ARH Decks and Roofs

Everything went really well. At my request the date for work to begin was pushed back from early February to late February.? They were very gracious about my request to postpone the work. The job was completed in 2 days and everything was left very clean and neat.? They even put down grass seed when they had disturbed the ground digging new support posts.

From start to finish everything went according to plan. From the first meeting with Garry until the last board was fastened everything was as written and promised. We had a large tear down of two existing structures which was no easy task. The tear down of the existing side structure happened after 5pm. Imagine a contractor who works after 5 to get things going. I knew then that they meant business. Construction on the new structure started the next morning. We were down sizing our structure from a two tired deck to a more conservative porch. We also on Garry's suggestion went from wood to composite material. Let me tell you for the extra money it was worth choosing composite both for looks and appeal. If you are on the fence please choose composite. We had a small issue addressed once the old deck was torn down which was addressed quickly at the initial install in which our header board was slightly exposed to water, our house is 40 years old. So new header installed and off we went. As you can imagine when you downsize your structure we had ground uncovered and I questioned how to address it. I decided in 6 mil plastic and white stone. I'll admit it was a good choice on my part and it became the last piece of the puzzle. I now have a new porch on both sides of my house. The composite work requires patience and attention to detail. On these points the crew hit it out of the park. Except for not hooking my GFI outlet back to the new structure the final grade was 99 out of 100. The project began on a Wednesday and it ended on Saturday around noon which was the estimated time frame. I have had more then a few contractors do work in my house over the 20 years I've lived there and I have to say this has been an extremely well executed project. From the first meeting to the crew being prompt and working long hours, to dumpster delivery, stone delivery and more it was really seem less. Please give ARH full consideration when you are considering a deck project for your home. 04/18/2016 Yours truly, Patrick

In January, Gary came and discussed the options and gave me an estimate. Originally I requested they begin work around February 15. Partly because of the weather, I later requested they put off building the deck until after February 20. They were fine with that. They actually began work on Feb. 25. The 2 men who did the work were great. They worked steadily and did a good job. When they tore down my old wood deck they discovered a problem. My outside water pipe, which runs most of the length of the deck, just inside the wall, was almost completely exposed. It was only protected by a thin piece of black paper and the deck itself. No wonder I have had such a problem with that pipe freezing! There was an extra $250 charge for them to run to Home Depot and buy insulation but it was fixed quickly. Thank you guys for telling me about the problem instead of just covering it up with the new deck. When the job was finished the cleanup was perfect. They even put down grass seed! I would highly recommend this company.

I am very impressed. Garry was the estimator, very nice and helpful but the stars were James and Paul, the carpenters. These guys were true artists. They did superior work and are true experts. They were also extremely helpful and friendly. It was a true pleasure doing business with them and I would do so again in a heartbeat. Thanks guys for a wonderful job.

Excellent on all fronts! I am now the envy of the neighborhood!

I will start with the bottomline -- "Spectacular". We had no clue that the deck would look this good. We spoke with Garry Hessler who came out to our home promptly. Very professionally and courteously spoke to us, and understood what we wanted. He then proceeded to walk out back with us, described in detail what he could do and made some recommendations. Then he surprised us by drawing out a rough sketch of the deck and offering us a firm estimate Right On The Spot. He was so confident about the product he was offering and the quality of workmanship that he gave us time to think about it if we wanted...no pressure at all. Now this was the fourth estimate that we got in the space of a month, and we were already well versed in the technical details of a Fiberon deck and we knew what Garry was offering us, was more than fair. Still we decided to take a day to think about it, and then decided that since ARH could give us the deck in time to enjoy some of summer, we would go with them. Note: All the other deck estimates we had requested, took at least 10 days to come in, and even with that, there were qualifiers...if the soil was an issue, the cost would increase, our gas meter line needed to be removed...etc. ARH simply said -- "No issue" we will work around these...they also assured us that if there was an issue that they found later, the estimate would not change! Being that this was a large deck, and that they had to cut through an asphalt driveway that ran around our home, we thought that this would take a few weeks. Well we reckoned without knowing how efficient Brian and his crew (totally 3) were. The deck was essentially completed within 5 days -- this is with delays due to the torrential downpours that resulted in them having to work shorter hours on two days. I truly have never seen people work so hard (physically), and so efficiently. Everything was so neat, they were courteous and polite (and frankly they did not even need to ask us any questions). They came in, made quick progress but were still very detail oriented. They cleaned up the workplace every day when they were done and honestly worked like machines, taking just about an hour for a lunch break. When they were done, we did a walk around with Brian and everything was so well done. We got a gorgeous deck and also now have a lovely place below the deck. Garry called today to see how things went, and will be dropping by for another walk through just to ensure that we are totally happy. My wife was the one who found ARH on Angies list and she decided to follow up and at least get a quote from them before we went with someone else (who would put us on their list and get this done a few months from now). I am so glad that she did. We were (and are) impressed with the fact that Garry, Brian and his crew are just regular folk, no nonsense and no unnecessary flair. They are honest people who tell you exactly what they can do, and then deliver more than you would expect. We highly recommend ARH if you are planning to get a deck done - in our opinion, you cannot go wrong. Thanks Garry, Brian (and crew), and Angies list!

