Every job below is one we do ourselves across San Diego.
We build new decks from the footings up, sized and framed for the load they'll actually carry. Footings go below grade to the depth San Diego County code requires, and we use joist hangers and structural screws instead of toe-nailing, because toe-nailed joists are one of the first things that works loose.
We'll draw up a layout that works with your yard, whether that's a single level off the kitchen or a multi-level deck stepping down a slope. We account for beam spans, joist spacing and post placement before anything gets priced, so the design you approve is the one that actually gets built.
Soft boards, wobbly stairs, railings that move when you lean on them, a deck pulling away from the house, we fix it. Most repairs start with pulling a few boards to see how far the rot or damage has actually spread before deciding whether it's a patch job or a bigger rebuild.
When the frame underneath is still solid but the boards are cupped, gray or splintering, we strip the old decking and replace it without touching the structure. It's a faster, cheaper way to get a deck that looks new, as long as the joists underneath check out.
San Diego sun bleaches and dries out wood fast, even without the freeze-thaw cycles other climates deal with. We pressure wash, let the wood dry fully, then stain and seal it, usually every one to two years depending on sun exposure, to keep water out of the grain.
Composite boards don't rot, splinter or need staining, which is why a lot of homeowners switch over after their second or third round of refinishing a wood deck. We still frame it the same way underneath, hidden fastener systems included, so the surface stays smooth and the screw heads don't show.
Wood, metal or cable rail, set to the 36 to 42 inch height code calls for, with posts through-bolted into the frame instead of just screwed to the rim joist. Baluster spacing follows the 4-inch rule so a small kid can't squeeze through.
This is the part nobody sees once the boards go down, and it's the part that actually holds the deck up. We replace rotted ledger boards, undersized beams and joists that were never sistered properly, usually found during a repair or resurfacing job.
A pergola or a solid roof over part of the deck gives you shade in the afternoon without closing the yard in. We tie the structure into the existing framing or set new posts and footings, depending on what the deck underneath can handle.
Old decks get torn out board by board, and we haul away every piece including the fasteners that always end up buried in the dirt underneath. Clean demolition up front makes it easier to catch rot in the posts and ledger before a new deck goes on top.
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.
We bring the same crew and the same process to every town we cover.
What tends to come up once a project actually gets going.
Describe the problem and we will tell you what it probably is. No obligation.