Deck and Shed Pros

Once the project got started, our deck went up in no time. We were thrilled with the crew and the end product exceeded our expectations.

It went great. MD Deck & Shed surveyed the job immediately. They discussed the plans and the issues. Before construction began, I understood what was going to be done and what it would cost. Their team is professional, punctual and honest. I could not be more pleased with the outcome. Glad I have Angie's List.

1. Redecking The redecking project got off to a shaky start when the Sr. Contract Manager miscalculated the size of the deck - and thus cost of the project - by half. I found this out after I'd signed and returned the contract agreement. To their credit MDS discounted the additional work involved and still came in under the other proposals I solicited. The decking crew was punctual and professional. I got a very good new deck, though I would have preferred the deck boards be screwed down rather than nailed (read further). I would readily recommend MDS for decking & redecking work. They could, however, have done a better job of sweeping up - I collected a sizeable bag of nails and screws. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. 'Waterproof' Underdecking System As for the 'waterproof' underdecking system advertised on their website, I would strongly advise potential customers to pay attention to the fine print in the MDS contract they'll receive, i.e.: "Contractor warrants the underdecking to be leak-free from J-channel to J-Channel. Due to possible settling and movement of the deck, Contractor does not warrant against drips at the caulk lines wherever J-channel is sealed to the wood deck. In the event a drip develops at any broken caulk seal, contractor recommends resealing with 100% silicone." Unfortunately in my case there was a lack of communication between the decking crew and the separate, subsequent underdecking crew; which complicated this second project. The decking crew failed to adequately caulk the main support beams running the width of the deck before they nailed the boards over it. One member of the decking crew stated repeatedly that had they known underdecking was also going to be done, they would have thoroughly caulked the beams overhead. The underdecking crew had some problems installing their 'waterproof' system. They had to remove and reinstall the vinyl soffit three times before it all finally fit together correctly. Subsequent water tests (and rainstorms) revealed numerous persistent leaks from the uncaulked/undercaulked support beams, which I do not ascribe to "settling and movement of the deck". MDS had their 'best man' out on multiple occasions to apply caulk from underneath. These efforts had limited effect. MDS tried caulking between the deck boards above - still the leaks persisted. Finally I authorized an additional $1500 worth of work for MDS to take up the deck boards over the mid-deck support beam (complicated by the above-mentioned fact that nails had been used instead of screws), recaulk the beam, and install metal flashing over it. This flashing project, which MDS stated they were doing on an 'experimental' basis with no guarantee of success, did in fact not succeed. The leaks persisted. Also, a section of gutter installed on a different support beam was installed incorrectly, with a low spot prior to reaching the downspout; which resulted in substantial overflow during heavy rains. MDS fixed this by adding another downspout at the low section and routing it outside through a hole cut in the wall. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend MDS for their 'waterproof' underdecking system. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Enclose Underneath The third and final project involved enclosing underneath the deck, basically giving me a giant storage shed & workroom with electrical lights and outlets (hence my concern about the water leaks). This project went well with only a couple nits: 1. The contract specified a certain brand of lights (Wall Packs, 100 watt) to be installed; instead I got what appear to be a different brand of the least expensive lights available at HD. 2. The Sr. Contract Manager stated in an email to me (not specified in the contract, I'll admit) that the doors to the shed would have "pick-proof hinges and locks" . The door hardware I got however is attached using regular screws that can be easily removed with a phillips head screwdriver. This is a minor concern however, considering the enclosure is constructed of composite wood paneling that can be easily sawed through by any determined person. It's not burglarproof nor was it intended to be. I would readily recommend MDS for underdeck enclosures and sheds. My advice to potential customers would be to ensure you get very specific, detailed information in your contract as to types of fixtures and materials to be used, and monitor the project accordingly. _______________________________________________________________________________ Conclusions: MDS does some things very well, other things not so well. I believe they have a bit of a learning curve when it comes to the 'waterproof underdecking' aspect of their business. To their credit, the owner and the Sr. Contract Manager were readily available for consultation and were quick to respond to my complaints and concerns, and appeared genuinely interested and determined to satisfy. The leaks that remain are something I'll either have to aggressively deal with myself or live with.

Maryland Deck and Shed did an outstanding job on a major and expensive project. We designed and built a 40 x 14 deck on the rear of our home, and a 21 x 8 deck on the side of our home, all in an "L" shape. The project was complicated - because I live in a very restrictive design neighborhood. Randy designed the deck, made all kinds of suggestions to my wife and I, and ultimately moved the project through HOA and City design approval. This was no small task. In addition, Maryland Deck and Shed was only one of four companies to bid on the deck; they came in lowest, and then, even being lowest, worked with me to propose all kinds of money-saving ideas to get the cost even lower. They really seemed interested in what I needed, and worked to achieve that purpose. The work crew was polite and kept the place neat and clean, considering the amount of work being done. All permits were pulled and passed flawlessly. The city inspectors actually noted that it was one of the nicest decks they had seen in recent memory. Neighbors all over the neighborhood have complemented us on the appearance of the deck - and we love it. You cannot go wrong with these guys. I strongly recommend that you call them when you have a project that needs doing.

