I pulled out two dead and decomposing squirrels after we noticed a terrible smell. I believe we had rats this winter. And had a couple gophers for a bit. I think they got too big and moved on. Or they are dead underneath and I’ll start smelling them soon.
In all seriousness to why this over pavers. Wood under foot just feels nicer. It’s more pleasurable and aesthetically pleasing. Plus, that little bit of separation (mentally) makes it feel more separated from bugs and shit - even though it is most definitely not.
My son was EMT and he put some of my ER stories to shame. Those guys are almost bullet proof and semi crazy. Most will do it for beer and bragging rights.
As the small person in a group of friends. It’s good to know your role. I’m not reaching anything high or intimidating anyone. But I have friends who can do that, and I’m hear for the less glorious but equally needed tasks.
Yup, did that a few weeks ago when a skunk wandered in and died in the open crawlspace next to our three season room, sometimes animals pass through, but nothing hangs around. I wore tyvek, a mask, goggles, taped a broom handle to a grading rake and pulled it out bit by bit. The smell was so rank, so foul, so viscous, it stuck in the soft tissue of my sinuses. I had to bail a few times to get the gags out, and I sealed the rotten remains in a bucket. I cannot overstate how absolutely foul it was.
I have since sealed the crawlspace with hardware cloth.
I'm glad the skunk that decided my deck was his final resting place didn't make it too far under. I noticed a funky smell and saw his ass hanging out from the little opening when my concrete steps meet the deck. had to cut back some plants and then use the rack,/hoe to drag it out. thankfully it wasn't too far into the decomposing yet.
Not I. They took over my patio furniture though? I heard they pee and poop on everything. They spent enough time rolling in my wet yard all day to stay clean. They disappeared! Was just 3 kits playing with my dogs toys in the yard.
You can definitely build in access, but to get to the entire area (given its low rider height) you’ll need to be able to have panels to most of the deck.
I joined this sub because we wanted to build a low profile deck with a pergola last year. As I was budgeting and planning every detail I realized we could save a few thousand dollars and build a paver patio with a pergola much cheaper. We used what was left in the budget on some high quality teak patio furniture. I think it turned out better than the deck would have.
Where I live, there's only so much non permeable ground covering allowed on your property. Concrete is considered 100% impervious to rain water and decking is only 50% or 30% impervious, depending on how it's made.
If you have a paved driveway and a house on a normal residential lot in the city, you may not be allowed to add a concrete patio, but you may be able to add a deck of the same size and stay within the flooding regulations.
May I ask. Why is putting a deck instead of paver or concrete patio? I've seen at least 3 comments saying the same thing.
We would like a deck and currently have the pavers. Pavers were there when we purchased 3 yrs ago. They look like shit. Weeds coming up and the whole 9.
If there’s a decent bed under the pavers with landscape fabric and crushed stone, weeds will be few and far between. When I see weeds in pavers, usually it’s because the guy installing them cheaped out and either put no base down or just a bare minimum. Any weeds that do pop up through pavers are quickly delt with with a quick spritz of roundup. Edit:spelling
This.
I don’t care how well you do your foundation, after a few years some weeds will sprout on the debris on top of your preparation. (Although smaller and less numerous)
Roundup is good, Groundclear is better.
I'm just going to leave this here 😆
https://preview.redd.it/sn9fzmaimd9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=368e5555f9cc62e94151ecea84f8fc4a82c4913b
Not if you use concrete instead of pavers. I know not everyone loves the look, but I think it looks nice and clean and there is no maintenance once installed.
It's just a bad option, I've taken money out of my own pocket because I won't do decks where patios should be. It's going to rot fast, and if its attached to the band board its stands a fair chance at causing water damage in your house. Not only that, but it'd normally be cheaper and last longer to pour fancy stamped concrete. Additionally, if you have a property that is having water problems (ie. the grade of the land) you can address those issues while the ground is broken to divert water away from your house so you have a better chance at fewer problems with your foundation later.
In conclusion and in my experience it's normally less money for a better product that will last longer and fit the space better. Your opinion is valid, but I disagree.
I was going to comment and say they probably wanted a level step from the door....but there isn't a door....this is just in an exterior corner of the house. If the owners are happy, more power to them, but I'd agree it's an odd choice. It does look good, but upkeep on it will be annoying.
