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Home Repair

4 Mistakes To Avoid When Adding A Deck To Your Home

Your deck designs may be impeccable, you may have all the right tools for the job. But if you commit any of these major mistakes during the construction phase of your new deck, you may find yourself doing the work all over again. That’s nobody’s idea of a good time and it could end up costing you two to three times more than you expected in rebuilding costs, fines, and other surprise expenses.

Don’t go into this job without dotting all those i’s and crossing your t’s. Good planning is the most important step of this process, so unless you want to call a deck contractor wilmington de to do the work instead, you should be careful to avoid committing these four most common mistakes when adding a deck to your home.

1.Permits

This is a top priority and one that gets overlooked far too often. You must obtain all the necessary permits that are required by law as per your local and state statutes. Be sure to contact any county or city building departments in order to ascertain what is needed and don’t forget to contact your homeowner’s association should you have one that governs your gated community or subdivision.

Starting work without a permit could result in the work being shut down and even the deck be torn down once it’s been completed. You may have to pay a fee to obtain your permit but you may also not need a permit based on the size and height of the deck you plan to build. So do your homework first.

2. Clearance and Access Planning

The placement of the deck will require some consideration of the existing surrounding factors that may be disrupted by your new addition. Windows near the deck will need to be left unobstructed, as well as any pipes and faucets, air-conditioning units, lighting and electrical outlets. If you are planning on putting in stairs that will be located near any windows, you may have to replace the glass in those windows with tempered panes.

3. Choosing Materials

Most homeowners will go with some type of wood decking though others are also available as good alternatives. Regardless of which you choose, be sure you are getting high-quality materials to build your deck so your new addition looks great and holds up for years to come.

Consider the climate in which you live, does it see a lot of rainfall, high wind, and/or direct sunlight? You will want to find the best materials to withstand these types of impacts from the weather. You should also factor in your ability and willingness to administer routine maintenance to the material you select, then buy accordingly. If you go with natural woods, you will need to seal it, even if it’s been pressure-treated.

4. Foundation

The foundation is the most important component of your deck. If that hasn’t been built and set properly, everything else is at risk of collapse. It’s that simple. So be sure you know exactly what you are doing when you digging the footings for the deck and you must account for the shifting, moving, and freezing that can occur with soil in your particular climate region.