Everything went well, work was very good quality. Took a little longer than estimated (partly due to weather) but this was not a problem.

I contacted several companies to get estimates and the one from Maryland Deck and Shed was mid-range. That, plus the positive reviews is what made us decide to hire them. We were not disappointed. They worked with us to design a deck with stairs that worked with the slope of our back yard. The quality of the deck is great. They even upgraded our railing for free because they were having problems with receiving parts for the railing we wanted. The workers were awesome - even working in 100+ heat! They worked with us to give us what we wanted, including a custom made gate at the top of the stairs. We will definitely call on them again to build a patio! Thank You Maryland Deck and Shed!

Horrible - they need a class on email.

From our first meeting to ask for an estimate, to the completion of our deck and patio, our construction team demonstrated the highest level of professionalism. They showed up when they said they would, completed the project on time and on budget, and were respectful of our home and schedules. There was one mishap during our construction project involving the cement contractor (a well-known company in our area, subcontracted to pour the concrete for the patio by Maryland Deck & Shed), when the driver pulled his truck over the curb in front of our townhome row right on to the side lawn of our neighbor. Needless to say, when a fully loaded cement truck pulls onto your lawn, it's going to leave some major damage. Although this was not Maryland Deck & Shed's fault, they immediately began to remedy the situation. While the cement truck crew went about their business as if nothing had happened, our crew from Maryland Deck & Shed went out and bought soil and grass seed to cover the ruts. Within hours, the owner of Maryland Deck & Shed personally called our neighbors to apologize and ask what they could do to make it right. I give the construction crew and owners of this company a lot of credit for how they handled a problem situation, and for standing behind their commitment to professionalism and service.

I called mid-December 2011 for an estimate. A salesman came out to look at the shed and called back with an estimate in a day or two. I was told the shed also needed new flooring and the estimate was for $2800. I thought it sounded high, but I didn't realize it needed new flooring. The salesman also told me they use to build houses and that they would do such a good job. The shed would last 30 years. I talked to my husband about the estimate and what needed to be done. He said it could be our Christmas present to each other. When I talked to the salesman, it started to sound as if getting it done before I left town for Christmas vacation was going to be too tight. When I suggested we just wait until I got back, the salesman said he had a team ready to go and they would do their best to get it done before my husband left, which was a day or 2 after me. I figured we could help give his team a job before Christmas and my husband and I would have a Christmas present for each other - win-win- or so I thought. The salesman came with his paperwork in the morning and as we were talking things over he already had someone looking at the shed to get started. Hindsight tells me that I should have settled things completely before I allowed anyone to start work. I told the salesman that I wanted to paint the shed to match the house, which is how it was painted originally. I also asked about whether they would be using pressure treated wood. I don't know anything about wood, I was thinking that would make it last longer. (I later discovered that they used pressure treated wood to trim the shed and that it shouldn't be painted for a long time, if at all.) We also discussed adding a ramp or stairs to get into the shed which was up off the ground about a foot. It was going to cost another $175 for a ramp, but I agreed because it make sense to get the lawnmower in and out. So now, I was up to almost $3000. To make a long story short. I was not in town when the work was finished. The salesman made an appointment with my husband to get the rest of the payment and look at the shed after my husband got off work. At that time of year, it gets dark early, so they were looking at the shed in the dark - bad idea. My husband sent a picture the next day by email and I immediately noticed that you could see a couple of nails on the roof where they had nailed in the last roofing nails. My first thought was that is where the roof is going to leak when those nails rust and I knew that wouldn't take any 30 years. There was also a very cheap looking handle for the door and the "latch" was a piece of wood nailed into the frame so that when you turned it 90 degrees it holds the door closed. There should have been a proper latch so that I could lock up the shed. I didn't expect them to provide a lock, but certainly, at least, a latch. When I got home in early January, I noticed a few other things that didn't look like the work I was expecting from an "Angie's List Super Star Award" winning company. The hinges used on the door were the partially rusted hinges from my old door. The door handle was not bolted on, but sharp screws stuck out on the inside of the door. I knew it wouldn't be long before one of us would get a bad scrap from that. When you looked inside, there was cheap looking pressed wood on the inside and not the plywood that was used on the old shed. Maybe this stuff is just as good, but I doubt it. I could see light coming in at the upper back corners where the wood trim did not meet correctly. There were sharp skinny long staples coming through on one of the walls. I failed previously to mention that the workman said that the floor didn't need to be replaced. It was solid. It just had some stains on it from the previous owner's lawn equipment. The salesman said they would clean the floor. I expect a solid floor, which is apparently what I already had. I should have insisted on a price reduction, but I realized that he had never put replacing the floor on the paperwork I signed, he had just told me that on the phone, which is one of the reasons I figured the estimate was higher than I thought it would be. I called the salesman after I got back in Jan to look at the shed. He and his workman agreed that the screws sticking out on the inside of the door handle needed to be fixed. (not replaced but just filed down) The workman said he had other customers that were bothered by seeing the nails on the roof and that he would cover them with something black. He said he would put some clear caulking on the back corners where you could see light coming through, but since it was clear I would still see light coming through. I mentioned the rusty hinges and the salesman said "you're going to paint them anyway, aren't you." I was trying to be nice and said they could fix things when they were in the area again. That was a mistake. I had to call a couple of weeks later, to make sure they hadn't forgotten me. I had to call back again and the caulking never did get done. As I recall, it was February before they came for the last time. I didn't call back about the caulking because i am tire of all this and didn't go out and check right after they came last. I just think they either don't know what quality work is or they didn't want to do it right, because it would cost them more to fix things correctly. I think I paid enough to have it done the right way. An electrician that came to give me an estimate for the electrical work said that it looked like we had done the work ourselves, implying that it didn't look professional. The long trim at the top of the shed was not one long piece, as it should have been, but was pieced together from 2 shorter pieces. That just confirmed to me that I wasn't being too picky. It is not "A" or "B" work, and especially with the cost factored in, I think "C" is not too low a grade, and perhaps generous. I would much rather be writing a glowing report. I made the mistake of expecting better work considering the status of the company on Angie's list. I learned that you still have to be very careful. Ask a lot of questions, don't be in a rush or let them rush you. I was stupid and didn't get more estimates, because of the company's status. Learn from my mistake, and hopefully, I will also.

