At CHL Services, we continuously fine-tune our process and train our team in order to provide an exceptional service to our clients. It takes intent and effort to produce great quality work, all while being on-time and on-budget. However, it’s easy for deck companies to let quality slip through the cracks. We’ve learned how to overcome the challenges involved with deck-building. And have seen what happens when craftsmanship and organizational standards fall short. Thankfully, with our experience, we’ve learned from typical mistakes made by other deck contractors. If you’re in the market for a new deck build or a remodel, here are 3 reasons why deck contractors fail. We hope this helps you in your decision-making process to find the right deck contractor in your area!
1. Lack of Planning
With any building project, planning, or the pre-construction phase, is often considered the most important step of the project. Lack of planning and organization can ruin what should be an exciting home improvement project. This can create chaos and lack of trust. Uncoordinated work can cause major issues during project phases such as concrete footers and framing. We often see the following issues with deck contractors that don’t plan effectively:
- Unsafe or hazardous structural issues
- Delays in project timelines and unnecessary stress put on the client and the workers
- Obvious quality details in the deck
The result of poor planning is more than just an inadequate deck; it’s an investment that doesn’t meet your expectations.
What do we do at CHL Services to avoid poor planning? We schedule all steps in the deck process (meaning no loose commitments) and operate from a proven process.
2. Ineffective Communications Between Workers
Everyone knows that poor communication within a client’s project can result in several issues. Picture a scenario where sales, designers, project managers, and carpenters fail to communicate. This may cause the following errors:
- Creates a deck design that the team can’t structurally build
- Delays in project timelines and unnecessary stress put on the client and workers
- Extra costs within the project and redoes in the build
Preemptive communication is vital for a successful project. Preconstruction meetings where multiple team members are present is a great sign that your contractor values clear proactive communication. This also signals a shorter wait between finalizing your design and starting construction.
Here are a few more ways you can tell your deck contractor has great communication:
- Project records and documentation
- Internal meetings with team
- Email or text communication with you the client
- Coordinated workflow
- Defined roles and responsibilities
3. Low Standards in Craftsmanship
Our passion at CHL Services is designing beautiful and functional decks for our clients. We can’t accomplish that with poor craftsmanship. Deck contractors who perform poor workmanship can compromise the quality of your project. Here are just a few things that can happen when a deck is built without paying close attention to details:
- Inaccurate placement of footings
- Subpar load calculations
- Not built to code; resulting in failed inspections and more time
- Lack of hardware to support and connect the deck
- The wrong choice of materials
A lack of commitment to high craftsmanship standards may result in a deck needing frequent repairs or replacement. It is important that your deck contractor pays attention to every detail. As a result, your deck will meet or exceed your expectations.
Contact CHL Services For Your Deck Building Needs
When thinking about a new deck, remember the challenges that can arise during construction. Be mindful of the reasons why deck contractors fail. At CHL Services, we live for designing beautiful and functional decks for our clients. We promise to help guide you through the deck design process and choose the right materials for your project. With an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau and a 5-star general contractor rating on review sites such as Google and Facebook, we work hard to differentiate ourselves through clear communication, timely work, great listening skills, and quality service. We provide deck design services to residents in Cobb, Cherokee, and Paulding counties in North Georgia, including Woodstock, Canton/Holly Springs, Acworth, Kennesaw, Marietta, Roswell, Dallas, and Waleska. We’ll come out, assess the deck and provide you with our honest feedback. Give us a call today and we can discuss options for your next outdoor project!
