Planning for Decking: Everything You Need to Know to Add a Deck to Your Home

Whether you want to design and build a deck yourself or hire a local deck builder, planning for decking starts with brainstorming. In this stage, you get to personalize an outdoor living space that fits your barbecuing, coffee-drinking, and sunbathing plans in every detail down to the joists. Here's how to plan a deck for your home. 

Hiring a Decking Contractor

Meet with at least three deck builders when planning for decking. When considering which deck builder to hire, ensure that they have the following qualifications.

• Hold a contractor license and insurance

• Have experience building decks in your area

• Understand local building codes and permits

• Offer a clearly outlined budget and building timeline

• Share your deck vision and offer tips on how to improve it

While you can DIY your deck project in some cases, stick to floating or platform decks that are lower to the ground and require less support. 

Building Your Deck Budget

The cost to build a deck is about $7,900 on average, or between $30 and $60 per square foot. If you DIY the build, reduce the total cost by about 35% to account for doing the labor yourself.

Additionally, account for common deck extras, such as staircases, screened-in porch elements, light fixtures, and of course, your stylish deck furniture. Keep in mind that you may pay extra in property taxes and homeowner's insurance by extending the living space of your home. 

After your deck is built, you will need to decide if you want to stain or seal your deck to keep it looking brand-new as long as possible. You may also want to paint your deck or hire a deck painting company near you. These considerations are important to factor into your budget. 

Check Local Building Codes

Local building codes for decks are often quite strict. Even if you plan to build a very simple deck yourself, follow the measurement and material requirements set out by your local city, county, or state. Depending on your region, these codes will ensure your deck is strong enough to withstand harsh weather and support a minimum weight.

Do you live in a community managed by an HOA? Make sure you run your plan by them as well, as there are often additional requirements when it comes to appearance and placement.

Consider Deck Size and Placement

With the major paperwork out of the way, it's time to start planning for decking. Ideally, your plans should fit your specific lifestyle. It should be large enough for the activities you plan to do on a regular basis, be it eating dinner or simply looking out over your lawn with a cup of tea. 

Your deck should also have enough space for your ideal lighting fixtures, furniture, and large additions like a hot tub or an outdoor kitchen. At the same time, your deck shouldn't take up too much of your lawn space if you'd miss the open grass for gardening and backyard baseball games.

In addition to the size, the placement of your deck will depend on the following: 

• Access from your home (such as sliding glass doors)

• The slant of the sun throughout the day

• Nearby trees and shrubs (especially trees that drop leaves, nuts, and fruit)

• Existing backyard structures, such as pools and patios

Deck Styles and Shapes

When you imagine your dream deck, what does it look like? The shape of your deck determines how people move around it, and its style affects the overall look and feel of the backyard feature.

You can customize your deck to fit your home, but here are a few common deck shapes to consider:

• Square: This basic deck shape is very common and one of the easiest to DIY. The deck forms a square around the home’s back entryway.

• Rectangle: This deck shape provides more square footage than a square deck, but it’s also relatively easy to construct and maintain.

• Wrap around: Decks that wrap around are customized to the back of the home’s shape. This option works well with homes that have bump-outs for kitchens.

• Multi-level: A multi-level or two-story deck is a luxurious and more expensive option. Some homeowners create multi-level decks to have separate sections for hot tubs or gazebos.

Alter the Land (if Necessary)

Decks built on unlevel ground should only be handled by a professional. They are far trickier to measure and support without creating potentially dangerous structural issues. The cost to level a lawn costs an average of $2,000, which may be necessary in very steep yards.

Clearing the land of plants, rocks, and trees is a bit easier and less expensive, costing anywhere from $750 and $2,300. Last but not least, don't forget that you'll need to do a bit of landscaping—with a pro or on your own—to make the lawn look fresh and new after deck construction.

Peruse Available Materials

When you’re learning how to plan a deck, you’ll want to consider materials—and you have quite a long list of options when it comes to decking materials. While wood is the most common option for decks, materials such as aluminum, composite, and recycled plastic decks can be just as sustainable and durable.

In addition to beauty and style, keep in mind that the best deck materials are resistant against:

• Water damage

• Effects of local salt water

• Splintering

• UV-damage

• Slickness when wet

• Local pests

While a material that checks all these boxes would obviously be ideal, you may need to choose one that fits in your budget when planning for decking and is relatively easy to maintain against these issues. Composite decking, for example, is a popular wood deck alternative that is both durable and affordable.

Set Your Build Schedule

According to HomeAdvisor, building a deck with a professional can take under a week once you break ground. Building it yourself will take between one and three weeks for construction. When planning for decking, leave plenty of extra time early on to find the right deck plan, source cost-effective materials, and apply for permits. 

For example, building permits for home projects can take a week or even months to obtain, though hiring an experienced contractor can navigate this process much more quickly. Before getting started, you should have a clear building timeline for constructing your new deck—from drawing up the plans to hosting the first neighborhood party.