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Jan 26, 2021
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Seven Considerations Before Building Your Own Deck

If you’ve ever dreamt of building your own deck, most big box home improvement stores offer digital renderings that can allow you to create and customize your very own outdoor living space.  What the stores fail to disclose is the amount of time, money, and skills needed to tackle this type of DIY endeavor.  If you’re toying with the idea of building your own deck, it’s important to understand the challenges of takin on this project.

Top Challenges To Think About Before Building Your Own Deck

1. Deck Warranty Voided If Installed Wrong

While many manufacturers of composite decking offer impressive warranties, these warranties are voided if the installers stray from the specific instructions that accompany the decking materials.  This means if the decking fails prematurely the manufacturer is under no legal obligation to pay out a warranty claim.

TimberTech AZEK Deck & fortress railing

2. Deck Building Tools

Building a deck requires an arsenal of tools including a jigsaw, miter saw, and safety equipment.  If you don’t already own these items, purchasing them for a one-time use can quickly add to the project’s overall cost.

installing TimberTech AZEK

3. Time Commitment For A Large DIY Project

For those with full-time jobs, DIYing their deck means carving out time on nights and weekends to chip away at this project.  This means it could take weeks or even months to complete the deck, depending on the complexity of the project.  Bear in mind that you will need assistance with setting beams and framing the deck.

zuri deck shoreview mn

4. Required Building Code For Decks

Local municipalities have specific building codes for deck building.  Even something seemingly as trivial as railings can have written code that dictates the required spacing between balusters and height specifications.

5. Under Deck Drainage System

Without a working knowledge of drainage, there is the potential to create a scenario where water is filtered into your basement instead of away from it.

Zuri

6. Safety Concerns For Inexperienced Deck Builders:

An expertly crafted deck will have no issue reaching the intended lifespan of the material that was used.  However, a rookie DIYer can easily make mistakes that can lead to the eventual collapse of the deck, severely injuring those that are using it.  It’s also easy for those who don’t regularly use power tools to accidentally harm themselves during the deck building process.   

Go Behind the Scenes on a Composite Deck Built by Our Craftsmen:

7. Whether Or Not A DIY Deck Will Actually Save You Money:

In theory, you can save on labor costs if you build your own deck.  However, if you botch the job and need to call in a quality pro for help, it’s highly probable that you’ll experience a long lead time before they can assist due to high demand.  In addition, the decking contractor may identify areas of the deck not built to code that need to be redone, which will also add to their final price.  Lastly, decking contractors can buy their materials in bulk and homeowners are stuck paying retail prices.

View Our Twin Cities Area Deck Installation Projects:

Twin Cities Area Decking Reviews:

"The guys who built our deck were very courteous and responsive. There were a couple KDAT boards we didn't like because of some big cracks and we showed them and they replaced them without a problem. After the project was finished they sent out their own Lindus inspector who then showed me some other things that we had not noticed and was sending them back out to take care of. We were really impressed with this.  The initial consultation was very informative about a lot of different products out there today. What they are made of, how they are made, how they hold up, and what is best for your personal budget."

Brandon K..
Hammond, WI
July 21, 2022

"Lindus did a fantastic job on our deck."

Colleen O.
Roberts, WI
July 9, 2022

"We had Lindus do our roof in Plymouth in 2020 and a deck replacement on our home in 2021 to 2022 over winter. Everything was done on time, correctly and for a reasonable price, (not inexpensive but material chosen a large factor in that.) The old adage you get what you pay for applies to construction work and Lindus provided good value."

Mark M.
Plymouth, MN
July 7, 2022

"I recently needed my 22 year old wooden deck replaced and contacted Lindus Construction. Dave, the sales rep, was very responsive and answered my questions. He even looked at the other estimates I received and went over them line by line to explain the differences and signed with Lindus. Chad and Logan did the tear down and rebuild of my deck and they were great! Very efficient, cleaned up the area and constructed the deck in a couple of days. I love it! It looks beautiful and is very well constructed. Then a couple of weeks later, Josh from Lindus called to ask to inspect the deck. I couldn't believe it. Lindus has their own inspectors! I've never seen that before. If you need a new deck, I'd highly recommend contacting Lindus Construction. They aren't the cheapest...but they are the best quality!"

Ginnee B.
Prior Lake, MN
July 5, 2022

"Great working with Lindus.  Easy to see the work being done and if had any questions they willing to answer an explain."

Diane S.
Prior Lake, MN
June 13, 2022

"Couldn't be happier with our new deck! Fast, clean, great craftsmanship - it'll outlast the house."

Karen J.
Minneapolis, MN
May 23, 2022
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