Are you planning to revamp your backyard? Do you want to spruce things up by adding a deck? It’s an exciting project. You may need to research and get help from deck contractors, but it will be worth it. Here’s is how to plan a deck.

Deck Planning Guide

Why Do You Need A Deck?

The most important question you need to ask yourself when planning a deck and having it built or installed, is why do you need it?

There are many reasons why people want a deck. They want to elevate the look of their house and make it look distinct and high. They want to add some new features to the backyard, if it’s too plain, and other times, people are buil a deck because they’re willing to sell their house and want to add some value to the house because decks are loved by potential buyers.

Before diving into the planning part of the deck, you want to ensure why you’re doing this in the first place. Once you know why you want a deck in your house, you can easily decide what kind of measures you want to take to make the deck look perfect. So, always ask yourself this question and you’ll get the answer and the perspective in no time at all.

Are You Allowed To Build One?

Decks and any construction project in residential areas need special permission. You can’t just decide one day that you want to build a deck and start building one without a permit. There is a lot of paperwork that you need to fill and you also need to ask the local authorities for permission to build a deck because there are other people around you.

Whilst building the deck, there will be a lot of ruckus and you want to ensure that people get a heads-up before waking up to banging and construction noises. So, always ask the authorities first because you don’t want to get slapped in the face with multiple lawsuits.

Is The Soil Appropriate For A Deck?

Again, building a deck comes with some prerequisites. You need to assess the ground or soil and ensure that it’s sturdy enough to hold the deck and the weight put on it in the future. This is important.

Firstly, you want to ensure that the ground has soil which isn’t super wet or sedimentary like sand because this type of sand or soil can’t hold up a deck and it will slip and slide as time goes on. This is why you need to evaluate your yard first before going forward with the deck building. This is best done a by a decking expert.

DIY Or Contractor?

Another very important thing to consider when you’re planning for a deck is to decide whether you want to build a deck by yourself or get a contractor involved.

There are different merits and demerits of choosing each option, however, a deck is easy enough to build by yourself if you’re good with handyman work around the house. But if you haven’t done any sort of DIY home improvement project before, then now isn’t a good time to start and you want to stick to the option of a hiring contractor.

Consider The Cost

The next important bit is to figure out the cost of the deck and the budget. Having a budget is important for any type of house renovation or construction because if you have an allocated amount of money that you can spend, then it makes planning so much easier.

You know how much you can spend on a contractor, how many materials fit the budget bracket, and so on. Usually, a deck will cost you anywhere between $1000 to $15000 depending on the size and the material you choose. So, you need to go through this detail wisely.

The Size Of The Deck

Another very important factor to consider when planning to build a deck is to figure out the size of the deck. You might think that the size is predetermined because of the available space on your yard, however, it is up to you to decide how big or small you want your deck to be.

The bigger the deck is, the more expensive it will be to build and the more time it will take, and vice versa. So, you need to evaluate this detail too before actually going ahead and building a deck in your backyard.

Do You Have A Design In Mind?

There are many deck designs out there. You can either go for a standard deck that is ground level, but you can also go for a floating deck, raised deck, covered deck, pool deck, wraparound deck, modern deck, or any other style. There are a lot of options to choose from, however, the main gist is that you should know what you want your deck to look like.

You need to have a certain image of your deck in mind because that will make the whole process a lot easier and you’ll be able to envision everything even before the deck is installed. It is a great thing to do.

Where Will The Deck Be Placed?

Not all decks are attached to the house. Sometimes, they can be placed on the ledge of the pool if you have one. For a deck styles, the placement can be anywhere and a deck for a smaller backyard can be improvised too.

The placement of a deck is really important to figure out as most people think that it’s the job of the contractor to decide where the deck will go, when in reality, it’s yours. So, put on your thinking cap and decide on a wonderful place for the deck. However, you can take advice from the contractor.

The Material Selection

A very important thing to go over when planning to build a deck is the material selection. This is crucial because you want to choose materials that are not only durable, but they are also easy to maintain.

This is going to ensure that you’re not constantly having to deal with repairs and problems in the future because a robust and durable material will last for years to come. You can choose from wood, composite, interlocking plastic panels, and even textured and treated wood for your deck.

Keep The Weather In Mind

You also want to keep the weather in mind. Since the deck will be exposed to the outside environment 24/7, you need to ensure that you’re choosing the right material and design so that the deck doesn’t get damaged or let water accumulate. You also need to think about UV protection and sealing the deck.

This is not mandatory for every material out there because many materials are naturally UV resistant and waterproof, however for materials that aren’t, this step becomes necessary and it’s a part of the deck maintenance routine.

Conclusion

A deck needs some planning before you can get it built, so these tips will help you out a lot and you’ll be a deck planning pro in no time. To avoid basic mistakes and ensure that your deck is installed perfectly and the way you envisioned, hire a certified and skilled deck builder Port Jefferson.