Deck Builders in Seattle, WA (Washington)

Seattle Deck Builders

At a glance, Seattle may not seem like the best place to build a deck. As Seattleites know, drizzle and rain is not a year-round price for living in the Rainy City. For five months of the year, we get near perfect weather befitting our more official nickname, Emerald City. Where other parts of the country may not play hide-and-seek with the sun for seven months, blistering 90+ degrees for weeks or even months on end doesn't make for the most relaxing afternoon siesta, either. Plus, as Seattleites, we know how to cherish the great summer weather, making a deck installation a more than worthwhile investment.

Planning an Installation

• Designing your Deck

  There are essentially two types of deck installations in Seattle: the summer deck and the year-round deck. To make your deck serviceable for 12 months a year or close to it, you'll need to include some type of cover and an outdoor heater or two. You might also think about building a partial awning and a simple outdoor heater can give you limited use of your deck without blocking out the summer sun. To really go the distance, you can also take a page from Safeco's design and install a retractable/removable covering.

• Choosing a Deck Material

  Wood is classic, but there are also a growing number of synthetic composites. Keep in mind, though, that synthetics, like different species of wood, have different grades and quality. You can't assume a synthetic deck material is unsusceptible to water or structural damage just because it's synthetic. Most deck materials will also require periodic maintenance.

  Don't get tunnel-vision on the base cost of a decking material, either. The cost of installation can also be a substantial factor. This is what one homeowner told us about his Seattle deck installation: "We are happy with the deck, but if I were to do it again, I might choose a different product. The Tiger claw hidden fastener systems are very difficult to work with. I would look at Fiberon Tropics with the tiger claw phantom fastener system. The decking is more expensive, but I think you would save in the long run because the pre-grooved fasteners look very easy to work with."

• Cost of a Deck Builder

  Naturally, there's no way to estimate how much your deck might cost until you talk to your contractor, but we can give you some raw figures. The average Seattle deck installation runs right around $10,000, but we've seen this figure dip as low as $2,000 or as much as $20,000, which is far from the upper limit if you want a large, luxury deck. You can begin to see where your deck might fall by looking at the size and design of your deck, but keep in mind that a small deck built with premium materials and a larger deck built on a shoestring budget might yield similar bids.

• Pick the Right Season

  As with so many home improvement projects and essentially any work done outside your home, weather plays a huge role in the timeline and ease of installation. Have your deck built in the summer, and you'll be saving you and your contractor a bunch of headaches. In fact, it's fairly common for more comprehensive home improvement companies to focus on decks, porches, and other outdoor projects during the summer and then take their services indoors during the winter. You can still find a contractor who will build you a deck, just be sure to plan for inevitable delays. Of course, it's virtually impossible to over-plan a home improvement project and decks are no different. Talking to a contractor in February or March is a great idea to get everything ready for when the dry season arrives. Your project can be one of the first on the company's slate, and this will leave you all summer to enjoy your new deck.

For Seattle Homeowners

As with any major home improvement, it's a good idea to budget an extra 10 to 20 percent of the cost, as unforeseeable obstacles often arise. For this same reason, you should never be required to pay upfront for your deck installation. Reliable, trustworthy Seattle deck builders tend to ask for payment that mirrors the construction. Communication is paramount. Don't cut corners during the hiring process, either. Talking with at least three contractors will help guarantee you find a reasonable bid from a contractor you feel comfortable working with and who understands what you want from your deck.