Creative Decks

Your Outdoor Living Specialist

"Design Drawings and Construction Plans"

Framingham, MA

508-877-1060

deck contractor near me

Is Your Deck The Scariest Thing About Your Halloween Decor?

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Tis the season for ghosts and goblins, but if your deck has sagging stairs, broken railings, or split, twisted or damaged decking, it might make your place the scariest house on the block.

A happy, busy family can be really rough on a deck. When you’ve had lots of fun on a deck, with lots of foot traffic, kids playing, and the occasional spilled beverage, wear patterns develop and sometimes things get damaged. Pets – especially dogs that love to chew, scratch and dig – can also take their toll on the deck.

As decking contractors, we’re often asked how long a deck should last before it’s time to replace it. While we’d love to have a one size fits all answer, the truth is that there are a lot of factors that determine how long your deck is going to last and whether it should be repaired or rebuilt. These factors include how well the deck was built in the first place, what type of wood or other decking materials were used to build it, how well the deck’s been maintained and how much the deck’s been used.

You want your deck to be safe and attractive. If you’re not sure if your deck is safe, take a moment to consider what it would be like to use your deck if you were a small child – a toddler, perhaps, who would trip over some twisted decking – or as an older person who might have real difficulty climbing up sagging stairs. If everyone in your family and circle of friends can’t use your deck safely, changes need to be made.

Need to upgrade your deck’s safety now? Click here for deck contractor near me.

Your deck’s appearance is important as well. If you’re not pleased with your deck’s current appearance, your local deck designer can help you upgrade and improve your home’s look.

Recovering from the DIY Deck

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“Blame it on Bob Vila,” Stanley laughed. “I grew up watching This Old House with my Dad, and that led me to believe I had the handyman skills to put a back deck on the house by myself.”

Many people attempt to build a deck as a DIY project, even if they’ve never done any kind of construction work before. Sometimes this goes well, but in Stanley’s case, not so much. “A deck needs to be level. Flat. This is pretty basic stuff, right? But the deck I built had a definite slope to it. The kids couldn’t leave a ball on it – it would roll right off.”

The other issue with Stanley’s deck was that it wasn’t built on the most secure foundation. “I didn’t really line everything up properly, and then we had some bad weather that brought down some heavy tree limbs on it. When everything was all said and done, the deck just wasn’t safe anymore, and I knew I didn’t have the skills to repair it.”

A search for “Deck Contractor Near Me” led Stanley to hiring a professional who knew what needed to be done to fix the damaged DIY deck. “They really surprised me by asking about our family and how we enjoyed using the deck. When they found out it was primarily the place for my wife and I to unwind after a long day, they had all kinds of great suggestions, including a fire pit and built-in seating. Now we go out there, enjoy a glass of wine, watch the fire – it’s the best part of the day.”

“The quality of construction really makes a difference in how much you’ll use and enjoy your deck,” Stanley said. “The deck I built we hardly ever used. Now that we’ve got a great deck, we’re out there all of the time. Don’t fall into the same trap that got me. Bob Vila makes construction look easy – but it’s not. Sometimes you’re better off letting the pros do it for you!”

Can You Have a Great Deck Without Going Broke?

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“We’ve got three kids, two dogs, and a very busy lifestyle,” Meghan said. “That also means we’ve got a pretty tight budget for our home renovations. It would be great to have a deck, a really nice deck that is big enough for us to enjoy ourselves & cook out with our friends, but can we actually afford to do that?”

You can have a great deck without going broke. The key is to be smart with your deck design choices. Not all decking materials are created equal, and they certainly don’t all cost the same. In this article, we’re going to look at one decking option that gives you great lasting value for a reasonable price: composite decking.

Composite Decking Prices

When you’re considering composite decking prices, the obvious comparison point is wood decking. This is a little big tricky if you’re also concerned about the aesthetics of your home – the most affordable wood decking option is treated southern pine; if you’re not into the look of bare wood, you’re also going to need to invest in having your wooden deck stained or treated.

Moving from southern pine into more upscale wooden decking options raises the project price point considerably. While cedar decking is a big favorite in this part of Massachusetts, you’re going to pay a little more for it. The pricing is comparable to composite decking, which has the added advantage of being available in a multitude of colors, extremely durable and stable, and impervious to damage from mold, mildew and insects.

Comparing Composite Deck Prices to Wood Deck Prices – Maintenance & Upkeep

It’s important to understand that having a deck built is like any other home improvement. There are some costs you incur up front and some costs that happen over the life of the improvement – maintenance and upkeep costs. When we’re comparing the prices of composite decks to wooden decks, in this regard, composite decking comes out the clear winner.

Getting Your Deck Ready for Back to School Season

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Where did the summer go? We don’t know, but we do know that it’s the most wonderful time of the year, when school supplies are all on sale and bright yellow buses start their journeys around the neighborhood. Now is the time to transition your deck out of summer fun mode into gear for back to school – which also means back to soccer practice, piano lessons, and everything else that happens now.

Here’s what you need to know:

Fall is the best time to schedule deck repairs. If the summer’s been rough on your deck, you’ll want to have repairs made before the snow starts to fly. Simply searching for a deck contractor near me isn’t enough – you’ll want to choose a builder with a reputation for excellence so you know the repair work is done to the highest possible standard.

Change your outdoor light bulbs! The days are already getting shorter, and before you know it, it will be dark outside before the kids are done for the day. Make sure that your deck area is properly illuminated, particularly if the deck leads to the main entrance of the home. When changing your light bulbs, take a moment to clear away any leaves, spider webs or debris that may have accumulated on your fixtures – it’s a simple touch that keeps your place looking great.

Use a sunny day to seal your deck. If you have a wooden deck, you want to be sure it’s sealed against the elements before winter does its worst. Your local deck contractor can certainly help you out with this, but for the ultimate in low-maintenance decking, choose PVC decking or composite decking. Then you’ll never have to worry about sealing or staining your deck every again.

Tidy up the toys & outdoor furniture: Taking a few moments to stow all of the summer toys and outdoor furniture now will save you from chasing it all around the yard when those strong autumn winds arrive!

I’m Looking for a Deck Contractor Near Me – How Will I Know Who’s Good

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“I’m so excited, we’re getting a deck!” Bobbie said. “It’s going to be great. We have an awesome backyard, and I can’t wait to get out there and enjoy the sunshine. Now here’s the tricky part: I’m looking for a deck contractor near me, and I’ve never hired any building professionals near me. How will I know who’s good?”

Choosing a deck contractor is a major decision. You’re going to be spending quite a bit of money on a new deck, and you want to be sure you get your money’s worth in terms of the quality of building materials as well as the craftsmanship. Be aware that the reviews of contractors you find on sites like Yelp and Angie’s List are influenced by a number of factors, including advertising dollars – while many are legitimate, some are not. While considering these sites is important, you don’t want to rely on them as your only source of information – just like you wouldn’t want to trust Wikipedia as the definitive answer on anything. It’s always a good idea to research further and verify what you’ve learned.

One way to do to that is by asking friends, neighbors, coworkers, and anyone else you know locally who’s had a deck built who their contractor was and what their experience was like. Facebook now has a looking for recommendations feature that is very useful if you prefer not to have these conversations in person. The social network Nextdoor is also useful if you’re interested in the opinions of local residents.

When you’re considering a deck contractor, ask to see examples of their work and for references. Look at the examples carefully and with a critical eye. If you’re not pleased with their work on one job, you might not want them to work on your house. On the other hand, if you like the quality of their work, it should be an easy decision!