The most common question our Vancouver Deck Builders Team is asked is…
How long does it take to build a deck?
This question is almost impossible to answer site-unseen, as every circumstance and every job is different. In this article we’ll walk you through the steps of the average Vancouver deck construction. Along with a better understanding of how long each step takes.
Step 1: Making Contact with Your Deck Builder
This is usually the most time-consuming step, especially if you’re trying to get your construction done in the peak season for outdoor renos. All reputable Vancouver deck builders in the Lower Mainland are very busy in the summer months and have longer wait times for new patio or deck construction.
While our policy is to respond to your request for a quote as quickly as possible, we are never offended when people call or email us multiple times wishing for a quicker quote – if your project is time sensitive, please let us know and we will do our very best to expedite your project.
It can take anywhere from a day in our slow season, to two weeks in our peak season to complete this step.
Step 2: Booking a Site Visit
After we’ve exchanged contact info and learned a bit more about your decking needs, we will book a site visit. Site visits usually occur within a week of speaking on the phone or connecting over email.
During your site visit, we will come to your home to review your project with you. At this time, we will be glad to lend our expertise to help guide the project as well as supply some samples of the various products we offer.
While it’s better if you or your partner are home when we come by to see your space, on a case-by-case basis we can often do the site visit when you’re not home (this can help speed up the time it takes to see your space and finalize a quote if our schedules aren’t aligned). You will receive a finalized quote after this visit, and once approved, construction can begin!
It can take anywhere from a day to a week to complete this step.
Step 3: Booking Your Start Date for Construction
When your quote has been reviewed and approved, you’ll be booked in as soon as possible.
Step 4: Building or Renovating Your Deck
Most deck renovations consist of one or all of the following steps. How long your deck will take to build will vary greatly based on which steps yours requires:
- Getting a deck permit – In most cases, building a new deck requires a permit. For help finding out if your deck will need one or not, see our guide on deck permits in the Lower Mainland.
- Demolition of an existing deck frame, and construction of a new deck frame– If your deck requires this kind of construction, our deck building team could be at your place for a few days working on this. During those days, the crew will remove your old deck, build footings, construct your new deck, and get it ready for vinyl and/or membranes.
Note: If you deck does not require any additional construction before laying down membranes, your deck will be finished sooner.
- Installing vinyl or membranes– This step takes a good long day. Sometimes two days, depending on the situation.
- After the membrane is installed, the deck building team will return to handle any finishings such as: building new stairs, sidings, re-installing exterior doors that might have been removed for construction etc. This is a fun stage when you start to see all the finishing pieces that make your deck complete come together!
There is one important finishing item that WON’T be installed on this day, and that is your custom-built aluminum railing package.
How long do custom aluminum railings take to be installed?
Aluminum railings are custom made for every deck. These usually take 3-6 weeks to be manufactured. Our deck building team can’t start the process of measuring your railings for build until the deck is completely finished and installed.
There are variables such as the height and slope of your deck that require exact precision when measuring for the aluminum railings. Once they have been measured, drawnup, and the order has been placed… then we manufacture them. After manufacturing we powder coat them and schedule a time for installation.
Your aluminum railings will take a minimum of 2-3 weeks. This time frame will be longer during our peak season. For more info on how long custom aluminum railing takes to manufacture and install, read our 2019 guide to custom aluminum railings.
Our goal is always to get you a safe, good looking deck that you can enjoy for years to come.
Our average crew size that comes to your home is two people. Our employees are skilled professionals, that work in all types of weather.
As decking contractors, we anticipate weather conditions, and keep our schedule fluid to work with the weather. We’re not afraid of a little rain and do our very best to keep to our scheduled timeline whenever possible. By keeping an eye on the forecast and understanding where in the home your deck is being built (i.e. over a living space or garage), we can easily tarp around our job site. All of these scenarios are mapped out in advance of starting our work.
In some cases, it’s helpful for you to be home for the construction so that our team has access to your power, but we’re completely self-sufficient and can utilize power generators when needed.
As a small, local team, we are in constant contact with each other and with you. Our owner and operator is on the ground everyday overseeing our crews, and we have a full-time office manager to assist with business needs.