Recently, HGTV released an article regarding how you should budget for a deck addition to your home, which got us thinking. Building a deck consists of many different parts and pieces and your budget can easily get lost in the process. There are also a lot of extra costs that most homeowners who have never built a deck may not consider. Your cost also depends on whether or not you are installing the deck yourself or if you are hiring someone to do it. We are going to break down the ins and outs of the deck building process as well as our how too’s on budgeting for your deck build.
The Size of Your Deck
The first thing before you do anything, is to decide how big your deck is going to be. This is vital information to have especially when choosing materials. If you deck is a smaller, less intricate deck design- you may have more wiggle room in the budget for buying a more high end material, like an exotic hardwood. Whereas if your deck is large and very detailed, you may want to keep an eye on your budget to make sure you don’t go over.
The Material
Once you have an idea on the overall size of your deck and have a rough idea of how much material you will need, you can pick the type of decking you want. There are many different types of decking to choose from dependent on your needs and wants. Your options range from real wood such as cedar or redwood, composite decking, and exotic hardwood decking. Consider the environment in which you live in and how much traffic you think your deck will see.
Additions
Once you have the material for your deck picked out and the budget set for that, you will want to think about what add ons you want such as if there is a staircase- do you want to add anti slip texture or a gate at the opening? Perhaps you want to add lights at the top of your posts along your railing to add lighting. A railing is necessary for most decks, especially if it is a two story deck or sits at a tall height, so this will need to be added into the budget. These are the little things that can cause you to easily lose sight of your budget and go over very fast.
Labor
If you are installing the deck yourself you will not need to worry about the labor itself, but whether you have the proper materials. At a minimum, you will need a saw, drill, hammer, and whatever you are using to secure the boards. Most likely you will find yourself needing much more as you move through your project.
If you choose to hire a contractor, you will have to pay for their labor and depending on the company some of the materials needed for install. Every company is different when it comes to what they charge for their labor. We recommend that before you even start the deck building process, you go over their labor costs so you are not left in the dark.
Taxes
The last thing to consider when budgeting your deck build are the taxes for your specific area. There will be taxes on your materials and labor if you hire out for it. Set aside a good portion of your budget, even if it is more than expected so you are prepared for the worst and won’t come out upside down.
Maintenance
While this isn’t a thing you have to think about in the beginning with the initial build, you will want to think about it down the road. Each year, you should do regular maintenance on your deck to preserve it and keep it long lasting. These costs should be minimal such as some stain or paint and simple power washing and sweeping, most of which won’t cost you anything. It is a good idea to set aside a small budget for the unfortunate circumstance that you do have to repair or replace your deck boards or railings.
We hope this helped you in the process of budgeting for your deck. Check out HGTV.com for more information and inspiration!
