The Do's and Don'ts of Choosing A Deck Builder
The latest survey shows that 98% of most homeowners have never purchased a deck. Sudden deck collapse injures and kills people every year. It is usually caused by contractors with insufficient experience in proper deck construction and building safety codes.
When selecting a builder, one of the first big mistakes homeowners make, is to select a builder based on price. Homeowners will typically look to see who could build their deck at the cheapest price, without much other consideration. This is by and large because, the average person do not know or understand the special skills required to build a safe quality deck. There are a number of ways to build a deck, from very poor to excellent, all of which can determine price. Just because a guy is good with a saw and hammer, does not mean that he is a good quality deck builder. Specialized skills are required.
If there were 3 people selling you a car and you did not know the year, make or model, would you make a decision to buy based on price. How would you choose? What would you do? Again, when it comes to decks, too often, the lowest price is chosen without much other consideration. This is one of the main reasons for unsatisfactory results or worst, injury or even death due to deck collapse. Sure you want the best price possible. However, selecting your builder by price only, is not a prudent way to choose a contractor. Educate yourself as much as possible. Also, materials and labor is not the only cost associated with your deck, there are other cost i.e. scheduling, delivery, project management, insurance, permits, drawings, clean up etc.
Homeowners sometime select the cheapest price or negotiate the deal to the point that it is non-profitable. A reputable company will refuse the job and not compromise its integrity. However, another builder, less ethical, may agree to build your deck and then look for ways to make your project profitable. Usually this will take place by cutting quality to such a degree that your deck is rated improperly built and rendered unsafe. In some cases your project may never be completed.
What should you do when selecting a builder if you have no experience and limited knowledge? DO NOT hire inexperienced people, your cousins bother, because he built a deck that looks good to you. If inspected, it will probably have a number of building code violations. DO NOT hire the fireman who decided that deck building, is a good way to use his 3 days off each week. DO NOT hire the handyman or the man in the truck. These people often provide good service to customers but when it comes to decks there are too many safety issues and building codes to leave to a novice.Some things to do and ask:
There are a number of other things to know about the proper construction of your deck. The above questions will at least give you some feedback about the knowledge of your builder. If there is difficulty answering these basic questions, you should consider another builder. Do not deviate in your approach to do due diligence, after all, there is a lots at stake, your safety, your money and the enjoyment of your deck. Remember that price alone tells you very little when it comes to finding a qualified builder for your deck.
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