I want to thank the Maryland Deck and Shed team for really standing above their competition in customer service and product quality. Randy was extremely helpful by providing me with various options to choose between within my budget and really made me feel like my project was special. Jim really worked hard and made me feel confident in my decision when he went above and beyond by reaching out and getting the necessary approvals needed from the County and my HOA when I was unable to. Before they began to build, Jim and Randy took the time and explained what to expect throughout the different stages of the process and maintained communication throughout the project so there weren’t any surprises. Once all the administrative work was complete, I had the opportunity to meet Scott who seemed to be more excited to work on my job than I was. He always had a smile on his face and made sure that everything was exactly how I wanted it no matter how long it took. His crew worked around the clock and sometimes 7 days a week to get the job done so I could begin enjoying my deck. These guys really took pride in their work and had fun while doing it. The Maryland Deck and Shed group always made themselves available to answer questions and help with resolving issues no matter what they had going on at the time. They said that their ultimate goal was to provide the customer with their dream and would settle for nothing less. Guys, you lived up to your word and exceeded my expectations and for that I cannot thank you enough. I hope that others will get the opportunity to work with you so they can enjoy the exceptional experience I did. Thanks again for everything!

After my initial email, I was contacted immediately by Jim to schedule the estimate. Randy came out within a few daysto measure and survey the projects I needed done and gave me several ballpark prices for the options I was considering for the new deck.....composite, pressure treated wood, and my first choice, Ipe, all with and without new footers and frame.After speaking to 3 other contractors I chose Maryland Deck and Shed primarily because of their responsiveness and availability,and their willingness to work with me to do the project as I wanted it done using Ipe wood. There were many, many emails back and forth finalizing how the work would be done with the specialized products, hardware and tools to be used on the Ipe wood.Randy was extremely knowledgeable and patient during this process, and he and Jim responded immediately to all of my emails and calls. At my request, all of the specifics were included in the contract along with a completion deadline I needed the work done by.Work started about a week later and although there were a few glitches and issues along the way, Maryland Deck & Shed resolved those to my satisfaction. The workers arrived on schedule each day and worked long hours and a Saturday to stay on schedule. They were hardworking, friendly and polite and cleaned up well each day. Demolition was done in one day, and the new deck was completed within the 7 - 10 day time frame promised. So far I'm very happy with my new deck and all the other work Maryland Deck & Shed did for me.

