Spring projects

It is that time of year again. Web footed North-westerners start looking wistfully at their yards and contemplating the brief but beautiful summer we hope to see soon. Spring projects like patios, barbeques, decks and fences look appealing. Evo construction has seen a big uptick in requests for deck and fence bids. Just yesterday we signed on to build a beautiful red cedar deck in the SE of Portland. I am looking forward to posting photos and progress of this project. My advice on decks and fences is like all other projects:

1. Do a little research before you begin getting bids
2. Know what you want
3. Know what is legally required

With fences you need to be aware of boundary issues and height restrictions in your area. There are even more important considerations when designing and building decks. A deck may hold the the safety of your family and friends. In most jurisdictions decks need to be permitted when they are above a certain height off the ground, in Portland that height is 30 inches. Even below 30 inches a deck still needs to be constructed correctly. Most builders are tempted to cut corners on foundations, beams and joists when it comes to decks. DIYers are especially tempted to use precast concrete deck pier blocks from your local hardware store. These are not recommended and in most cases they do not meet code requirements. When sitting down with your deck contractor/builder make sure they are experienced. Ask for pictures of previous jobs, ask for references from previous jobs and ask them to explain the legal requirements for your area and how they will meet those requirements. Most importantly make sure the builder is not cutting corners anywhere. Cutting a few corners may bring down the price but it also decreases the longevity, the stability and the safety of your deck; it may even be illegal.