It went exactly as planned. Gary was very responsive to our needs and made sure everything turned out the way we expected.

This process started when I was planning to have my yard landscaped. When the landscaper showed me a photo she had taken of my flower bed at the base of my porch, it was like I saw the porch for the first time. It was concrete block, cracked, stained, and very dated. It had been installed in the early 1950s, when it replaced the original old wooden porch. I searched the list, and was impressed with the reviews for ARH decks, and liked that it was family owned and operated. I called Anthony Hessler for an estimate, and his uncle, Gary Hessler made an appointment for the next day. Gary is a knowledgable and pleasant person with whom to work. I felt comfortable immediately, and decided not to get additional opinions. Gary suggested a 10 x 16 foot deck of composite, trouble-free material. We worked together on where to place the steps, and I selected the decking materials, with Horizon Ipe as the deck color, and white trim and latice. The railings are white with black spindles. The work started on the agreed-upon date, with two men who demolished the old porch in a matter of hours. They worked without a break, even when it rained. Unfortunately, pulling down the old porch revealed a total mess of the masonry, created, apparently, when the original porch was pulled down. There were exposed wooden slats stuffed with newspapers, and a deep crack down to the ground. I told Gary that I definitely wanted that repaired before any other work could be done, and he certainly agreed. The two men who built the deck, Brian and Nate, knew exactly what needed to be done to repair the masonry, and they did a beautiful job repairing it. The house is stucco, built in 1929, so the repairs were even more extensive than it originally appeared. Brian could just pull chunks of old masonry off the house. He cleared away everything that needed to be removed, and did a tremendous job repairing and painting. There was always water damaging the basement wall at that spot, and now I certainly know the cause. This should make a big difference. The masonry work, supplies and labor, cost an additional $600, which was very reasonable. I also asked Brian to level the concrete pad that was under the old porch, to prevent water from pooling there, and he made repairs to that as well. Brian and Nate worked long, hard hours building the deck, It is more beautiful than I could have imagined. It goes so well with the while stucco house that to me and to several of my neighbors, it's like it's always been there. Never having had a deck before, I was unaware of just how hot the deck could become. I noticed my dog lifting his paws while he was standing on it. I put him in the house, and then touched the deck, and it was burning hot. A birds egg had been dropped and broken on the deck, and the egg yolk was cooked! I am totally enjoying my new deck, and can highly recommend ARH Decks.

I didn't have a chance to meet with this provider his reviews were so good I assume he was too busy to do my job I really wanted to use them but just couldn't he didn't get back to me

Received a call back the same day to schedule an estimate. They came at the exact time they said they would and spent time asking questions and answering questions about our project. Very professional and courteous.

Team came on site a little late due to traffic , but was on top of the plan and had the deck fixed in a couple of hours. Nice job !

Still a few small items to wrap up, but the process has been better than expected. Chose ARH because of the small business model with owner support. Tony, Garry, James and crew have gone out of their way to get it exactly how we want. Changed a few things along the way like lighting to make it exactly what we want. Our project was on the large side but price was fair, reasonable, and below many competitors. Quality is great. They worked with us on some small concerns we had to get it just right. Would definitely recommend them. In fact have had many neighbors see their work and love it enough to get their own quotes

ARH performed the service with the materials as agreed upon. The materials were definitely thicker than my neighbor's new deck and you can really see the quality of the wood. Jared and his team immediately went to work and helped me with moving the furniture and some planters from the existing deck. They took care to make sure that the furniture was properly placed in the home, they also took care of throwing the stuff that we had decided to get rid of. Work progressed very quick since the team worked non-stop. The team definitely cleaned up after every phase. When the work was done, we inspected the deck, it really made me feel like i have a brand new deck. It was only when you are below the deck do you see the old structure. This was definitely well worth the investment. There was a bit of damage in the old beam where the old post was pulled out, which we did not see in the initial inspection. As soon as I contacted ARH, Jared was out the next available date (which was really just a few days) and fixed it. I fully recommend ARH decks and have great confidence sending them future referrals. This is an A++++ contractor.

