Have You Built A Deck Recently?

[AKL_Megs]

If so, how much did you spend on supplies?

My DH and dad are getting ready to build us a deck this spring.

We will be using pressure treated wood.

The dimensions will be either 12x16 or 12x 18, with simple railings and three steps down.

Nothing major at all.

I would imagine it would look something like this...

 

[doxdogy]

I am sure if you go to Lowe's or Home Depot, they will be able to give you a ROUGH estimate of the cost. I would imagine that it could easily range in price. More than likely a couple of grand.

 

[Mommee]

We did but it was years ago so prices likely have changed. We spent $1300. If you go to Lowe's they'll draw up the deck and print you out a parts list and price quote.

 

[DISdreamin']

We built a 23' x 32' deck (huge, but slightly less square footage than it sound like because some space is taken up by our kitchen bumpout) with pressure treated wood, except for the ballusters which were bronze-ish metal ones from Lowes. The total cost, including having concrete for the footers delivered (had to pay a split load charge), as well as rentals, ran about $6K. We had to rent a big auger at a cost of about $300 including delivery because the smaller augers just wouldn't get through the soil and backfill material in our yard! We also paid to have the wood delivered, which ran about $50. We ordered the decking wood from a local place that sent MUCH higher quality stuff than we saw at Lowes or Home Depot.

The metal ballusters added a LOT to the cost (at least $500 or so, I think) but they were SO worth it. It's so much easier to see out to the yard with them! We really love the deck, although truth to tell I lobbied to make it much smaller. I wanted it 18' out, at most...DH pushed and got it to the size that it ended up.

Oh, and if you go to Lowes or HD, they should have someone who can work with you on their deck-building software. It will give you an estimate of completed costs. One of them has something online - I think it's Lowes - too.

 

[mackeysmom]

Just a word of warning from somebody who is going through this ...

If permits are necessary for this project - make sure you get one up-front.

In my area - a permit is needed if the deck is more than 12 inches off the ground. I only found out because my mother never got a permit for her deck - I'm now trying to sell her house and I'm having such a hard time getting the permits "after the fact". The deck (along with an unpermited basement bathroom) have already cost me close to $10K to get approved.

I know things differ from area to area - but it might be worth it to check it out, even if you have to lay out a few bucks in the beginning, rather than deal with a nightmare if you try to sell.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes we did. In fact it was just finished on Fri. Now we hired someone to put it in. Even though we did composite we are going to stain the lower framing which is not composite and probably put in some lattice, so we are not finished.

Permits and inspections were included in labor. We had to have a footing inspection and a final inspection here. Final inspection is on Mon.

Our deck is set on piering. The concrete piering is the required depth for inspection and safety. I can't remember the depth, but it is about 4ft at least. Our depth has to be below the frost line which varies by region.

Concrete ran 97.00

Framing wood was 970.00

Materials were about 8,000. (We did a composite deck with expensive composite rails.)

Labor was 5,000.

You are going to have to spend money for a post hole digger and you will need something to mix up the concrete in. Plus include stain into your cost. That stuff is not cheap.

In your pic example you really need piering. I would not put in a deck without it. That example is going to rot and fall over.

Anyway here is our deck. It is about 12 X 27 (there is a kick out of 14 there)

Here is the piering.

 

[Buckalew11]

Just a word of warning from somebody who is going through this ...

If permits are necessary for this project - make sure you get one up-front.

In my area - a permit is needed if the deck is more than 12 inches off the ground. I only found out because my mother never got a permit for her deck - I'm now trying to sell her house and I'm having such a hard time getting the permits "after the fact". The deck (along with an unpermited basement bathroom) have already cost me close to $10K to get approved.

I know things differ from area to area - but it might be worth it to check it out, even if you have to lay out a few bucks in the beginning, rather than deal with a nightmare if you try to sell.

exactly. Plus there are rules for the railings that differ from area to area. We were lucky not to have to have those spindle things like in your picture. I wanted to be able to see out easily into my backyard without all that in my view. I think my porch was within 3" of needing those spindle thingees.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Yes we did. In fact it was just finished on Fri. Now we hired someone to put it in. Even though we did composite we are going to stain the lower framing which is not composite and probably put in some lattice, so we are not finished.

Permits and inspections were included in labor. We had to have a footing inspection and a final inspection here. Final inspection is on Mon.

Our deck is set on piering. The concrete piering is the required depth for inspection and safety. I can't remember the depth, but it is about 4ft at least. Our depth has to be below the frost line which varies by region.

Concrete ran 97.00

Framing wood was 970.00

Materials were about 8,000. (We did a composite deck with expensive composite rails.)

Labor was 5,000.

You are going to have to spend money for a post hole digger and you will need something to mix up the concrete in. Plus include stain into your cost. That stuff is not cheap.

In your pic example you really need piering. I would not put in a deck without it. That example is going to rot and fall over.

Anyway here is our deck. It is about 12 X 27 (there is a kick out of 14 there)

Here is the piering.

Ooooh... nice! I LOVE your deck! It looks GREAT!!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Ooooh... nice! I LOVE your deck! It looks GREAT!!!

Thanks. Too bad it is raining now and we can't enjoy it this weekend.

Soon we are going to get the grill on there and the furniture.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Thanks. Too bad it is raining now and we can't enjoy it this weekend.

Soon we are going to get the grill on there and the furniture.

Nice! We are still waiting for it to get a little warmer before we begin. We'll see what happens.

Enjoy your deck, she's a beauty!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

It's so hard to get somebody to give you an estimate unless they come see it. I am having some work done on an existing deck (having it properly bolted to the house, fixing up the wood, perhaps doing something about the spacing of the railing) and nobody would even give me an estimate until they come out to see it.