Personally I find wooden decks way more comfortable than stone pavers to step on. For example when it's cold out the stone feels way colder on your feet. Or cold dew that collects on the stones in the morning or at night. And sometimes even raising the deck 8 inches to match the indoor floor height has a nicer feeling of more continuous indoor outdoor space than a step down to a stone patio on the ground. Just a personal preference. Stone patios can be very beautiful obviously.
Concrete takes a bit of work. But the pavers? A good pick axe and some friends is a good Saturday morning.
Or, get one of the cheap Amazon jackhammers and go to town. They're fun and they move fast.
Or be a total masochist, buy yourself a 15 lb sledge and go to town.
We just didn't think it through. We didn't realize there was a concrete patio under our deck. So we paid to replace the deck as it was, and when we weren't happy with the end results wondered why we didn't just stop when the patio was revealed.
I say the same. I have had decks that literally almost sit on the ground. I am like why would put a piece of wood that rots,needs maintenance and critters can get under when a nice big slab of concrete will work just fine? I understand walkouts having them but ranches? I seen a deck that was probably 80x20 and it was completely falling apart. Why would you put this huge pain in the rear end for maintenance and money when concrete or pavers would work better was almost no maintenance? I aslo believe people who do not own homes or never have are the biggest deck fans! Just my personal opinion!
Especially since it doesn’t appear to have concrete post bases, but even if you don’t know how to pour concrete you can get those off the shelf for like $10 per… blows my mind how much people pay for stuff instead of doing it themselves but hey if you got the money to burn…
It’s a shame they didn’t space those boards properly. And used wet wood for that box lid. I’d honestly be a bit pissed. $8k is nothing to scoff at for a pretty simple job like this. I could live with the price if it was 100% perfect. Call them back and bitch. Water is going to pool on that thing and cause lots of problems.
I can vouch for this too. Laid mine last November, thinking it was dry after months of sitting in my garage... I went with my gut and laid them tight. Boy was I right. Stained it a couple months ago and has been shrinking the last month or so with the heat wave rolling thru the state.
Shouldn't you be answering your own question? I really don't find any logic in these posts. It'd be one thing if you had an idea and asked about it being worth w/e you were quoted but idk, just irks me I guess. Why would you accept a bid, pay the company and THEN ask?
Well, was it worth 8k to YOU? I would say no.
Dang, materials probably $1000.00. I would have done pavers/concrete and built or buy a pergola.
People should walk out the back door onto the deck. Not walk up to the deck. A buddy bought a house with something like this and it was rotted to shit, animals, critters living underneath it. He ripped it all out and threw it away.
They absolutely would shrink where I am in the South. I always put the boards together and get a space within a week. However, I wouldn't stain the wood until several months have passed. This looks stained to me and the OP said it was day 2.
Well shit. Our back deck is 40 years old, the joists are still in excellent condition so we just had to replace all the horizontal boards. I got all new pressure treated 16ft deck boards, let them sit in the garage properly spaced for a year, lightly sanded, cleaned and then stained them BEFORE we put them in place. Looks amazing but I guess I did it wrong. And we live in the Upper Peninsula of MI. But this deck gets direct sunlight from sunrise to sunset every day. Guess I’m restaining next spring
So, if the wood is still wet, it will shrink and add the correct spacing. That’s standard. The box could have been done a little better/built to avoid or reduce warping. If you paid the same price with the contractor doing less work, that’s your big problem
You could have built that yourself with 1 hour of YouTube and $800
At $8,000 you had 10 try’s to get it right yourself before spending more money than they charged loo
Ive been lurking this sub for a year and I think its my time to pitch in
That should be a paved patio with 7mm non slipery porcelanato. All weather resistant, easy to clean and it doesn't warp.
The instalation is not easy but its very durable
No. Why people insist on putting wood on the ground astounds me. Get concrete or get it up higher away from water. Lots of people tossing money around and no clue what to do.
Deck boards should be tight. They will shrink over time. The deck box is janky and looks amateurish. The rest of the deck looks fine. $8k? Good deal for labor + materials.
