J R'S CUSTOM DECKS

After we met we waited about 48 hours for his drawing, which was a very reasonable time frame. The drawing was very detailed and easy to understand.  His price was fair.  To be honest, we did not take any more bids for the job. That is not our normal practice, but based on J.R.'s reviews we did not want to look further. This was not our first rodeo and we learned a long time ago that making a decision based solely on a cheaper price can ultimately be a nightmare. The old adage that you get what you pay for is often very true one way or the other. Although the deck is a simple 12 x 19 foot space, we knew the project would be a little challenging because of the necessity of tying it in with two different existing levels.  We wanted someone we had confidence in to do the job and based on reviews we knew J. R. could, and his price was fair. 

J.R. came over the day before the start date to introduce us to Mike, his project manager.  J.R. was not on site during the construction of the deck, but he provided an excellent and efficient crew under the management of Mike. They arrived on time, were polite and worked all day setting the footings and frame. The next morning they came back on time and installed the boards and step up from the lower deck. They were finished by early afternoon. The transition from the lower deck to the upper deck is seamless and looks like it was always part of the plan and not an afterthought or "add on."  The same is true for where the deck meets the existing concrete patio the house builder poured over 30 years ago.  The deck is sturdy, very well-built and looks terrific! Our neighbor came over not long after they were finished and said it looks like a dance floor.  He's right. 

We have in mind another project for the future and we plan to call J.R. We also would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a solid and well-built deck at a fair price. He's a true professional..  One last thought.  J.R. uses lumber from a lumber yard. It's *much better* quality than the lumber you find at big box stores. 

JR's team started on time which was very near when I received a bid.  I liked this since I did not have to wait weeks.  JR saved all my posts and saved me lots of time and money by using the existing frame.  He added a few new posts to ensure a stable frame and built from there.  It took him about one day to remove the old deck and then they started building. 
 The rains started promptly and his team did the best they could to work given the weather we had in May in San Antonio.  Overall it took about 2-3 days longer than planned but that was no fault of the contractor.  I specifically asked for 6x6 rough cedar to be used for posts and I specifically asked for custom balusters to be used.  He had no problem with that and was honest with the pricing and instal.  
 Needless to say, my family is thrilled with the end product and only wished we had called JR several years earlier.  
I would say JR's skills are on taking what a customer wants and executing a plan.  He is not overly creative with other peoples money which was good for me because I knew what I wanted and he did exactly that.  He had confidence with everything I talked to him about including doors, flares on the stairs, running the posts long etc.  J R's custom decks treated me fair and did exactly what I asked for.  There was not one "up-sell" attempted which I certainly appreciated. 
THANK YOU

We emailed J.R. after reviewing Angie's list. He called within 15 minutes after the email, surveyed the project three days later and provided an estimate that evening. The price was very reasonable and since we felt comfortable with all the positive reviews excepted his estimate. We had to get approval from our HOA so he incorporated his drawing onto our property survey to make the approval process easier. Once we received approval and we let him know, J.R. and his crew started building the deck a few days later when he said he would. J.R. contacted us throughout the project to let us know how the project was going. One morning it was raining really bad so he notified us that they would not be on site that day but would return the next work day and did so, as promised. My family and I couldn't be happier with our new deck extension. J.R. Is a true professional and has a great group of craftsman who do outstanding work. They even helped my elderly mother with our dogs. We didn't have stairs for a couple of days so they would pick them up so they could go potty...haha...great guys! Anyway, J.R. provided us with a great quality deck, well worth the money! We highly recommend J.R. and have already referred him to a friend.

Did not receive a timely response to our initial call & request.

I had an arbor built by JR over an existing deck in 2013.  When it was time to replace the old deck, I contacted JR.  He and his crew are very professional and courteous.  All work is done with precision and they are honest.  His workers arrive on time and don't leave until all work is completed.
90% of the old pine deck was replaced by cedar; new cedar railings (with aluminum balusters) and stair also.
I am very pleased with the result, and don't hesitate to recommend JR.

JR was the first contractor to respond out (4) who were called to provide estimates.  He came out and provided a written estimate within (2) days of being contacted.  His bid was accepted on a Saturday, and began work on Tuesday.  Tuesday his crew demo'd the old deck and set new posts in concrete.  The 20'x10' deck was completed by Friday.  Total build time including demo was four days. His crew was consistent, arrive by 9am every morning, and worked well into the early evening.  They had the necessary tools and equipment, and worked steadily.  The job site was cleaned each evening, and completely picked up upon final completion.  I would highly recommend JR, and will use his company in the future.