A great experience. ARH was professional and courteous. My balcony and the deck above me were replaced at the same time. Because of the weather, ARH was not able to finish the project in one day. They returned on Sunday and finished the project beautifully. First of all, it's unheard of that any contractor would work on Sunday and they completed the job as promised. And secondly, they did a great job of cleaning up. Nothing at all left behind. I would recommend these guys in a heartbeat to do the job you need.

I had gotten several estimates to repair my existing (and damaged) cement and brick raised back porch, and also estimates to replace it with a composite deck. Since the difference in price wasn't that significant, we decided to go with the composite; ARH Decks offered the best pricing. I had done some research online because they do not use Trex products (which many other companies do), but the Fiberon product they supply seemed like good material based on what I read. Garry whom I dealt with at ARH left me with samples for a couple of days so that I could decide on colors. Once the contract was signed, the workers were here at date and time promised. Demolition and removal of existing porch was a slow process with mostly older workers carrying broken cement slabs piece by piece to front dumpster. Since the extra day or so for this work didn't affect my stated installation schedule I was fine with this. Garry had told me that they could bring in equipment to do the job faster but it would probably cause some damage to the lawn, so we kept the work going as is. Because it was so time-consuming to remove all the existing structure after most of it had been demolished, Garry offered to install lattice all around beneath the deck, at no charge, to cover whatever dirt or rubble was remaining. This was greatly appreciated and certainly looks nicer than having nothing beneath the deck (even if all the dirt, etc. had been removed). Garry didn't ask for a deposit until after the deck materials were delivered. The team doing the installation were very nice and polite. They gave me plenty of time to decide placement of posts relative to steps (since I was only doing a banister on one side). When the installation was done, they hosed it off to remove their footprints and dust. My new deck looks very nice and I'm happy with the job.

ARH gave us the lowest quote of all the deck companies we got quotes from, and we couldn't be more pleased. The removal process of the old deck had a hiccup when they found an attached cement deck built originally with the house under the rotting deck, but they removed it at no additional cost to us. Our new deck is fantastic, composite wood that requires no maintenance. We couldn't be happier. If you decide to go with ARH, ask for Gary and tell him Steve Dietrich sent you and he'll treat you right.

We couldn't be happier. I'm late putting this review in because I've been too busy enjoying the porch. The team did a wonderful job and completed the job quickly in about the timeframe originally quoted. The only delay was due to some electrical work changes that I had requested. The price was very reasonable and compared favorably with the other quotes we received. Tony was able to adjust the design and get the necessary approvals to get the gable room style we wanted. During construction, the project manager Jarod and carpenter Ron, and Jerry were always responsive, polite, and very hard working.

The deck we had installed is a 12 x 12 composite deck with wood-like planks for the floor, black vertical railings and white top railings. ARH removed the old, existing structure that had some rot. They put in a slightly larger deck than we had there before - big enough to fit our patio set and barbeque. Everything went according to the plan. Garry came out and measured and advised us on the best materials to select. We went with composite after years of power washing, staining and eventually painting every other wood deck we have had in previous houses. This new deck requires no maintenance which is great for us. It was slightly more expensive than pressure treated lumber would have been but we will more than make up the cost in no/low maintenance. The deck was built within a week and looks magnificent! I paid partly with check and partly with credit card which worked well for us. Garry, Tony and all the crew are professional, courteous and craftsmen who take their work seriously. And they clean up afterwards! I would definitely use them again. I had previously called American Deck who had built the last two decks on our old house and after two conversations with them they never called me back again to follow up. Hence I started looking on Angie's List and am so glad I did!

The project began with us researching multiple Angieslist contractors with high ratings (B+ and above), and almost all provided the same services with different pricing. Tony of ARH Decks came out promptly and provided an estimate for the deck. He was excited to help us with our deck project and took the time to explain the process to us and answer the many questions we had. ARH Decks was the lowest price by approximately $1000 compared to the next closest competitor. After we signed the contract and received HOA approval Tony and his team built the deck within 7 days. We can't say enough good things about how amazing the deck looks and how stable it feels. In addition communicating with Tony and his team was seamless. Tony responded back to our calls almost immediately and if he was on another project then within an hour. The company also provides a 1 year standard warranty in case there were any issues. We greatly appreciate all the work Tony and the ARH team did to construct our gorgeous deck on the back of our townhome. Thank You ARH Decks!! Timeline 5/25/14 - contract estimate provided 6/8/14 - contract signed 6/19/14 - HoA approval 7/7/14 - Deck Construction Started 7/9/14 - Initial payment made 7/10/14 - Deck Completed 7/15/14 - After the project was completed we spotted a couple of dinged boards/pickets. Tony and his team arrived promptly and replaced the wood, at this point final payment made 7/21/14 - We recently had rain showers in the area and a couple of the knots in the boards have become holes, we will be calling ARH to have them replaced 7/25/14 - Called Tony about the board/picket replacement and he agreed to help us out and replace the boards and pickets 7/31/14 - Team came out and replaced the boards! We were pleasantly surprised to see them come out and do the work. Based on passed experience we would have expected him to charge us or to stop responding to our phone calls. Amazing! Late August - Scheduled for staining We HIGHLY recommend ARH Decks! Homeowners in Pikesville.