The deck boards have to be pushed tight to each other in 3 months all the boards are going to shrink and then you'll have your little space you're looking for. That deck is definitely worth 8k materials and all and lumber has a chance of twisting as it dries there's no stopping that not even the contractor or carpenter can stop that from happening you just have to treat it and hope that it doesn't twist. That is a beautifully done deck.. The only way you can prespace your deck boards is to make sure you have kiln dry wood and that's definitely more than $8,000.
Sorry OP, but for 8k this does not look like it is integrated well into the design of your home. It being a single step all around makes it stick out and look unnatural to me
The moron that installed my front porch with early generation composite left no space, water would pool. I just set a saw blade and cut between each and looks normal now with no collecting. Wood needs to be spaced out for sure.
I am somewhat amazed by the prices in the US. Here in the Netherlands we would use bankirai or azobe Tropical wood. 2x3's for a frame below, resting on concrete tiles. This deck then would be about 3K for the wood. Maybe 2 days of labour. Another 1600 dollars.
And there needs to be spacing between the boards, otherwise they will curl up when things get warm.
I'm in a high COL area and theres no way I'd pay 8k for something this simple and just sitting on 2x4.
I suspect at the same price or little more with some shopping around you could've just had yourself a pretty paver patio. It looks good but I question the longevity and cost.
I would have done that myself for whatever the material cost. I'm capable of it. 8k for that is not worth it to ME.
Can you do that? If not are you happy with how it turned out? I can see no flaw in the craftsmanship.
If you're happy with the product then it's worth it. You're not just paying for the product, you're paying for skilled labor. Someone could have done it cheaper, but maybe and likely not as good. You get what you pay for.
https://preview.redd.it/mjkdrnj62d9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45411fc9a9aebcd6bfd998de8c5b2367cee544d7
So you tell me if you got taken just one 9 foot sleeve was about $150
Seems pretty expensive for such a simple design and not replacing the supports. I can’t tell the spacing of the joists and therefore can’t speak to the quality of the support structure. Maybe the long length of the 2x8s (which do look very nice) raised the price, but that much?
The bench box will continue to be disappointing. The construction approach is much too coarse, the bowing was obviously going to happen with the second board placed with the cup up, the hinges used and the handle will not stand up to frequent use, and the entire thing will only weaken/sag over time. I hope it was not a major part of the cost. Sorry
If pressure treated stuff in Texas lumber yards is at all similar to the stuff where I am, those boards do NOT need to be gapped, they'll shrink plenty.
Regarding the bowing lid - again, wet lumber. It's drying unevenly (moisture isn't getting sucked out of the underside as quickly as it is on top). Leave a wet edge grain cutting board flat on a countertop and it'll bow up because the underside isn't getting airflow and staying damp.
On both of those fronts, don't listen to the people here before giving it at least a few weeks and more likely a few months. I'd be shocked if the boards aren't gapped by the end of the summer.
I also don't think $8k is outrageous, but if the plan was to put new posts in and the builder decided it was unnecessary, the associated time and material should be taken off the estimate/bill.
Looks small for that price, but it would depend on what it looked like before and what kind of pre-build work needed to be done.It also depends on the wood used. That can wildly vary the price.
Anything is worth what people are willing to pay… Also where you live in relation to major cities will affect cost, as will what actual state you live in and the supply/demand of the market and fuel cost etc.
Whatever it costs will fluctuate by too many variables to say if something is worth it or not. I wouldn’t have gone with a ground level deck on a flat surface personally unless drainage and under deck issues have been thoroughly taken care of. Looks good right now though
My cat loves our deck like this. The amount of death and destruction that boy causes under there….
It’s imperative to the health of our garden, so it’s a necessary evil.
Did they use PT wood and stain/paint it? Or untreated lumber then stain/paint? Here I thought either way you wanted to let it season for a year or 2 especially if it’s PT.
Agree - should be at least one nail width apart on each board.
Bowing on the lid should be fixed by contractor.
Also, did you have a written contract/agreement about the work to be performed? If you did and it noted new concrete and posts, I’d hold partial payment or full for not getting what the contract stated.
Are those wood joists directly on the ground?? Instead of on concrete?
https://preview.redd.it/26nr4blcsd9d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=388036df7da9ef37031a7b2ecae82876f1f1c1ea
Dunno where you live but where I am that wood is going to rot PDQ.
