Deck Contractors: Expert Strategies to Secure the Right Team
The industry has countless companies jostling for your custom, however only consider those with a proven history of making customers happy, who go to whatever lengths to make projects stress and hassle-free.
After a read of our blog, we believe you will feel confident in how to go about finding the perfect installer who won’t let you down, won’t overcharge you, and will look to achieve your required timescale.
Deck Builders Research Methods for Contractor Selection
Unless you’ve had garden decking installed before at a previous house or where you currently reside, you may not know where to start with researching deck builders.
Research is fundamental to finding trusted contractors and Google is the obvious place to kick it off.
Add a location into your search and it will generate results for installers locally, as well as those who operate nationally.
You’re then advised to visit the website and social platforms of companies that catch your attention to get an idea of their product offerings, colour options, installation experience etc.
In all probability, they will have customer reviews you can read (if they don’t, you want to be questioning why!) offering insight into the abilities of the installer.
Live next to someone who has added decking to their outdoor space or admire a deck elsewhere? Ask the occupier who built it on their behalf and whether they would recommend you use their services ahead of going into agreement with anyone.
Smart Strategies for Hiring a Decking Professional
There are lots of deck building contractors out there, which complicates knowing which of them to appoint.
You can identify the reliable ones by uncovering their credentials and checking they are legitimately insured to carry out the work they do.
Genuine customer reviews tell you much about an installer’s acumen and commitment to excellent service delivery, so search for them online to help narrow down which to contact for a consultation and quote.
A comparable quote may help to confirm your decision-making and give you confidence of making the right choice. Quotes tend to be supplied with no obligation to buy.
Must-Ask Questions When Hiring Deck Building Contractors
When exploring different deck contractors it’s good to be inquisitive and fire questions at them, which they should show no hesitation in answering.
Find out how long they’ve been trading and ask for sight of client references to substantiate the claims they make in their marketing literature or on a company website.
Request project timelines for similar jobs they’ve undertaken so that you can get some idea of the amount of time it will take to fit your garden out with the product.
Do they rely on subcontractors for their work or have they capacity to oversee everything themselves? Having a single company that can do it all can be preferable to having several tradespeople working at your house at once.
In case of any issues in the future, you really need a warranty so that you don’t have to go to the expense of paying out for repairs or remedial work and can rely on the installer to resolve them without charge.
Achieving Clarity: Milestones and Payment Schedules
Decking contractors of good repute will supply you with paperwork and expectations of turnaround times, with clear lines of communication for the planned project.
You can then be prepared for what lies ahead and know at what points there may be some disruption to your home life. Importantly, it will also tell you when you can expect to begin using it.
Some householders choose to fund the cost with a finance package offered by an installer. The payment schedule received should outline when each payment must be made so that you know what and when to pay so you don’t incur any additional charges for missed payments.
Avoid These Common Pitfalls When Hiring Decking Contractors
Do your due diligence when appointing a decking installer, just like you would if searching out for a product or other service, to minimise the possibility of any disappointment.
Ask neighbours who currently have a garden deck who fitted it for them and if they would recommend their work, and search for reviews on Google, Facebook, and Trustpilot to hunt down reputable companies.
Red flags to be aware of when evaluating contractors include non-transparency with pricing – quotes should always be clear from the get-go and free of unexpected charges. When a price seems exceptionally low, it’s right to be sceptical about it and will likely be too good to be true.
Be wary also of a business that shows a reluctance to provide references originating from previous work as it likely means they either have something to hide or aren’t as experienced as they would have you believe.
And don’t be made to feel pressured into making any quick decisions. Ethical selling is meant to be friendly and relaxed.
Can you install decking yourself?
If you have the all-round skill and experience of installing decking to a high standard in the past, you could certainly take on the project yourself. But if you haven’t and are something of a novice, it’s best left to the experts and an approved installer like Lakeland Verandahs.
It’s tempting to try and save money by foregoing the hiring of a professional outfit, but inadvisable unless you have all the tools to construct it, are abreast with the building and safety guidelines, and are completely confident of doing a quality job.
Just the slightest mistake could be costly, compromising aesthetics and/or safety, and force you into forking out cash to get it repaired. It also requires the utmost attention to detail, especially if you want a complex design, and this is coming from a company that knows. You may also miss out on a warranty.
We’ll in all likelihood have it finished more quickly too as we’ve been executing projects for years.
How much should a deck cost?
Ahead of meeting us, measure out the length and width of the desired deck in your garden and provide us with these measurements so that we can judge how many boards are needed and come up with a rough cost.
What is the 4 year rule for decking?
Planning permission does not need to be obtained if size limits and conditions are stuck to, which include decking not extending past your property’s front wall, being no more than 30cm above the ground, and it not covering more than 50% of your garden.
For confirmation that no rules are being broken, it’s good practice to contact your local authority because the last thing you want is to be ordered to adjust or remove the additional living space.
There is a timeframe as to how long a local authority has to impose enforcement action if it deems that rules have been infringed and no planning permission was sought, known as the 4-year rule.
Within 4 years of the installation, local authorities must notify a householder of any enforcement action they intend to take. After this time, you are immune from it.
How do you estimate decking?
You can have a go at estimating how much decking you feel you need to enjoy outdoor garden activity without limitations on a new and luxurious platform.
First, measure the length and width of the garden, multiplying the two figures together, and subtract the total of any areas that will be occupied by pillars and corners in the same way.
Packs of decking normally state the total area of it and that number needs to be divided by the surface area number. Round up the final number to ensure you have sufficient boards.
Alternatively, leave the estimating to us, one of the top reviewed companies in the industry.
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