Adding a new deck will enhance your home and increase the value of your property.
The best part is you get to benefit from it for years after you have it installed. A deck can offer you a place of quiet and solace or give you an option for gathering friends and family together. Additionally, adding an awning over your deck will substantially increase the time you'll spend outdoors even more.
Adding a deck leads to more family togetherness. Set up a gas grill on your deck and having a cookout can become an everyday occurrence in the summertime. Cooking up dinner on an outdoor grill will help keep your kitchen cooler by avoiding heating up the stove. Your kids will enjoy dinner when they can eat their meal on the deck. Clean up is easy and you won't have to worry about spills.
If your home is small, an added deck will be the next best thing to putting an addition on your home. A smaller home is more economical and building trends indicate people are looking for smaller homes after years of the opposite being true. But less space is causing people to want to capture more outdoor living space and a deck is the perfect answer.
If your living quarters are a bit tight then the deck will help your family to gain some elbow room from each other. I can personally vouch for this point.
I debated about adding a deck to my last house which was only 900 square feet in size. Once I finally did, I was so happy with my decision! My only regret was not doing it sooner.
We really enjoyed entertaining on our new deck and hanging out in the outdoors rather than in the house. It really helped relieve the closeness of three people living in such a small house. It's a great place for sharing conversation and meals with friends and family!
Build a Deck within Your Budget
Before you decide to hire someone to build a new deck for you, you should decide how much money you have available to throw into a project like this.
Don't waste too much time determining the square footage and other related options until you find out how far your money will go.
Once you have a budget determined, then reach out to a few decking contractors in your area to get estimates. Consider the contractor's reputation and past customer recommendations. Most reputable contractors should be able to show you examples of their work.
Some contractors are more creative than others and looking at past projects can help you get a feel for their abilities.
If you have the know-how to build a deck yourself, then you'll have to consider the price of materials and tool rental if needed.
Once you've determined the money you have available to spend on your new deck, then you can determine how far your money will go!
How the Area will be Used
Two things to consider when planning out an outdoor area for a new deck is the purpose and functionality you expect to enjoy over the years.
Is your intention to build a deck used primarily for quiet, leisurely summer afternoons? Or, is one of your priorities to entertain family and friends with backyard get-togethers?. Do you want to use it yearlong?
If you plan on doing a large amount of grilling, you should plan on where that cooker will be placed. It should be out of the way but yet convenient when mealtime arrives. Some people design their decks with an area just reserved for the cook and his grill!
Consider the flow through traffic, furniture and gathering areas. Also, think about your views. You'll want to consider the view of the deck from various points in your backyard or even how the deck looks from the inside of the house.
A deck should complement the décor and style of the smart home. It is basically an extension of your home and adds long-term value to your home.
Cost of Building a Deck
The cost of building your deck will depend largely depend on options as your common sense will tell you.
You are also required to meet certain building specifications depending on the area you live in. The contractor you hire should be able to fill you in on your local requirements.
Assuming you are paying someone else to install your deck, you will undoubtedly have to spend a minimum of $3000 to just add a small deck with basic railings and a set of stairs.
The construction cost depends on:
The size of the deck: You can install anything from a simple 10x12 deck to decking that covers most of your yard. Decks come with small nodules where hot tubs and grills can be permanently located. The size all depends on you and the size of your property...
The material for the deck: Your deck can be made from cheap wood, expensive wood, pressure treated wood, composite materials, or PVC decking. For the materials that will last the longest and require the least amount of upkeep, you are likely to pay the most money. Natural woods are very economical and they're readily available and easy to work with.
Railings for decks: The deck railings can be a different material from the deck and can be used to add quite a bit of cosmetic appeal. The cost will hinge on the material and complexity of the design you want.
Optional Items: The options can greatly affect the price but it is often worth investing them either at the time the deck is built or in future years.
Sometimes people spread out the payments for the deck by investing in different stages. For instance, hold off a year to add a roof or awning.
Remember to let your contractor know about your future plans. This may affect the way he constructs the deck.
Another addition that can be added in the future is electrical power. The addition of electric outlets and lighting on your deck will add more time spent on the deck. No more abandoning the patio when the sun goes down. You can then add a music system and if you have a permanent awning or roof, you can even add an outdoor cooling ceiling fan.
If you hope to add electric outlets another year, this is also important to mention to the contractor.
For added privacy, you may want to add a privacy wall. It would add aesthetic appeal as well as keep your deck activities private.
Also, remember, a well-planned deck can increase your home's value and the money invested will likely be completely recouped by the selling price of the home.
Awnings and Roofs for Your Deck
By investing money in building enhancements to your deck, you will increase it's worth to you many times over.
For instance, adding some type of roofing or awning over your deck will allow you to use it on days when the sun is just too brutal or when the rain tries to ruin your outdoor plans.
We've all been in the situation where you've planned an outdoor get together at your home and the weather just doesn't want to cooperate. Rain isn't a problem if you have a covering over the deck. You can still enjoy the outdoors no matter what the weather. Sitting on your deck during a nice warm summer rainy evening is actually relaxing.
For people who have trouble sleeping on warm muggy nights, sleeping in a comfortable lounge chair on a covered deck can be very appealing.
The cool night air is refreshing and makes it much easier to sleep...
If you'd like to have the option of tanning on your deck, a retractable awning may be the answer. This way you have the option of allowing the sun to reach your deck or not.
Adding Deck Furniture
During the planning stages be sure to mention any desire you might have for having permanent benches installed in the deck to your contractor.
I would only recommend adding a stationary bench if you are constructing a deck of substantial size. Once they are built into the design they cannot be easily removed.
Once your deck is built, you have the fun of adding some attractive outdoor furniture.
Hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowes usually have a larger selection to choose from than department stores. The styles are many.
Furniture designed for outdoor use now has a more sophisticated look compared to the old webbed folding chairs from the sixties!
Now we have weather-resistant cushions and patio conversation sets made from a variety of materials.
Conversation sets come in wood, wicker, aluminum, steel, rattan, and wrought iron. For people that are "green" conscious, you can even purchase outdoor patio sets made from recycled plastic.
Maintaining the Deck
It really requires little work to maintain your deck. Just an annual maintenance should suffice in most cases. This is a project that can get the whole family involved.
The first thing to do is remove everything from the deck. Any furniture, plants, or items that sit on the floor have to be removed.
Next, using a broom, remove all of the loose direct, foliage and debris that lands in corners and crevices. You should be able to do the majority of this task with an outdoor, long-handled broom.
For a smaller area that you just can't get to with the big broom, use a hand held the broom and do the best you can. It's a good time to remove any algae or moss you find sprouting up which can be a problem when the deck is mostly in shade.
Once you've cleaned up loose dirt from the deck, then it's time to apply a wash with a pressure washer.
Although it's the best tool to remove embedded dirt, it can damage your wooden deck. You very rarely need to use more than 1500 psi. Be cautious with this step as you don't want to do any damage to the deck surface during the process.
Hardware stores carry a wash formulated for cleaning decks or you can make your own mild cleaner. Once the cleaning is completed, you need to fill your pressure washer one final time with clear water to rinse off any remaining chemicals from the deck.
And that's about it! Usually, this is only required once a year.
