Every job below is one we do ourselves across Sacramento.
We set footings below the frost line, size the joists to actual span tables instead of guessing, and bolt the ledger board to the house framing with flashing behind it so water never gets a path into your wall. Post spacing, beam size and joist hangers all get picked to match the load, not just what looks close enough.
Every yard slopes different and every family uses a deck different, so we walk the site first and figure out where the sun sits at 6pm before we draw anything. We'll lay out board direction, stair placement and railing style on paper and change it twice if you want, before a single post goes in the ground.
Soft spots, wobbly railings and boards that have cupped or split usually mean the framing underneath took on water. We pull the bad boards, check the joists and ledger for rot, and replace only what's actually failed instead of tearing off a deck that still has good bones.
Sacramento sun bakes untreated wood gray and brittle inside two summers. We pressure wash first, let the boards dry out for a couple days, then put down a penetrating stain or sealer that soaks in instead of sitting on top and peeling.
Composite boards don't rot and won't need staining again, but they expand and contract more than wood, so gapping and fastener spacing matter more, not less. We run hidden fastener systems where the product allows it, so you get a clean deck surface with no screw heads showing.
When the frame's shot, patching boards is a waste of money. We tear the old structure down to the posts, check the footings, and rebuild to current span and railing height requirements instead of copying whatever was there before.
Loose balusters and a railing that flexes when you lean on it is a fall waiting to happen, not a cosmetic issue. We reset posts into solid framing and bring railing height and baluster spacing up to code, since a lot of older decks were never built to it.
Stacking decks off a sloped lot means the stringers, landings and guardrails all have to line up exactly, or the stairs feel off the moment you walk them. We frame each level independently so settling in one section doesn't twist the level above it.
Some decks are past saving and the cheapest fix is starting clean. We tear it out, haul off the lumber and old fasteners, and check the ledger area and siding underneath for rot before anything new gets built.
A deck that gets full sun by 1pm doesn't get used much in July. We build pergolas and shade structures sized to the deck footprint, with post footings tied in separately from the deck frame so the structure doesn't load the joists it's sitting on.
Four steps, and no surprises in any of them.
You tell us what you want doing, we look at what is actually there, and we ask the awkward questions early.
In writing, itemised, free. If something might add cost later we flag it now rather than at the end.
Same crew throughout. We cover your floors, keep the dust down and tidy up before we leave each day.
You point out anything you are not happy with and we fix it before the invoice, not after.
Deck construction and repair across the greater Sacramento area.
Questions that come up once a deck project is actually underway.
Describe the problem and we will tell you what it probably is. No obligation.