Not worth $8,000, no. We just did one this size ourselves with pavers and stairs for $1,000 all materials. Took us an afternoon. Is this what a contractor charged you or are you trying to sell it for $8,000?
Mother in law had a similar deck, all cedar and it only lasted 10 years because there were no gaps between the boards. Moisture has nowhere to go, and there is no space below for any air circulation at all. For $8k I would have them back and at least space out the deck boards.
Why do so many people put in a deck when it should be a paver or concrete patio?
They want free forest pets to move in underneath their deck
Lol. I just had 3 fox kits living under mine. Several different sets of rabbits. Can confirm
I pulled out two dead and decomposing squirrels after we noticed a terrible smell. I believe we had rats this winter. And had a couple gophers for a bit. I think they got too big and moved on. Or they are dead underneath and I’ll start smelling them soon. In all seriousness to why this over pavers. Wood under foot just feels nicer. It’s more pleasurable and aesthetically pleasing. Plus, that little bit of separation (mentally) makes it feel more separated from bugs and shit - even though it is most definitely not.
My parents had a skunk die under their sunroom, I had to send my smaller friend under there in a hazmat suit. It was horrific.
I’m assuming you’re not friends anymore 😂
He's a paramedic, so he volunteered. Lol
He deserves a case of his favorite beverage. +/- a steak
Plus or minus? Lol, thanks for getting the skunk, here's a case of cheap beer. You owe me a fuckin' steak.
He got a free skunk out it
My son was EMT and he put some of my ER stories to shame. Those guys are almost bullet proof and semi crazy. Most will do it for beer and bragging rights.
He had a skunk steak after retrieving the skunk, free food
Not all heroes wear capes.
https://preview.redd.it/chm044mr4i9d1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=332d86338738b3d41ab0adefb697cadda7138d9c
If they wear Edna Mode they certainly don't.
You don't know what he does in his free time
Nuff said
As the small person in a group of friends. It’s good to know your role. I’m not reaching anything high or intimidating anyone. But I have friends who can do that, and I’m hear for the less glorious but equally needed tasks.
Yup, did that a few weeks ago when a skunk wandered in and died in the open crawlspace next to our three season room, sometimes animals pass through, but nothing hangs around. I wore tyvek, a mask, goggles, taped a broom handle to a grading rake and pulled it out bit by bit. The smell was so rank, so foul, so viscous, it stuck in the soft tissue of my sinuses. I had to bail a few times to get the gags out, and I sealed the rotten remains in a bucket. I cannot overstate how absolutely foul it was. I have since sealed the crawlspace with hardware cloth.
I'm glad the skunk that decided my deck was his final resting place didn't make it too far under. I noticed a funky smell and saw his ass hanging out from the little opening when my concrete steps meet the deck. had to cut back some plants and then use the rack,/hoe to drag it out. thankfully it wasn't too far into the decomposing yet.
😨😱😱😱
I’d love foxes. All I ever got were rats.
Have you ever smelled a fox before?
Not I. They took over my patio furniture though? I heard they pee and poop on everything. They spent enough time rolling in my wet yard all day to stay clean. They disappeared! Was just 3 kits playing with my dogs toys in the yard.
Ground hog was lounging in front of his hole under my wood shed base, like it was his patio. F*cker
3 skunks currently under mine- debating on what exactly should be my next move. wonderful having a 3 level huge deck
Throw them in the x wifes car.
lmao they’re still alive :/
Even better
trap em and shoot em.
Possums under mine. Came out at night to eat the cat food that was left out.
This sub is amazing for making me feel great about the large amount of money I just spent getting a paver driveway/patio installed.
Haha...same my investment will out last all of them.. If I need access I just lift a couple bricks. Only work is weeds, but I don't mind
You can get rid of the weeds with salt
Haha got rabbits and fox
Rat paradise
Is it viable to build a deck such that you can lift up the panels to clean under them? Or to get to crickets hiding under there?
You can definitely build in access, but to get to the entire area (given its low rider height) you’ll need to be able to have panels to most of the deck.
Just screw a hinge onto the end of each board and don't screw them down. Problem solved! 😂
The environmentally friendly option.
I joined this sub because we wanted to build a low profile deck with a pergola last year. As I was budgeting and planning every detail I realized we could save a few thousand dollars and build a paver patio with a pergola much cheaper. We used what was left in the budget on some high quality teak patio furniture. I think it turned out better than the deck would have.
