Every job below is one we do ourselves across Milwaukee.
We build decks from the footings up, sized and framed to match your yard and how you actually plan to use it. Frost footings go down below the frost line, typically 42 inches around here, so the deck doesn't heave every spring.
Loose boards, wobbly stairs, a ledger board pulling away from the house, we fix all of it. Sometimes a repair is a few hours of work, sometimes it means rebuilding a section that was framed wrong the first time.
Pressure-treated lumber needs a season to dry out before it'll take a stain properly. We sand down high spots, clean the boards, and apply a stain that soaks into the wood instead of sitting on top of it.
Multi-level decks, built-in benches, a layout that steps around an old oak tree, we draw it up before we cut a single board. Some homeowners know exactly what they want, others need help figuring out where the stairs should land.
Composite boards don't rot and won't splinter, but they still require the right joist spacing underneath or they'll sag between fasteners. We follow the manufacturer's span tables instead of guessing.
Wisconsin code calls for guardrails on any deck over 30 inches off the ground, with balusters spaced so a 4-inch sphere can't pass through. We build railings that pass inspection and don't wiggle when you lean on them.
If the frame underneath is solid but the boards are cupped, splintering or gray, we can strip the decking and rebuild the surface without touching the structure. It's a faster, cheaper way to get a new-looking deck when the bones are still good.
Old deck coming down before the new one goes up? We tear it out, haul off the lumber and old hardware, and check the ledger and framing underneath for rot before anything new gets built.
A pergola over part of the deck cuts down on afternoon sun without blocking the whole yard. We anchor posts into concrete footings so it holds up in wind, not just sitting on the deck boards.
Turning part of a deck into a screened porch means adding a roof, framing knee walls, and running screens that keep the mosquitoes out in July. It's a bigger project than a standard deck build, closer to an addition.
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.
These are the towns around Milwaukee where deck construction and repair happen regularly.
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.