First of all, I am very pleased with the workmanship on both decks. It was a pleasure to work with Tony Hessler who helped me to figure the best architectural configuration based upon my stated requirements. Tony came out and spent an hour explaining how they would execute the job if awarded the work. I really appreciated his time and the rapport we built. Once the work started a lumber delivery was made which damaged my driveway and left an unsightly hole. This delivery was NOT made by ARH Decks, but by their vendor "Fence & Deck Direct, Inc of Halehorpe who is responsible for creating the damage. They have promised to fix the damage, but as of today, a month after the work started it is still not fixed. I gave an A for every rate category except punctuality and professionalism. It is true we did have bad weather for a few days and the company could not work. However, I was given the impression on two occasions when the weather was fine they would be there to work and they did not show up nor voluntarily communicate they would not be showing up. I mention this only because it is just a bit irritating. On price (A) the ARH decks price was very competitive for the scope of work. On Quality (A) their workmanship is great and Jarrod the project manager who led the project is a first rate carpenter. On Responsiveness (A) every time I called or text Tony he responded quickly and positively. On professionalism (B) the team worked quickly and professionally in all matters and completely cleaned the debris from my yard after completion. One more thing, we had specified that the stairs would descend from the upper deck from a certain location on the main deck and found because of building codes the angle and size would interfere with the placement of the hot tub. Jarrod reconfigured the landing and stairs to accommodate and Tony worked with me to reprice the work equitably. I give ARH Decks an (A) overall and would hire and recommend the company to anyone. My deck looks great and meets all my functional requirements. Thanks Tony. --Craig Leigh

Prompt response to initial inquiry. Listened to what we wanted and offered helpful suggestions for more economical alternatives. Project Manager added nice trim work that was not on original deck and I wasn't expecting. We couldn't be happier with our new deck.

It went very well. He showed me samples of the product . I selected the colors and I told him my concept of the deck. He sent his guys to do the job and they finish the work within a week. He broke down the payments into 3 payments.

The crew that completed the replacement and repairs is quite skilled. The material was delivered on time and the crew stared immediately. The old railings were loose and keep coming apart at the joints. Visions of a guest falling off of the deck because a railing came apart demanded a complete make over. The replacement Shoreline system is lock together in a way I no longer have to worry about an accident. The addition of the lattice to enclose the bottom portion was quite a project. The lattice was framed, supports added, as needed, finished with white board for a seamless look and the addition of a large gate. It truly adds to the value of the entire project. In addition, the Forman shored up the steps to correct the fact that the original builder did not use brackets to connect the steps.to the header. All the joints were square and cuts tight to the frame. The craftsmanship was outstanding.

They put the deck last April, and I recently noticed that the wood on the deck is splitting, and I contacted them. They said that the wood is splitting because I didn't have the deck sealed after I had it done. I told the owner that nobody told me that no one told me that it had to done, and if someone would have told me, I would have had it done. I had written a glowing review for them in the past, and now I am concerned that if they put up a deck for someone in the future, and they don't tell them what they need to do to maintain it, then there is a problem. I had tiles put in, and they told me how to maintain them, and I had countertops put in and they had given me instructions on how to maintain them, but ARH did not give me instructions. They told me nothing about it. Consumers need to make sure that the provider informs them on how to maintain it. The wood is splitting, and it is going to cost me extra money. I wrote him an email, and told him that he really needs to inform customers or put it in writing, that they need to have the deck sealed, in order to maintain it. They gave me a good price, but now the price may be more, because I have to do it. I don't think it is professional to provide a service and not give full information.

Working with Tony was great and he gave an accurate quote and followed through with that. They had the best pricing and they provided quality work. We are very happy with the deck. There were 6 workers here doing the work and it took about a week to complete everything, we did have to factor in the weather. They really did not skip a beat with trying to get the job done quickly. They did well at cleaning up the work after they were done.