WHAT TO CONSIDER?

FOOTINGS

Many old decks are built on 4x4 or 6x6 footings buried directly in the ground. This can lead to rot and failure. If your deck is on concrete foundations, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in the clear. Many deck footings are undersized which can lead to instability and even collapse. We will confirm your footings are properly sized, and make any changes or add additional footings as necessary. We have worked with local helical pile installers in situations where concrete foundations are not feasible, saving homeowners time and money in the process.

FRAMING

The most common point of failure for a deck is the ledger board, which is the structural board that connects the deck to the house. We will inspect your existing ledger connection and make any repairs necessary. This may be as simple as adding additional structural bolts. Additional upgrades may include new flashing or adding deck tension ties, among others. We will also inspect all of your floor joists, rim joists, and post connections and advise on necessary framing upgrades.

LAYOUT

Upgrading your deck boards and railing is a great time to change the layout of your deck. Due to the nature of the installation of deck boards on stair stringers, we always build new stairs for your project. With that being the case, why not relocate the stairs all together? Maybe the stairs are in a good spot but you’d like them to be a bit wider. We can do that too. Or we can add square footage to your deck by adding new footings and framing to a previously unused area of grass below.