Where I live, there's only so much non permeable ground covering allowed on your property. Concrete is considered 100% impervious to rain water and decking is only 50% or 30% impervious, depending on how it's made. If you have a paved driveway and a house on a normal residential lot in the city, you may not be allowed to add a concrete patio, but you may be able to add a deck of the same size and stay within the flooding regulations.
There are TONS of permeable paver options you can use.
What if, now hear me out, you had a wood deck driveway? Then you would be able to do the concrete patio for sure!
May I ask. Why is putting a deck instead of paver or concrete patio? I've seen at least 3 comments saying the same thing. We would like a deck and currently have the pavers. Pavers were there when we purchased 3 yrs ago. They look like shit. Weeds coming up and the whole 9.
Shitty install.
If there’s a decent bed under the pavers with landscape fabric and crushed stone, weeds will be few and far between. When I see weeds in pavers, usually it’s because the guy installing them cheaped out and either put no base down or just a bare minimum. Any weeds that do pop up through pavers are quickly delt with with a quick spritz of roundup. Edit:spelling
I used 6 layers of 5oz commercial grade weed barrier under my gravel. You get 1 chance to do that. Do it right.
then dirt/organics fill the cracks, water takes it under, and viola- weeds
This. I don’t care how well you do your foundation, after a few years some weeds will sprout on the debris on top of your preparation. (Although smaller and less numerous) Roundup is good, Groundclear is better.
SIX LAYERS? This is like 4-5 layers of overkill, right?
Yes indeed. It’s for my mental illness.
My motto is “If I’m going to build it, I may as well over build it.” 😁
Hey, "if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself." Those two go hand in hand
Weeds will come up through a ground deck too
So weeds are basically inevitable?
Life finds a way,
Just the way she goes.
Fucking nailed it
Weed is infinite man
"Weed is infinite man" I love weed.
Stoner? I hardly know her.
If there’s dirt and any amount of moisture and you aren’t actively fighting them, yes
I'm just going to leave this here 😆 https://preview.redd.it/sn9fzmaimd9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=368e5555f9cc62e94151ecea84f8fc4a82c4913b
Not if you use concrete instead of pavers. I know not everyone loves the look, but I think it looks nice and clean and there is no maintenance once installed.
can confirm, I hate Canadian thistle more than any person I've ever met.
Put the deck in. Every certified opinion in this thread on how terrible an idea it is can be solved by literally just doing the job correctly.
30k difference in price was my reason
They should have just poured a slab and used that wood to make a pergola
Because it wouldn’t be a deck then, now would it?
Who cares? People want what they want.
It's just a bad option, I've taken money out of my own pocket because I won't do decks where patios should be. It's going to rot fast, and if its attached to the band board its stands a fair chance at causing water damage in your house. Not only that, but it'd normally be cheaper and last longer to pour fancy stamped concrete. Additionally, if you have a property that is having water problems (ie. the grade of the land) you can address those issues while the ground is broken to divert water away from your house so you have a better chance at fewer problems with your foundation later. In conclusion and in my experience it's normally less money for a better product that will last longer and fit the space better. Your opinion is valid, but I disagree.
I was going to comment and say they probably wanted a level step from the door....but there isn't a door....this is just in an exterior corner of the house. If the owners are happy, more power to them, but I'd agree it's an odd choice. It does look good, but upkeep on it will be annoying.
Personally I find wooden decks way more comfortable than stone pavers to step on. For example when it's cold out the stone feels way colder on your feet. Or cold dew that collects on the stones in the morning or at night. And sometimes even raising the deck 8 inches to match the indoor floor height has a nicer feeling of more continuous indoor outdoor space than a step down to a stone patio on the ground. Just a personal preference. Stone patios can be very beautiful obviously.
Have you ever pulled up a concrete/paver patio? I will take deck maintenance or replacement any day over that
Removing pavers is no big deal in my experience. Removing concrete does suck, but a properly installed pad will outlive OP.
Concrete takes a bit of work. But the pavers? A good pick axe and some friends is a good Saturday morning. Or, get one of the cheap Amazon jackhammers and go to town. They're fun and they move fast. Or be a total masochist, buy yourself a 15 lb sledge and go to town.