I contacted J.R. after reading all of the great reviews to get an estimate on a new deck for my backyard. I was extremely pleased with his timeliness in scheduling a day to come to my home and give me his recommendations, then within two days, the final costs.  I contacted him to make some changes to the plan and he was able to give me the new cost by the end of the day.
Once we agreed on the plan, his crew was at my home within two days (as scheduled), arrived on time and completed the work in a day and a half, including removal of the existing deck, and clean up. The work was impeccable with attention to detail.  Overall, I'm extremely pleased with J.R. and his crew and highly recommend him.

The construction process was great.  JR's crew was punctual, professional and hardworking.  JR himself is a breeze to work with.  He took care of the permit process for San Antonio, worked with me to get the required HOA approvals, and he maintained the schedule we set for the work.  In addition, his "all-in" price was fair and reasonable, and I did not have to pay anything until the work was completed to my satisfaction.  We are very happy with our new deck and would recommend JR's Custom Decks to anyone looking to build a new deck.

J. Reyna made several personal trips to our property to make suggestions and take measurements before drawing a detailed plan and bid for the project. He emailed sketches and answered all questions thoroughly. We felt fully informed before and after the project began. The crew was timely, well supervised, well supplied, accurate and pleasant to have working there. We are very happy with our lovely deck and gazebo.


We did not list the cost of this project, as each project is custom work and dependent on the choices made. We think the price paid was fair for the distance traveled and the quality of work we requested and received.

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We are exceedingly pleased with our cedar deck addition (February 2014) to our covered patio on our newly constructed Ryland Home (April 2013) in Kinder Ranch.  Jose Reyna "got it" from beginning to end and we made several alterations in our plans from our first consultation with him in January 2014.  Yes, Jose did suggest my lengthy e-mails outlining ideas were on the order of "books" :-), but he listened well and the final product is everything we could have hoped for.  We got several competitive bids which were so much higher, there was no doubt we would go with JR given his professionalism and experience as well as pleasant manner.  He oversaw the project, but his crew super was clearly accomplished.  In retrospect, I gave unclear information to the team as to where the sprinkler system was located.  That ended up costing me an additional amount with our Sprinkler guy to reset part of his piping.  But that was my fault.  JR's company does not do the staining work, but JR recommended someone to stain the deck, but I declined as we had stained our property privacy fence and felt we could tackle the deck project.  Again, in retrospect, we should probably have hired the staining work out.  I gave it a cleaning and then only one coat of transparent Cedar Natural Tone Waterproof Stain from Home Depot.  The metal spindles made for very tedious work.  And there was more to be stained than met the eye since the deck is seven feet off the ground and fully skirted.  The skirting and door to access under the deck has given us all the garden and yard storage we need, eliminating the need for a shed.  We had already rocked the area when the back yard was landscaped at move-in as we anticipated the deck addition.  Initially, we looked at a composite material for the decking, but decided the added expense of thousands did not justify composite over cedar.  We also initially though of a ten by eighteen deck, but then, with JR's help, rethought that and bumped it out two feet with an angle in the bump out for aesthetic reasons.  We also asked JR to return to put in a safety gate from the deck to the first step down to the top stairway platform.  We decided that when we realized someone might accidentally step off the main deck onto the step down platform.  We could have had the top stairway platform and the deck on the same level, but then the fall of the steps would have extended further than we wanted.  We are very pleased with the final result.  It has also proved tiny grandchild proof so we don't have to worry about our little ones falling down the stairs.  A friend who is a very capable DYI guy (which I am not!) looked the completed deck over and couldn't stop praising its construction.
I have attached photos showing the before and after and multiple angles of the work.  Again, don't judge it by the stain job since that was the work of my wife and me.

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JR was very responsive to my calls and questions. He offered me the chance to take a look at work he was performing in our area to get an idea of the workmanship and materials.  His crew was very efficient and did a great job, they cleaned up and removed the existing patio railing. Even though the holidays were approaching he fit our job in and completed it in 3 days. I appreciated JR communicating frequently with me even on the small details.

JR met with me at the appointed time.  He was punctual, professional and very knowledgeable.  He provided me within a week a written estimate and drawing suitable to present to the HOA where I live.  After HOA approval and notification to JR, he scheduled the installation.  About five men arrived on time to complete the work.  The assembled the footings and support structures on the first day, and they completed the decking, steps and rails on the second day.  The job is very profressional, looks very custom built for the area in which it is installed.  The crews saved two large oak trees and incorporated them into the deck, which is exactly what I wanted them to do.  All finish work was beautifully executed, and I have had many compliments on the quality of JR's work.  I am so very pleased I chose this company.  Their price, execution and punctuality were outstanding.  I would highly recommend them without reservation to any one seeking a professional deck installation.

