Decks & Patios · Nashville, TN
The Nashville homeowner's guide to deck building
What the work involves, what drives the price, what your options are, and what a bad job looks like — written so you can judge any deck builder in Middle Tennessee, including us.
Estimate request
Tell us about the job.
It comes straight through to us and we respond immediately.
Warning signs
How to know you need us
If you recognize any of these, it is worth having somebody look before it becomes a larger job.
- Any bounce, sway or movement when you walk across it
- Soft or spongy boards, especially where they meet the house
- Rusted or missing fasteners at the ledger, or a ledger nailed rather than bolted
- Railing that moves when you lean on it
- Rot at post bases where they meet soil or concrete
- A patio that pools water or sends it toward the house
Your options
More than one right answer.
A deck builder who only ever recommends the most expensive option is not giving you advice. Here is the honest range.
Pressure-treated pine deck
Lowest cost, and entirely reasonable when it is framed correctly and you accept the maintenance.
Composite decking on treated frame
The most common Middle Tennessee build now. No staining, and the frame is still wood, so the framing quality still matters.
Paver or flagstone patio
No structure to fail, and easy to extend. Base preparation is the whole job.
Covered porch or screened room
Adds usable months in a climate with hot summers and heavy insect pressure. It is a roof, so it is a structural project.
What it costs
What actually drives the price.
We do not quote deck building over the phone, because an honest number needs somebody to look at the job. These are the things that move it.
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Height off the ground
A deck more than a few feet up needs deeper footings, larger posts, bracing and guardrail, and that changes the structure and the cost.
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Decking material
Pressure-treated pine, cedar and composite are three very different budgets, and composite shifts money from future maintenance to today.
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Framing and footings
The frame is the part nobody sees and the part that decides whether the deck is safe. Footing depth and ledger attachment are not places to save.
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Railing and stairs
Railing is priced per foot and stairs per tread, and both are more labor-intensive than the deck field.
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Permits
Decks over a certain height are permitted and inspected in Metro Nashville and most surrounding counties, and inspection is worth having.
Every estimate is free, written and carries no obligation — including the parts we would find only after starting, which are priced up front rather than left open.
What happens
From your call to the finished job.
Design and permit
One to three weeks including drawings and permit where required.
Footings and frame
Footings inspected before they are covered, then the frame and the ledger detail.
Decking and rail
Boards, then railing and stairs, which is where the visible craftsmanship lives.
Final inspection
Permitted work gets signed off, which matters at resale as much as it does for safety.
Done badly
What goes wrong, and why it matters.
These are the shortcuts that make a quote look cheaper and cost you more later. Ask anyone you are considering about them.
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Nailing the ledger
It is the connection the whole deck hangs from. It gets structural bolts and flashing, every time.
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No flashing behind the ledger
Water trapped between deck and house rots the rim joist, and by the time it shows inside it is a large repair.
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Footings too shallow
A footing above frost depth heaves, and the deck racks. It cannot be corrected later without lifting the structure.
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Wood in contact with soil
Even treated lumber fails where it sits in dirt. Post bases exist to keep it out of the ground.
Before you hire anyone
Six questions worth asking any deck builder.
Including us. If a contractor cannot answer these easily, that is the answer.
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Are you licensed for deck building and can I see the certificate?
A licensed and insured contractor will have this to hand and will not be irritated by the question.
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Is the estimate written, itemized and free?
A verbal number is not an estimate. Itemized means you can compare two quotes on the same basis.
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What happens if you find something once you start?
The honest answer names a rate and a process. The answer to worry about is that it never happens.
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Who is actually doing the work?
Employee crew or subcontractor is not a wrong answer either way, but you should know which, and who carries the insurance.
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What is the workmanship warranty, and is it in writing?
Materials carry a manufacturer warranty. Workmanship is the contractor, and it should be written down.
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Will you pull the permit?
For permitted work, a contractor who suggests skipping it is telling you something important about the rest of the job.
FAQ
Choosing a deck builder in Nashville
How do I choose a deck builder in Nashville?
Check the license and the insurance certificate, get the estimate in writing and itemized so you can compare quotes on the same basis, and ask what happens if something is found once work starts. A contractor who cannot answer those easily has told you what you need to know.
Should I get more than one quote for deck building?
Yes, and compare what is in them rather than the number at the bottom. The cheapest quote is often cheapest because it leaves something out, and on deck building the thing left out is usually the preparation that decides how long the work lasts.
Is the cheapest deck building quote usually a bad idea?
Not automatically — but an unusually low number is information. Ask specifically what is included, what grade of material is quoted, who is doing the work and what the workmanship warranty is. If all four answers are good, the low quote is a good quote.
Do I need a permit for deck building in Nashville?
It depends on the scope. Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties permit and inspect a good deal of this work, and a contractor suggesting you skip a required permit is telling you something about how they approach the rest of the job. We pull the permits our work requires.
How far in advance should I book deck building?
A few weeks where you can. Booking in the quiet season usually means better scheduling and sometimes better pricing than booking in the rush, and it gives you time to make the selections properly.
Free estimate
Need a deck builder in Nashville today?
Tell us what is going on and we will get you a free estimate from a local deck builder. No obligation, no pressure.