Building a Deck, looking for a good builder
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Potomac Falls, VA
When I did my research on pricing, I found Long Fence to be very competitive with other companies that build decks. I got estimates from about 4 different companies and 3 independant contractors and Long Fence fell right within the middle. Not the cheapest of the bunch, but not the most expensive either.
The independant contractors that worked alone or with 1 or 2 other people would do it for a little bit cheaper, but I had no clue on the quality of their workmanship, schedule wise they usually took longer to build the deck, and they didn't do as much for you in terms of filling out the paperwork to get the deck approved by the county and stuff.
A co-worker of mine had recently had a deck built by an independant contractor who was taking deposits and never building the decks ... He built some of them, but a lot of people ended up losing their deposits and never getting a deck. He's in jail now ... and I'm assuming the majority of contractors out there aren't crooks, but I felt safer using a company to do it rather than an independant.
Obviously building a deck yourself is the cheapest way to go and if you're up to it, then more power to you! I had some reservations about building a 2nd story deck on my townhouse by myself though especially since I have no clue how to build a deck in the first place.
The independant contractors that worked alone or with 1 or 2 other people would do it for a little bit cheaper, but I had no clue on the quality of their workmanship, schedule wise they usually took longer to build the deck, and they didn't do as much for you in terms of filling out the paperwork to get the deck approved by the county and stuff.
A co-worker of mine had recently had a deck built by an independant contractor who was taking deposits and never building the decks ... He built some of them, but a lot of people ended up losing their deposits and never getting a deck. He's in jail now ... and I'm assuming the majority of contractors out there aren't crooks, but I felt safer using a company to do it rather than an independant.
Obviously building a deck yourself is the cheapest way to go and if you're up to it, then more power to you! I had some reservations about building a 2nd story deck on my townhouse by myself though especially since I have no clue how to build a deck in the first place.
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Potomac Falls, VA
Originally Posted by sweetj,May 4 2005, 09:26 AM
Thats good info if you're not going to do it yourself.. but in all honesty I've never dated a guy that wouldn't do it himself... Something about a man that can take matters in his own hands is HOT 
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Joined: May 2001
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From: chantilly
But if I spend my time on building my deck, that would take time away from whoring on s2ki. 
I'm still looking into this. I'll contact Long Fence office in Chantilly and have them give me a few quote.
I'm still looking into this. I'll contact Long Fence office in Chantilly and have them give me a few quote.
anyway 
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 48,203
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From: Lewisville, TX
Jeff, get the quote. Talked to the guy giving the estimate. Pull as much info out of him as possible and then go from there. Surely, there has to be someone that would want to trade some labor for bling-bling product.
I'm about to extend our front porch out so that it's actually useful, but doubt that I'll have the roof extended over it.
I'm about to extend our front porch out so that it's actually useful, but doubt that I'll have the roof extended over it.
If I were you, I'd go scope out the long fence parking lot and see if you can barter your services for theirs...lol.,
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From: Ellicott City
Originally Posted by boughtans2k,May 4 2005, 07:06 AM
If you can find the time do it yourself. Like most home improvement projects it isn't that hard and you save a ton of money. You are obviously not mechanically inept so you should be able to handle it. At the very least you should try building the deck on your own even if you have someone else put the walls and roof on the section you want to enclose just make sure you put in a lot of support.
Here's the deck and and 16 x 16 porch I built at my last house by myself and I had never done anything like it before. The house will fall down before the deck/porch will as I over engineered it with 12 posts under the porch section alone. The only thing I had help with was putting in the main beam in the porch section since I couldn't lift that on my own but the deck boards are all 20 ft long 2x6 and even the 2x12's underneath weren't that bad on my own.
Here's the deck and and 16 x 16 porch I built at my last house by myself and I had never done anything like it before. The house will fall down before the deck/porch will as I over engineered it with 12 posts under the porch section alone. The only thing I had help with was putting in the main beam in the porch section since I couldn't lift that on my own but the deck boards are all 20 ft long 2x6 and even the 2x12's underneath weren't that bad on my own.
any books or guide that you used for your deck and porch?
I need a deck for my new house.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: MoCo
Must admit like most things I've built I was winging it and it was an excuse to accumlate more tools. There are plenty of books on it at home depot or lowes.
1) You basically dig some holes for the posts, attach a ledger board to your house (needs to be structural) or you can put posts in next to the house and make it free standing.
2) Attach boards to the post and run boards for joists from front to back.
3) nail or screw your boars to the joists. (if you use screws pre drill)
4) put posts and rails on.
There are plenty of books on it at home depot or lowes. 1) You basically dig some holes for the posts, attach a ledger board to your house (needs to be structural) or you can put posts in next to the house and make it free standing.
2) Attach boards to the post and run boards for joists from front to back.
3) nail or screw your boars to the joists. (if you use screws pre drill)
4) put posts and rails on.