JR's people all arrived when promised for all operations. His folks demolished the old deck.  The new deck is of cedar wood with railing all around. They built stairs in 3 places off the deck. The area between the support posts of the railing have tubular anodized balusters. We did that with JR's advice and it looks super.  They had to put the deck supporting posts in concrete in many places. The old deck was not built with enough support which explained in part its early demise. The roof covers about 22 feet of a 50 foot deck. We wanted an area out of the hot South Texas sun and the occasional rains in order to maximize the usage of the deck.  The deck even has cedar skirting all around to set it off. We are so pleased with the results and we recommended JR to our neighbor for a similar project. JR and his crew were always courteous and scheduled all operations to coincide with our schedules.When JR said someone would be there for a particular operation at a specific time they were spot on! The folks who picked up all of the trash were prompt and left the area clean. JR and his crew were very thorough with their work and they paid attention to all of the details including a cutout for a large tree near the new roof section. I highly recommend JR and his crew for any construction work around the home. When we have another project of this magnitude we intend to automatically call JR to take care of business. We feel very fortunate to have selected JR for our major project!

It went great. JR is very prompt, professional, and does good work. The pergola looks great. I have a future project in the next few years and I will go with his company. The project was completed quickly.

J.R. did an excellent job creating a deck that fit with my backyard.  J.R. was prompt in his response to my needs.  He was always on time and did exactly what he promised.  I love the deck and arbor and I have received many compliments from neighbors on a job well done.  He is an excellent communicator and I have referred him to many of my friends.
It is nice to work with a professional that you can trust to do a great job!  I recommend J.R. Decks without reservation!

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The crew started work on 9/9/14 with a start up demolition of the old decks.  They appeared at the time promised and worked consistently throughout the project.  Just as the large deck flooring was nearing completion, JR noticed 3 planks that were not consistent in color.  He ordered more to insure top quality on the project.  I had wondered if he would use the old deck supports and/or some of the sound fence support posts.  No, this was a completely new installation of decks and fence.  One of the fence support posts was so sound that the crew could not get it out of the ground.  Hence they had to cut it to the ground level to allow installation of a new post.  We are very pleased with our new decks and fence.  He hauled away the demolished materials and the crew cleaned up before leaving the last day, which was 9/16/14.  I can totally agree with JR's rating on Angie's list and would recommend him for any deck, roof, fence or other work. 

.JR responded immediately by e-mail to my Angie's List inquiry.  We made an appointment for him to come to my house to measure and get information about what I wanted.  He arrived on time, took measurements, e-mailed a detailed drawing, a list of what he planned to do, and a firm price quote.  i e-mailed back my acceptance.  He came to my house the next day {again on time} with a contract for my signature.  Materials delivered, work started the next day, Wednesday.  Thursday afternoon the job was finished, old deck hauled away, area cleaned, JR inspected the job, and I paid the bill-the exact amount he quoted. 
I had been hesitant about hiring someone to do the deck job because of bad experiences in the past.  Several people suggested Angie's List, so I decided to give it a try.  I chose JR, the highest rated builder in my area and I couldn't have made a better choice.  He is very professional, a pleasant man to work with, his crew efficient.  I couldn't ask for a better deck building experience.  I will recommend JR and Angie's List to everyone.

We called three deck builders for estimates on our deck.  Two names we got at the Home and Garden Show, and the third, J.R.'S Custom Decks, we got from Angie's List.  All three companies came out, designed a plan, and quoted an estimate.  All three were within $1,000.00 of each other.  We chose J.R. because we liked his promptness in getting our quote and we couldn't ignore the fact that he had an excellent rating with Angie's List.  

We were told it would be two weeks before they could start  and it would take a couple of days to tear down the old deck and a week to build the new.  Workers showed up between 8:30 and 9:00 each day and worked diligently until 5:00.  We were impressed with the work ethic, the politeness, the neatness, and the quality of work we were receiving.  These guys took a short lunch break and possibly a short break during the day, but there was little idle time.  

J.R. showed up daily to inspect the work, talk with his foreman, and answer any of our questions.  We particularly liked J.R. because he is very business-like, no nonsense, and does exactly what he says he will do.  

As promised, our deck was finished in a week and we love it.  J.R. recommended a stain guy, Jose Perez, and he, too, did a neat and excellent job of staining.  

I recommended J.R. Decks to my neighbor, who is also pleased.  I definitely will only use J.R. Decks for any decking issues or plans we may have in the future.

Requested screening in an existing covered porch.

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After calling JR, he came out and gave us an estimate.  He took measurements and then gave us a drawing with the materials he was using and the specs for the arbor.  We had gotten 5 different estimates and JR was by far the best price and the best materials.  He was polite, considerate, and took care of getting the building permit for us.  He kept us informed of the status of the permit and the morning he received the permit, he had his crew at our house within the hour.  The crew was extremely nice and worked very efficiently.  The job site was clean and neat when they left.  The job was finished that day and was beautiful.  I can't say enough good things about this company.  I would recommend them to anyone and everyone.  The price is great and the quality is even better!