an idea of what you want. You should have put enough thought into the entire process to have a solid idea of exactly what it is you're looking for. Go a step further with the planning process so you can dictate the direction of the project and the contractor can help finalize and establish what you have decided upon.

• Develop a layout plan
• Determine any special features that you want added during construction
• Decide on materials and finish that you'd like used for the deck
• Determine the scope of your budget and how much you're willing to pay

By establishing a concise plan you can keep better control of the project and how much will be paid for developing your new deck. You also make the contractor's job easier by removing guesswork when it comes to delivering the results you want.

3. Compare and Interview Deck Builders

When you've found several candidates for your deck building, don't eagerly jump forward and just go with one. Instead, you should make some basic comparisons between those that you've found.

• Are the contractors licensed and insured?
• Ask for a list of references from each contractor
• Compare reviews and try to gauge where you'll get the best results
• Conduct an interview with the deck builders to determine how well they can deliver on what you want within the budget that you have dictated.
• Get a written estimate from the contractors in question.

4. Follow-up On the Information Gathered

Once you've conducted an interview with the available contractors, you might think that you're in the clear to make your decision. However, you should do some more follow-up work before you decide to go ahead and sign the contract. Take the information that you gathered from each of the contractors, do a comparison and follow-up on the references that you were given. Contact references to inquire about the quality of the work the contractor can provide. If they don't have any references to offer, consider looking elsewhere.

• Compare pricing between the contractors and see if they offer competitive rates
• Verify their license
• Follow-up on the price estimates to see if they are considered reasonable.

5. Signing the Contract

When you've decided on the contractor that best fits your needs and seems like they will do the best job, there is one last thing you need to do; sign the contract! You'll want to review this document in detail, and acquire several things before signing off:

• Get a copy of insurance information
• Get a copy of the contractor's license information
• Make sure a deadline for completion is established
• Any hidden fees or costs for changes in the project
• Complete breakdown of pricing
• Verification that they will be held responsible for any accidental damage

By not hastily rushing into the deck building process you can make certain that you get better end results and don't run the risk of paying too much for the service. A professional contractor is certainly the way to go when it comes to constructing your deck, but don't ever feel pressured to make a rushed decision when choosing one. To guarantee that you get the best results on any construction project, you will have to do your own share of research work before you decide on a contractor.