TexansFight Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Any deck building experience out there??I have an older house... and want to add a 12x18 deck in back with railing and benches. I just got a quote from a friend to complete for 3200 w 2100 of that being all labor. I have really no clue how to build one myself. Would it be better just to go ahead and eat the costs to have it done right?? Or try to figure this thing out with the help of friends who know a thing or two and try to save some cash??Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!BTW.... is 3200 a good price for treated lumber, hand rails, benches, and steps??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 i'll bet you could find quite a few people who'd do that cheaper laborwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Well, first decide exactly what you want and then get plans for them. I've seen many cool decks go to hell because they weren't designed properly.Labor, don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 $3200 is not a bad price for a 216 square foot deck with railings and benches. As for building it yourself, if you enjoy that sort of thing, decks are great DIY projects. If you do not enjoy heavy lifting, sweating, dirt, measuring and staring at lumber while trying to imagine what it will look like when finished, then you will probably regret attempting it yourself. I find outdoor projects to be more enjoyable for amatuers, since the tolerances are not as tight as, say, building indoor cabinets. But, many people really do not enjoy building things. There is abolutely nothing tough about building a deck...other than sweating. This deck was homemade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchtastic Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 That's a nice little deck you've got there for homemade, Red. Perfect for relaxing with drinks. And stuff. Are you going to do some kind of vine for an arbor-thing up top? Now that I tore out most of the ugly useless deck on the side of my place, I need to start spiffing up the part I kept. All I've got so far is chili pepper lights and the grill. Need a hammock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I had planned a trellis for the side by the fence, but then I relized that vines in pots can have their growth limited by the pot. It made me wonder if the vines would grow enough to get to the arbor. I am researching possible solutions, including pulling up a couple of floor planks by the fence and letting the vines grow up from the ground.Suggestions are welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksmu Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Red...I recently planted grape vines, Cabernet to be precise, and within 2 years they had climbed and grown so much that they could fill nearly your entire deck there. They grew so fast it was unbelievable...if you dont cut them back a bit, you dont get grapes but, if you just want the shade and what not, they grown 5-8x faster than any vine I have ever dealt with and they are beautiful.I had planned a trellis for the side by the fence, but then I relized that vines in pots can have their growth limited by the pot. It made me wonder if the vines would grow enough to get to the arbor. I am researching possible solutions, including pulling up a couple of floor planks by the fence and letting the vines grow up from the ground.Suggestions are welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexansFight Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 Thanks for the advice everyone.. lookin like I may try to tackle this thing myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahiki Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 I had planned a trellis for the side by the fence, but then I relized that vines in pots can have their growth limited by the pot. It made me wonder if the vines would grow enough to get to the arbor. I am researching possible solutions, including pulling up a couple of floor planks by the fence and letting the vines grow up from the ground.Suggestions are welcome.I bet bougainvillea, morning glory or star jasmine, planted in the ground next to the deck, could be guided over to the fence pretty easily on a trellis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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