The idea of using a jack hammer makes my teeth hurt and the thought of how I would feel the next day... no thank you.
I guess you could also take some solace from the fact that a cheap Amazon jackhammer would also be broken after one job?
We just didn't think it through. We didn't realize there was a concrete patio under our deck. So we paid to replace the deck as it was, and when we weren't happy with the end results wondered why we didn't just stop when the patio was revealed.
Never a deck at grade.. Paver or concrete always
I say the same. I have had decks that literally almost sit on the ground. I am like why would put a piece of wood that rots,needs maintenance and critters can get under when a nice big slab of concrete will work just fine? I understand walkouts having them but ranches? I seen a deck that was probably 80x20 and it was completely falling apart. Why would you put this huge pain in the rear end for maintenance and money when concrete or pavers would work better was almost no maintenance? I aslo believe people who do not own homes or never have are the biggest deck fans! Just my personal opinion!
My favorite part is walking through the lawn to get to the deck.
Maybe they go out the window
Good thinking.
Just don't step on the box. Osama Bin Laden is hiding in there.
Why didn’t they put a door where that deck box and window are?
Looks good for now and the rest of the season. Better put your house on the market and let the next sucker deal with it next year!
This definitely should have been a concrete slab or pavers. You will eventually have rot and rodent problems.
Me and my dad just built one of these over a weekend for $800
I'm in the beginning stages of putting one put in at my house. Mind if I DM you to pick your brain?
Can I dm as well??
Yeah, that’s gonna rot.
Especially right under the air conditioner.
Oof, I missed that!
Looks like there’s a space between the deck and the dirt. Can’t see any spacing between the boards though.
A space, yes. Enough space to allow for airflow? Not so much.
Agreed.
8k? How much is lumber these days? I feel like that would easily be done with 1-2k and an afternoon. Maybe I’m old and out of touch.
An afternoon, 2 buddies, case of beer! But yea, that was a few generations ago. Thats easily a 7 day job nowadays.
Time inflation, amiright?
Especially since it doesn’t appear to have concrete post bases, but even if you don’t know how to pour concrete you can get those off the shelf for like $10 per… blows my mind how much people pay for stuff instead of doing it themselves but hey if you got the money to burn…
Yeah this is a 2k materials job and an easy job especially if the old foundation was used
Just bought some 16’ deck boards, pressure treated at $14 per board.
Only if there’s $7K in the box
It’s a shame they didn’t space those boards properly. And used wet wood for that box lid. I’d honestly be a bit pissed. $8k is nothing to scoff at for a pretty simple job like this. I could live with the price if it was 100% perfect. Call them back and bitch. Water is going to pool on that thing and cause lots of problems.
Decking might be spaced like that on purpose if it was laid wet. That's how I did mine, and now the gaps are plenty big.
I can vouch for this too. Laid mine last November, thinking it was dry after months of sitting in my garage... I went with my gut and laid them tight. Boy was I right. Stained it a couple months ago and has been shrinking the last month or so with the heat wave rolling thru the state.
Yup I spaced mine and wished I didn't. 5 years later the gap is too big for this guy. A little one could catch their finger in there!
8000?.......8000?........................eight thousand... dollars? WTF, I am in the wrong trade!
I can't see where this is $8k worth of work.
Shouldn't you be answering your own question? I really don't find any logic in these posts. It'd be one thing if you had an idea and asked about it being worth w/e you were quoted but idk, just irks me I guess. Why would you accept a bid, pay the company and THEN ask? Well, was it worth 8k to YOU? I would say no.
That is a bad deal, it could be built for around a few thousand dollars
How in the world could this cost so much? Its just....plain.
U got taken to the cleaners.
8k???? You could have done all of that yourself on a weekend. Maybe I'm out of touch, is this what 8,000 dollars gets you?
No I would never pay that much for that /Sweden
Dang, materials probably $1000.00. I would have done pavers/concrete and built or buy a pergola. People should walk out the back door onto the deck. Not walk up to the deck. A buddy bought a house with something like this and it was rotted to shit, animals, critters living underneath it. He ripped it all out and threw it away.
$5k tops.
I would have gone with masonry. It would last longer than your unborn grandchildren.
