How Custom Deck Building Works: The Process, Step by Step

What a good builder shows you

A good deck builder can explain, without dodging, how the ledger board gets installed and flashed against the house wall, how joists are spaced and spanned, and what fastens the decking. Ask to see the hardware list, not just a rendering. If the hangers, connectors and fastener type are named in the bid, the builder has already thought the job through. If they're missing, expect those decisions to be made on site.

Ask how the framing is detailed for local ground and weather. Grants Pass has mixed soils that hold a moderate amount of moisture, and occasional winter freezes move the ground a little. That's not dramatic, but a builder should be able to say how it affects the way the deck is framed and tied together. A blank look is a bad sign.

Also ask how changes get handled once work starts. A post line shifts, a member needs a different connector, a fastener schedule changes with the material. You want a builder who tells you plainly and updates the paperwork to match. A bid that is vague about materials, hardware or the house connection is usually vague for a reason.

The permit question, answered plainly

We don't guess at whether your deck needs a permit. It depends on the project, such as how high it sits, whether it attaches to the house, and whether it has stairs, rails or a cover. We confirm what applies to your deck with the reviewing authority before framing materials are ordered or the ledger is set.

Review can change the sequence of work, so a builder who treats it as paperwork may be ready to swing hammers before approval is settled. We'd rather start a little later than have you find a problem afterward. When you compare bids, ask each contractor how they handle plan checks and timing, and what happens if field conditions differ from the drawing. The right answer isn't a promise that nothing will change. It's a clear method for handling changes.

What happens when the crew arrives

The first work isn't the pretty part. We install and flash the ledger board where the deck meets the house, because that's where water and movement cause trouble if it's done carelessly. Joists then go in at code-compliant spacing and spans, fastened with the appropriate hangers or connectors.

Decking comes last. Each board is fastened to every joist with two ring-shank 8D nails or 2-1/2 inch wood screws, or the specified deck screws. Ring-shank nails resist backing out as the boards swell and shrink. With freeze-thaw movement and soil that holds moisture, we want that fastening to stay tight.

Where the cost shows up

Framing materials (joists, beams, posts and hardware) run about $1,800 to $3,000. Deck screws or hidden fasteners run from $56 to $1,100, and the spread depends on which fastening system the decking calls for. Hidden fasteners sit at the top of that range.

When you compare bids, look at where those line items sit. A low number that says nothing about hangers, connectors, flashing or fastener type may just be pushing cost into change orders later. A higher number should tell you what the extra money buys, whether that's a better attachment at the house, more consistent joist framing, or a fastening schedule suited to the decking. If you want numbers for your own lot, a free quote is the next step.