Every job below is one we do ourselves across Sarasota.
We frame new decks from the footings up, setting posts on poured concrete footings sized for the soil and the load above them. Joists get hung with galvanized or stainless hangers, sixteen inches on center for most residential decks, and we adjust that spacing for composite boards that need more support.
We replace individual boards, joists or posts instead of tearing out a whole deck when only part of it has failed. Rot usually starts where a post meets a footing or where a ledger board wasn't flashed, so we check both before we quote a fix.
Pressure-treated pine gets a fresh coat of stain and sealer every one to two years out here, more often on decks that get full afternoon sun. We pressure wash first at a low setting so we don't chew up the wood grain, let it dry a full day or two, then stain.
We'll draw up a deck layout around how you actually use your yard, whether that's a straight run off the kitchen or a multi-level deck stepping down to a pool. We size the framing and pick the railing style before we ever pour a footing, so there are no surprises once material's on order.
Composite boards like Trex or TimberTech don't rot, splinter or need annual staining, which matters if you'd rather use the deck than maintain it. They do need proper joist spacing and a manufacturer-specified expansion gap between boards, which we follow to the letter so the deck doesn't buckle in the heat.
Florida code calls for railings at least 36 inches high on most residential decks, with balusters spaced so a 4-inch sphere can't pass through. We build railings to hold that spacing and pass inspection the first time, in wood, cable or aluminum.
Sometimes the frame underneath is solid and only the decking itself has gone soft or gray. We pull the old boards, check every joist while it's exposed, and lay new decking without touching what doesn't need it.
Humidity and shade turn a deck green fast around here, and mildew makes wood slick underfoot. We wash at a pressure low enough to clean without opening up the grain, which is where water gets in and starts rot.
Pool decks take more splashing, sun and bare feet than a regular deck, so we build them with boards that drain fast and don't hold standing water against the frame. We also keep fastener heads countersunk so nobody catches a toe on a screw.
A screen enclosure over an existing or new deck keeps the bugs out without losing the outdoor feel. We frame the enclosure to tie into the existing deck structure, not just sit on top of it, so it holds up in wind.
Four steps, and no surprises in any of them.
You tell us what you want doing, we look at what is actually there, and we ask the awkward questions early.
In writing, itemised, free. If something might add cost later we flag it now rather than at the end.
Same crew throughout. We cover your floors, keep the dust down and tidy up before we leave each day.
You point out anything you are not happy with and we fix it before the invoice, not after.
Deck construction and repair covers these communities and the areas between them.
Questions that come up once a deck project is actually underway.
Describe the problem and we will tell you what it probably is. No obligation.