Highway robbery
The boards might shrink and gap over the summer It could have been higher $8k is reasonable
They absolutely would shrink where I am in the South. I always put the boards together and get a space within a week. However, I wouldn't stain the wood until several months have passed. This looks stained to me and the OP said it was day 2.
Yep, came here to say the same thing. Absolutely jam the boards together if they are new/wet, but staining those same green/wet boards is pointless.
Well shit. Our back deck is 40 years old, the joists are still in excellent condition so we just had to replace all the horizontal boards. I got all new pressure treated 16ft deck boards, let them sit in the garage properly spaced for a year, lightly sanded, cleaned and then stained them BEFORE we put them in place. Looks amazing but I guess I did it wrong. And we live in the Upper Peninsula of MI. But this deck gets direct sunlight from sunrise to sunset every day. Guess I’m restaining next spring
So, if the wood is still wet, it will shrink and add the correct spacing. That’s standard. The box could have been done a little better/built to avoid or reduce warping. If you paid the same price with the contractor doing less work, that’s your big problem
Price for size seems excessive.
Nope. Sorry.
NOPE!
8k for a job that simple is shameful,,
8k seems pretty steep to me. Very steep...
That’s hella profit for the company who built it
You could have built that yourself with 1 hour of YouTube and $800 At $8,000 you had 10 try’s to get it right yourself before spending more money than they charged loo
No you were absolutely ripped off
beautiful looking deck
I wouldn't take this for 2k
Ive been lurking this sub for a year and I think its my time to pitch in That should be a paved patio with 7mm non slipery porcelanato. All weather resistant, easy to clean and it doesn't warp. The instalation is not easy but its very durable
He either framed it with deck boards, or used the framing for deck boards
Getting a second or third quote probably would have saved you some money. If that's what you wanted though it looks good.
You should always jam wet baords together. When thry dry tgey will shrink a tad and give you space.
Definitely not
$8K... That's a nice bonus for that sub for the month.
That seems a little high 3-5k maybe depending on where your location is
no
Maybe 3-4.5k
No. Why people insist on putting wood on the ground astounds me. Get concrete or get it up higher away from water. Lots of people tossing money around and no clue what to do.
No. Not worth it
Deck boards should be tight. They will shrink over time. The deck box is janky and looks amateurish. The rest of the deck looks fine. $8k? Good deal for labor + materials.
No
Not at all. I DIY'd my deck with FIL, a bigger deck than this, total was less than $2000
No, not worth it
No worth 4k
The deck boards have to be pushed tight to each other in 3 months all the boards are going to shrink and then you'll have your little space you're looking for. That deck is definitely worth 8k materials and all and lumber has a chance of twisting as it dries there's no stopping that not even the contractor or carpenter can stop that from happening you just have to treat it and hope that it doesn't twist. That is a beautifully done deck.. The only way you can prespace your deck boards is to make sure you have kiln dry wood and that's definitely more than $8,000.
Sorry OP, but for 8k this does not look like it is integrated well into the design of your home. It being a single step all around makes it stick out and look unnatural to me
$2k materials?
Seems high
A cement slab would have been a better idea
The moron that installed my front porch with early generation composite left no space, water would pool. I just set a saw blade and cut between each and looks normal now with no collecting. Wood needs to be spaced out for sure.
Why not a brick planter box under the window?
I am somewhat amazed by the prices in the US. Here in the Netherlands we would use bankirai or azobe Tropical wood. 2x3's for a frame below, resting on concrete tiles. This deck then would be about 3K for the wood. Maybe 2 days of labour. Another 1600 dollars. And there needs to be spacing between the boards, otherwise they will curl up when things get warm.
I dunno, 8k seems like a lot, I am always surprised at how much things cost
It's always worth whatever someone is willing to pay.
Ill do it for 5k
Have 12 yr old decks.. not even one weed come thru
Snakes are gonna love it!
Wood included
I'm in a high COL area and theres no way I'd pay 8k for something this simple and just sitting on 2x4. I suspect at the same price or little more with some shopping around you could've just had yourself a pretty paver patio. It looks good but I question the longevity and cost.
