Top considerations for choosing a great hometown deck professional
Before you enjoy sun or shade on your beautiful new deck or porch, someone has to put it together. Hiring the right local deck professional can make a huge difference, so take a moment to get answers to the questions below. This will help you to narrow your choices to find the best neighborhood deck and porch contractor in Newport News for your project.
Licensing and insurance have to come first. Ensure the company you choose to hire is appropriately licensed for this type of work in your location. Legal requirements vary by locality and even county or city, so call your regional licensing board to answer any questions.
Afterward, ask potential companies if they're covered by insurance. It's in your best interest to only work with insured builders, regardless of your job. Insurance helps to make sure you both are covered during the job.
Then, learn more about the company's expertise. Question whether they've ever finished a job like yours. Also, ask for a portfolio and references. Ensure the business you choose has successfully finished a porch job that matches the style and scale of yours.
Does the porch professional have the correct licenses?
Licenses are required in many locations for some types of jobs.
Is the company insured?
Insurance is always a necessity. When they're insured, it helps safeguard you, too.
What experience does the business have?
Pros with a lot of experience are better able to take on challenging work. They've also perfected their processes over years of making porches, which means the project proceeds more efficiently and helps guarantee jobs are completed on time and within budget.
Has contractor completed work similar to yours?
Search for pros who have performed on jobs with the same scope and style as yours. Somebody who has only worked on small front porches probably isn't the right selection for an large patio with an outdoor kitchen.
Does the company have a good reputation?
Research the business to guarantee it’s known for providing good customer service and outcomes.
What does decking construction and repair run?
Nationally, the average cost of pro deck or porch construction ranges from roughly $4,100 to around $11,200. The deck's size plays a role in expense, and average costs per square foot are $30 to $60.
Material type plays an influential role in overall expense, too. For decks, popular options include pressure-treated wood and composite. Composite has a tendency to be costlier, though availability of lumber largely determines the cost of wood. Concrete is generally the cheapest material for building a patio, and decks or patios made of brick are generally the priciest.
Lifting a deck off the ground can also affect affordability. Multi-level decks are often more costly to install than similar ground-level decks. Consider that installing a first-story deck measuring six-by-six feet will run on average $7,700 to $15,400. Installing a similar deck on the second story might cost $9,700 to $20,500.
Your potential deck's scope and add-ons, such as roofing or built-in seating, drive up costs. The only way to understand what a porch project may cost is to receive estimates from deck contractors in Newport News.