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Raleigh-Durham
Deck Builders
Hiring a Raleigh-Durham
Deck Builder
Please read this quick guide to hiring a Raleigh-Durham deck building company (it will help,
we promise!) Or click here to simply see our suggestions and contact information for 7 top Raleigh-Durham deck builders
Hiring a Raleigh-Durham contractor to build your deck is not always an easy
task. There are several factors to consider when hiring someone to build a deck.
First, there are many people out there who call themselves Deck Builders. Look under 'Decks' in the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, or Chapel Hill phone books and you will see what we mean…there are tons of deck builders listed in each area. Also, there are often 'underground' deck builders that are out dropping business cards and trying to get customers. Many times these are individuals who work at various other home service jobs, but offer their services as deck builders on the side.
Second, the barriers to calling oneself a professional deck builder are small. People don't necessarily need a lot of fancy equipment or tools to start a deck building business. Therefore, individuals that have hammered a few nails before can try to trick you into believing they are a highly skilled and experienced Raleigh-Durham deck contractor. If you have a truck, a tool belt, and a business card you could fool a lot of people! This is especially worrisome considering that decks are structures that often support many people and are tied into your existing home. A poorly built deck could result in injury or structural damage to your home.
Finally, there is the fact that companies that build decks often offer a wide range of other services. Some deck builders' main business may be installing windows or siding. This can make it confusing as to who really has the
experience to build the perfect Raleigh-Durham deck for you.
So what do you do when looking for a Deck Builder in the Raleigh-Durham and surrounding areas?
We recommend:
• Asking your friends and neighbors to see if they have had good or bad experiences with local Raleigh-Durham deck builders. Simply knowing that another person has had a good experience with a deck builder prior to calling them lessens your chance of hiring a problem. The Super 7 can help you locate top Raleigh-Durham contractors.
• If you have the time, call a few deck builders to look at your project. This will help you determine fair market price for your job. This does not mean you should always go with the lowest price, you should go with the company you feel most comfortable with and who you feel will do the best job. If an individual is offering a real low price you should ask yourself "why?".
• If you don't have the time, we suggest using The Super 7 to locate the one company you choose to build your house deck. We have a list of Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill deck contractors that appear to meet our standards to be considered quality professionals. In fact, our
"Certified Super" listed companies have proven that they do! We also require customers to voice their experience about their deck builder to help ensure that they meet your needs.
• Make sure the company or individual has insurance. Building decks usually involves power tools and plenty of opportunities for injury. As mentioned above there are many fly-by-night deck builders that may not be insured. Ask them for their insurance company's phone number and call them to prove they are insured.
If you skip this part you could be held liable for an uninsured deck builder's injury while working on your house. They should also have liability insurance. If they do something that ruins part of your house they should be insured to pay for their mistakes.
• Ask the deck builder to help you determine the best design for your deck. If you are looking for an extremely low price, keep in mind that the deck builder may loose some quality in products or labor to meet the low budget. It is worth the extra money to make sure that your deck is done right…otherwise you will pay more money in the long run. Ask to see examples of finished Raleigh-Durham decks they have built.
• Determine whether you will want to seal or stain your deck. Some people also prefer to leave the wood alone and let it age naturally.
• Always get a statement of work to be performed in writing. Keep this filed away. Make sure the document clearly states what work is to be performed.
• Ask if your deck builder's work comes with guarantees. Make sure you get these things in writing. These are all factors to weigh when looking at the estimates left by different Raleigh-Durham deck builders.
• Some deck builders require an upfront payment. If you have hired a smaller deck building service, they may require money upfront to help pay for materials. Make sure you have a refund policy stated in your agreement if they end up not working out. Also, this upfront amount should never be over 30% of the total cost of your job.
• Check in on the deck builder's progress regularly…try to catch potential problems or misunderstandings before it is too late.
• If the deck builder does a great job tell them you will recommend them on The Super 7!
• If they don't do a good job ask them to fix the issue or you will let other Raleigh-Durham residents know about their poor performance on The Super 7 website!
Good luck with your Raleigh-Durham Deck Building needs!
The Super 7 provides 7 quality deck builders in the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and surrounding areas. Click here for our Super7 Deck builders!
More helpful short articles to help with your deck building needs:
Outdoor Decks- Understanding Seven Elements of Good Designs
A Great Resource for Deck Ideas and Research
General Suggestions for Hiring Raleigh-Durham Contractors
Paying Your Raleigh-Durham Contractor
How to Avoid Hiring Bad Contractors
How Contractor Pricing Relates to Satisfaction
Finding and Using the Proper Contractor References
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