In some states it’s for tax purposes
I would have done that myself for whatever the material cost. I'm capable of it. 8k for that is not worth it to ME. Can you do that? If not are you happy with how it turned out? I can see no flaw in the craftsmanship. If you're happy with the product then it's worth it. You're not just paying for the product, you're paying for skilled labor. Someone could have done it cheaper, but maybe and likely not as good. You get what you pay for.
Are those $11 2x6 boards?
https://preview.redd.it/mjkdrnj62d9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45411fc9a9aebcd6bfd998de8c5b2367cee544d7 So you tell me if you got taken just one 9 foot sleeve was about $150
Seems pretty expensive for such a simple design and not replacing the supports. I can’t tell the spacing of the joists and therefore can’t speak to the quality of the support structure. Maybe the long length of the 2x8s (which do look very nice) raised the price, but that much? The bench box will continue to be disappointing. The construction approach is much too coarse, the bowing was obviously going to happen with the second board placed with the cup up, the hinges used and the handle will not stand up to frequent use, and the entire thing will only weaken/sag over time. I hope it was not a major part of the cost. Sorry
tight spacing but looks good
If pressure treated stuff in Texas lumber yards is at all similar to the stuff where I am, those boards do NOT need to be gapped, they'll shrink plenty. Regarding the bowing lid - again, wet lumber. It's drying unevenly (moisture isn't getting sucked out of the underside as quickly as it is on top). Leave a wet edge grain cutting board flat on a countertop and it'll bow up because the underside isn't getting airflow and staying damp. On both of those fronts, don't listen to the people here before giving it at least a few weeks and more likely a few months. I'd be shocked if the boards aren't gapped by the end of the summer. I also don't think $8k is outrageous, but if the plan was to put new posts in and the builder decided it was unnecessary, the associated time and material should be taken off the estimate/bill.
The flashing/moulding where the siding meets the deck says a lot about the overall quality of the work imo.
$8,000?! Cheese and crackers!
a little higher AnD Your wify coUld store her shoe boxes
Looks small for that price, but it would depend on what it looked like before and what kind of pre-build work needed to be done.It also depends on the wood used. That can wildly vary the price.
Wait, why?
“I’ll call this a deck, if it will make you happy. But this is just a porch without a roof.”- Darryl Phylbin
Worth what your willing to pay. But a good job was done here
Cool mystery box
Nice hiding spot for the critters
It would have been way cheaper to just have a concrete slab poured.
Not going to lie, this seems like the most pointless decking I've ever seen. Surely a patio would have been a better option and less maintenance?
Uh no. DIY Dad here, could do a little better at half the price.
Anything is worth what people are willing to pay… Also where you live in relation to major cities will affect cost, as will what actual state you live in and the supply/demand of the market and fuel cost etc. Whatever it costs will fluctuate by too many variables to say if something is worth it or not. I wouldn’t have gone with a ground level deck on a flat surface personally unless drainage and under deck issues have been thoroughly taken care of. Looks good right now though
170$/m2 +/-
It's beautiful, but the fit seems really tight. Where does the water go?
What are the dimensions? What type of wood?
My cat loves our deck like this. The amount of death and destruction that boy causes under there…. It’s imperative to the health of our garden, so it’s a necessary evil.
Did they use PT wood and stain/paint it? Or untreated lumber then stain/paint? Here I thought either way you wanted to let it season for a year or 2 especially if it’s PT. Agree - should be at least one nail width apart on each board. Bowing on the lid should be fixed by contractor. Also, did you have a written contract/agreement about the work to be performed? If you did and it noted new concrete and posts, I’d hold partial payment or full for not getting what the contract stated.
Hope it wasn’t 8k should of did pavers or stamped colored concrete
My best friend is a GC and would have happily accepted 7k in profit to slap together 1k in materials.
Are those wood joists directly on the ground?? Instead of on concrete? https://preview.redd.it/26nr4blcsd9d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=388036df7da9ef37031a7b2ecae82876f1f1c1ea Dunno where you live but where I am that wood is going to rot PDQ.
Not worth $8,000, no. We just did one this size ourselves with pavers and stairs for $1,000 all materials. Took us an afternoon. Is this what a contractor charged you or are you trying to sell it for $8,000?
Mother in law had a similar deck, all cedar and it only lasted 10 years because there were no gaps between the boards. Moisture has nowhere to go, and there is no space below for any air circulation at all. For $8k I would have them back and at least space out the deck boards.