Get matched with top deck and porch pros in San Marcos, TX

"New 2-story deck missed the mark across code, Trex guidelines, and aesthetics. Poor planning. Won't make it right. We lost 5 figures on a 2-man crew that lacks longevity with owner. Hire inspectors before paying final invoice. FYI “Custom Deck and Fence Austin” also has poor reviews on multiple sites noting owner Todd Louis Ratajik of "Good Day Baked Energy Snacks" (Forfeited Existence). Sites now name “Cesar” as owner. Negative reviews disappeared. AFFD has pending lawsuits with Travis County Courts. Unknown AFFD subcontractor alarmingly used my name and address in another client’s lawsuit w**! Standard: Visual consistency. AFFD: Mismatched railing. Todd’s words: "It's the same railing but pinched." (A contractor’s FB review notes lack of materials to properly complete jobs.) Std: Concrete pad supports stairs. AFFD: Stair stringers hover in air, failing to land on concrete. Todd blatantly texted that stringers would step out (not down) from deck. I refuted the abnormality. Top step was cut off; stringers don’t reach concrete. Instead of extending pad or redoing stringers, an ugly post was set. Std: Stairs treads w/o gaps. No overhangs. AFFD: Stringer cuts forgot stairs' fascia; treads weren’t 11+”. Gaps added to meet code -> stair noses >1.25", ie trip hazards. FYI Use rise-to-run guidelines. Std: 42” deck railings. 34-38” stair railings ABOVE boards. AFFD: 44” deck railings. Didn’t supply 34” stair railings; boards grossly notched to lower height, which start at 44”! Std: Posts sit on existing FINISHED concrete pads. (LOL) AFFD: Post had no contact with pad (after removing makeshift shams to hide the blunder) ie ZERO deck weight on ground. Todd asked if this was okay [to not deal with]. Post not corrected at start. Rough concrete poured atop pad to meet post. Ew. Std: 16" oc MAX joist spacing (Trex specs). AFFD: 7 of 13 spacings are >16". No blocking. Add 1 or 2 joists = ~15.5" or 14" spacings. Todd said his ways are “affordable” and “economical”. Eek. Best: Competitor contracts: "12-in joist spacings", "blocking", “glulam beam”. Std: Trex Cocktail Rail Kit (full-width support, hidden fasteners). AFFD: 5.5" wavy floor boards nailed to 1" rail. Visible screws, rough shavings, corner gaps, no support eg 2x4s to flatten board. No countersunk screws and putty to hide nails. Std: Professional aesthetics. AFFD: Not spraying railing cuts = RUST. No continuity in stairs fascia to meet deck edge. Silver bolts on black railings. Posts unequal distance from deck edges. Cedar’s shorter lifespan requires staining / maintenance < Trex’s composite fascia. Std: Disclosure of unforeseen issues. Protocols. Loyal crews. AFFD: Crew wasted a day plotting makeshift repairs after causing roof damage. Licensed roofer was furious about erroneously-cut flashing. Roofers returned after crew again made damaging cuts where told not to. Zero acknowledgement from Todd. AFFD: Crew noted holes in house’s ceiling after removing joist nails. No repairmen references. Not-our-problem mentality. AFFD: 15+ days by 2 tired guys: the hire + his actual neighbor. Ditto to reviewer compelled to supervise. Days start late, end after 7pm. My neighbors had 5 deck builders who left by 6pm still jolly. AFFD: Non-recyclables in recycling bin. Concrete and stinky liquid in trash bin. Cigarette butts, nails, and construction debris across yard. AFFD: Crew won’t tell owner about gray areas and errors in judgments. One unsure if he'd get paid wth. Std: Professionalism. AFFD: No final walkthroughs. Owner ignores items in emails. Condescending; when I climbed a ladder re an issue (that I called a roofer to fix), Todd muttered that I was “an inspector, eh”. Instead of talking measurements, Todd’s retort was “I’m the owner of a deck company”, as if titles alone grant proficiency. Labor is hired out, crew turnover is high. Workmanship depends on whoever is outsourced, who aren’t deck builders so much as guys who "have built decks before". Expect no corrections on what Todd Ratajik deems as "good enough"."

"I recently talked with the owner Rene’, I previously requested a estimate for a project that I had to abort. His customer service was outstanding. Professional and compassionate to my situation.If in the future I can proceed with my project. He would be definitely contacted to bid on the project. I got good feelings about this company. Thanks Rene, God Bless."

"Amazing job great price. It took a little while to order a get the color I wanted for my metal roof but they kept me informed during the entire process. True professionals."

"Outstanding job! Thanks guys"

"Tay-Lind solutions was professional, timely and accountable. Good prices and work was exceptional. I used him for multiple jobs to renovate my home and yard to put on the market. He did everything from my shed, landscaping, patio, deck, flooring installation both tile and wood, multiple plumbing jobs, paint, dry wall and more. Yay-Lind solutions saved my wallet, time and expedited the sale of my home. I will never use anyone else other than Tay-Lind solutions ever again!"

"I hired Jason and his company to expand my top deck and to build me a water-proof ceiling underneath the deck. He suggested we use Deckorators Composite Materials for waterproofing the deck. During the 1st rain after the deck was completed, we had water leaking from the ceiling and from where the deck connects to the house. After many attempts to reach Jason, he finally agreed to come and look at the problem. He saw where the slats were to far apart and water was coming through. He agreed to have his team come back out to fix the problem. They attempted to push the slats together and caulk around the end of the deck where it meets the house. After the next rain we had the same problem and Jason stated that the problem lied with the composite material he suggested, and they were faulty, and I needed to take the problem up with the manufacturer and he had no intention of losing money on this problem. I contacted the manufacturer, and they stated the fault was not in the materials, but the workmanship and they were not at fault. I have been contacting Jason for over a year to fix this problem and also to fix the slats from the ceiling that are bowing out. Jason does not respond to my calls or text messages and recently answered the phone serval months ago and said he was heading out of town with his family (his favorite excuse) and he would come out when he returned, never head back from him and continued to reach out and he finally responded a week ago ( having dinner with his family) and stated he had no intentions of taking a loss and I need to use this new product to fix the problem. I am writing this so that you future deck owners are not swayed by his promise of being available and is a family-owned business who cares about the customer. He does not, only cares about the profit he will make if its good or bad work. The deck comes with a 5 yr. Structure warranty, and he still will not hold up to his responsible. So, I highly advise you to look elsewhere for a reliable person and company that will build you a deck worth your investment. I have also attached some pictures of the work and problems."

"My Gazebo was shipped but not have all the parts to complete the roofing. 3 weeks later with a lot of customer service calls I finally received missing parts. They worked tiresly ti complete the job! I am eternally grateful and completely satisfied with my Gazebo. Any future needs I will use ATX Outdoor Construction. ATX Outdoor Construction was Amazing!"

"Excellent Gazebo installation"

"My experience with Marez Power Washing was exactly what I was looking for in a service! Mark came to my home, evaluated the work to be done, and provided a fair estimate. He responded quickly, and was back within just a few days to power wash and then seal my fence. The job only took a part of two afternoons, and Mark was very conscientious about taking care of the property while working, and afterwards. The results are excellent! I highly recommend using Marez Power Washing, and am already talking with Mark about future work."

"They were on time and efficient. They worked quickly and overcame all problems and barriers to the needed work. Work was seamless and looked new at the end of the job. Amazing work and great value. Will hire again for any other construction work for my home. A++"