A custom-designed deck is one built by your contractor to meet your specific needs. A customized deck has particular design preferences with a unique expression of your style to match your lifestyle. When a custom deck is designed for you, you need professionals to handle the job because it requires lots of attention and detail to the style. Not everyone can get you what you want. Custom decks can range from small details to large ones shaped like decks.
Custom decks need a lot of planning which is important because the benefits are not only aesthetically pleasing but also long-lasting. There are factors you need to consider when building your custom-designed deck: labor, design, material, substructure, and fasteners. All these factors determine how much your deck will cost.
What to expect when searching for a "custom-designed deck."
By placing this search on the web, you will find results like “how to choose a deck design” and lots of companies offering their deck-building services to you. So, if you haven’t yet chosen a deck design, it’s nice to surf around for one that will impress you. There are lots of deck options on the web which you can’t exactly exhaust before you find your perfect match.
Can you get a composite or wood custom-designed deck?
Composite decks allow you to customize them as you please. They come in a range of styles, making it easy to match them to the theme of your house or the color of your home and that customization is definitely worth it. If you’re more on the natural wood side, you’ve not been left out. You can select the wood type you want to use for your deck, from pressure-treated woods to premium hardwoods, and all of them are customizable.
The best natural woods for a customized deck include maple, cedar, redwood, and pine. These types of woods are considered to be more durable than others and can also withstand quite some weight. Composite decks, on the other hand, are the newer items in the market meant to withstand weather, rot, and insects. They take out all the work that comes with having a wooden deck but still look classy and fashionable.
How much does it cost to design a deck?
The cost of designing a deck depends on the materials used, the size of the deck, and the design. So, when you go to get an estimate from your contractors, the price might vary depending on what you want. The average cost of a deck is $25 per square foot. But when you’re looking for an entry-level deck with basic materials, expect to spend approximately $15 per square foot. But if you’re using premium materials, it can cost around $35 per square foot.
These are considered to be just estimates, and the real cost can only come from your contractor once they’ve seen your plans or provided you with one and they’ve calculated the cost of materials. Otherwise, you can’t expect them to go too far away from this price point.
Can you design your own deck?
Yes, you can. Designing your own deck is a possibility for some people, especially those who’ve done it before. However, it can prove to be quite tricky, especially when it comes down to details. To design your deck, you’ll need to make accurate plans with a ruler, pencil, and graph paper. You’ll also need a site plan, one or two elevations, and a plan view. When it comes down to complex parts of the deck, you need to draw detailed plans to ensure they’re followed to the later.
Alternatively, you can use specific software to help you develop a plan. If you’re not artsy, these apps can help you deal with the drawings using your measurements. Using them for the first time can get a little stressful, but you’ll get the hang of it. The easiest method of dealing with a deck design is by allowing professionals to deal with such issues. You can call up a deck building company and explain to them what you want; they’ll come to see your location and consider all your needs, then they’ll make a plan, show it to you for approval, and soon enough, you’ll have them working on your deck without you undergoing any hustle. The best thing about hiring help is that you don’t have to deal with anything. You can let them handle all the gritty matters.
Consider these five things when planning a custom-designed deck.
Consider the purpose of the deck
Decks can serve many purposes, but it’s best to consider your primary use when building them. For example, you can use it for entertaining company, which means an outdoor kitchen and seating area. But the outlook and design will be a little different if you’re looking for a place to settle down and chill with a book at hand. You need to know whether you want it to have the sun or be a shaded area. This will even affect your budget, and it’s something you need to give a thought to. If you’re going to build an outdoor kitchen, you need to ensure the deck is reinforced and made of material to support your kitchen and sitting area.
Size, location, and design of your deck
The condition of your yard will hugely affect the deck’s design and placement. For example, if you have a sloping backyard, you’ll either have a raised deck containing stairs or a multi-level deck. Also, if you have big trees in your yard, you can decide to make them a centerpiece for your deck, or they’ll become an obstacle to your plans altogether. While building the deck the build quality and long term condition matters so here is list of Screws to use for Deck Boards to make it more rigid with build quality.
You will also need to determine what relationship you want your deck to have with your house. Do you want to connect to the backside, swimming area, or as a front porch? How your deck connects to the house also adds a lot to the design. The scale of your deck is also a determining factor, and so is your type of house. For example, a deck for a vacation house in the woods will be a different size compared to a deck in a city house.
Choose a contractor you can trust
You can ask friends and family for recommendations for a good contractor. Alternatively, you can also check online for contractors if you don’t like any decks that your other friends or families have. To vet your contractors, ask them about their projects, get to see the ones they’ve completed, and decide whether you think their work is good. It is better to find local contractors who you can get, see their work, and work with the materials at hand. For a good contractor in San Antonio, check out French Custom Concepts.
When you find your perfect match, it is more likely that you’ll need to be patient with them because they most likely have other contracts to complete that came before yours. For a good job, patience is a virtue you must learn.
Traffic and stairs
When designing a deck, keep in mind foot traffic and stairs so that the position of furniture and grill don’t interfere with movement. The stairs to your house should be easy to locate and access from any point on the deck. Guardrails will always define the perimeter if you’re going for a taller deck. You can also have a short tail or benches to guide traffic and maintain views for a low deck. The interior area of the deck needs to include aisles for movement, and how you build your deck can allow space for this.
The stairs on your deck function as a deck anchor to the yard, acting as the primary point of access. By measuring the height of your deck, you can calculate the number of steps you need on your stairs. You can either choose to have stairs gently wrapped around your deck or split them by a set of landings which will help reduce the awkwardness. You also must avoid placing landing stairs under the deck frame as it will interfere with the headroom. Creating multiple levels creates a sense of space, allowing people to move around easily. When doing so, you need to avoid severe and sudden changes in elevation as they can result in accidents. If your deck is low, you can create a cascading warp around the stairs to easily blend into the yard.
Decking choices
The type of deck you choose for your design is an important decision. While some people want the look and feel of natural wood or even exotic hardwoods, others prefer artificial options. If you use a natural wood there is additional maintenance like staining the wood but it’s also a preference of the owner.
There are also low-maintenance materials like composite, which offer a variety of colors and textures to choose from. It would help if you did lots of research before you settled on the material you want to build your deck.
By choosing hidden fasteners, you’ll be eliminating screws and nail placement on the floor. When building your deck using compost material, it is best to use reverse trim head composite screws over nails to hold the strength and prevent mushroomed screw holes. Choosing a color is also an essential part of building your deck. If you’re building a huge deck, a redundant floor treatment will appear too plain. You can choose to create a deck giving attention to a particular space to add some character and color.
Before settling on a deck design, take your time. If you’re still thinking, “I’ll have one as I did in my last house, ” you haven’t thought about it much. There are so many deck ideas on the internet, and you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to put your skills to use. Check out the different types of decks you can find online until you find one that actually amuses you. This isn’t a project you partake in every other week, so when you do, you must ensure you won’t regret it.
Final thoughts
Building a deck is a great home improvement project that will not only improve the outlook of your home but also provide you with extra space and even raise the value of your home. By building a deck, it’s time to bring out your creative side to play. Choose a deck that will serve you and your family for up to a decade to come. You can always ask for assistance from deck professionals like French Custom Concepts, who will help you bring to life your dream deck.
