One of the most common questions people have regarding a deck and the building process is, “How long does it take?” All of us like to know how long something is going to take so that we can plan accordingly. Of course, we would love to be able to give a very specific answer to this question right off the bat! However, the truth is that many different factors affect the actual length of the building process. What are these factors? Let’s discuss some of them!
Planning & Permits
You may be surprised to learn that the building part of the process is usually not the longest part. The longest part is often planning and acquiring the necessary permits to begin.
It takes a lot of thought to determine where a deck will be placed, what style it will have, and the materials that will be used. Before we can begin building, we must check zoning laws to ensure that we don’t break any ordinances during construction. Usually a permit from the city and occasionally an approval from an HOA must be acquired. This can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks.
Patience is important at this stage since sometimes this process can take longer–or require more hoops to jump through– than initially expected. It is a little easier to keep the process moving when you are working with a licensed contractor who is familiar with building codes and city requirements.
Simple or Custom
Each deck we build is “custom” in the sense that we strive to give each customer exactly what they envision for their deck. That being said, some decks are much simpler to build than others. When we are discussing a simple, straightforward deck construction (an average size of about 300-400 sq ft), our professional crew can complete the process in about a week and sometimes less.
For custom builds that are larger or require more detailed installations, the process could take up to a few weeks. As we work through the process of planning a deck build, we are able to give our clients a better idea of exactly how long their custom deck will take based on the terrain, size and style of the deck, and special features included.
Any Additions
Speaking of special features, the deck building process is also affected by how you might intended to use your new space. Do you want seating built into your deck? Are you planning to have an outdoor kitchen and dining area? Do you want a special area for your hot tub? For these types of construction projects, building the deck itself is just a first step! Custom features like these may lengthen your build by just a little or by a lot.
Now you might have a better idea of the factors that affect a deck build! If you want more information or a personalized quote/timeframe for your project, we welcome you to give us a call! We would be delighted to help with your deck planning process.