The company (Jim) responded promptly to my initial inquiry to look at my deck and provide me with an estimate. A few days later I got an estimate and a written proposal from Randy. I tinkered with some of the language in the proposal. I heard the horror stories from friends using other companies and the project dragging on forever so I wanted the language in the contract to include some more protections for me. Randy was okay with most of the changes and willing to compromise. Scott started the project a day early. The workers arrived timely and were courteous and efficient. I was pleased that the same workers showed up every day and were regular employees, not casual laborers. I have a dog and the guys did a good job cleaning up each evening so that I didn't have to worry about the dog stepping on nails or being exposed to anything harmful. The project (deck and shed), including design quirk I wanted, were completed in a week and half. The deck and shed look great. After being disappointed by contractors in the past, I was happy to have it done, done well, at a decent price.

Jim, the owner, responded immediately to my e-mail request for an estimate. Very professional. The decking and the top rail needed to be replaced and Jim advised me that the rest of the deck was in good shape. Jim provided a detailed estimate, and completed the work in less time than originally estimated. Very efficient and done very well.

Very disappointing and unprofessional given their high rating from other customers.

Overall, we had a good experience with this company. The salesman (Randy) was very friendly, knowledgeable and easy to work with. He was able to give us an estimate and get the work started very quickly. But he did mention several times that he would throw in some extra work on our fence for us (his idea, not ours) and that never happened. The construction guys were friendly, hard workers and very efficient. The deck only took a day and a half to build. They did a good cleanup job afterwards. The owner of the company came by a few days later to do an exit interview. I was on my way out the door and said that I would do it at another time, but then never heard back from him. I did ask that he put concrete over the top layer of dirt around the footers and he was able to get that done the next day. From a distance, the deck is beautiful. It is solidly constructed and very appealing to look at. They did a very good job of sanding. However (and maybe I'm a bit too much of a perfectionist), but there are many small details that bother me about the deck. The overall quality of the wood is very good (we paid for the higher quality wood), but some of the pieces have a lot of knots. Some of the knots are on the rails. One of the boards looks a little warped already. And the corner pieces are not flush with each other, there is a very small gap where they come together.

I submitted an estimate request using their website and the next morning Jim (the owner) called me so we could discuss the project. He arranged for Randy Smith (lead project manager) to call me the next day to schedule a site visit. Randy showed up on time and put my concerns at ease discussing options with me for code-issues connecting the upper deck to our house (since we have an overhang and deck could not be attached to the overhang). Randy worked out a design and estimate and met with me again to review. Work began the following week, with the crew showing up right on time for site prep and wood delivery. There was issue with Waste Management not wanting to leave the requested dumpster in my driveway, but the MD&S crew improvised and used one of their trucks to transport the waste materials. Not sure what the issue was, but the crew handled it in stride. Everything progressed very quickly, but there was a snag with Carroll County's permitting office. Randy said there was some conflicting information on step height on their website, so the deck was constructed with an 8.25 inch step. But code limits height to a 7.75 inch rise. It took an extra week of time (due to scheduling inspections), extra work reworking the step and putting down topsoil, and an additional inspection fee (which MD&S covered at their expense) to get the final inspection completed, but MD&S took care of it all. Scotty and the rest of the work crew did amazing work, adding trim details I wouldn't have though of that made things just look "polished". Randy took the effort to make sure things looked "right", which I greatly appreciated. The quality of the pressure treated wood MD&S uses is far beyond anything you can find at a box store and still amazingly affordable. I got so much work completed for what I consider a very reasonable price. I requested some additional work on the screened porch during the course of the project and Randy coordinated it all for a reasonable additional price (included in total for this review).

x12We had the best experience possible with this company. Can't begin to tell you how great this company is. Randy the sr project manager was here every day making sure that every detail was perfect. Jim the owner was here several times and was always available. Jeremy and Bill worked tirelessly. Everyone was dedicated to the projected and took pride in their work.

We had an old concrete and brick walkup removed (and hauled away) from the front of our house and built a 5' by 17' new front porch/deck. Jim, Randy and Scottie were all very professional, knowledgeable about the details of the project, prompt and on time with all phases, and stayed right on target with the cost estimates. The deck looks absolutely great and we are very happy with the experience, and we'd definitely use this company again in the future. Leif and Sage Caspersson

Went very well. We received a prompt return phone call and reasonably quick estimate. Randall walked us thru several options and ideas. The pricing was competitive. Jim took over the project management and professionally saw the project thru to completion. Scotty was the site foreman and was very professional, friendly and accommodating. The quality of his work and small extra attention to detail was great. My only beef was job site cleanup, which is tough on a small row home in the city. They are a very professional, communicative organization that I recommend and will use again for some other upcoming work.

James Sarazin contacted me on October 8, in response to my e-mail inquiry from the evening before. We discussed the type of deck I was interested in, why I was interested in that particular type of deck, and my proposed budget. My project also included adding a door to access the deck from inside the house, as my house is a split-level, without upstairs egress. Additionally, I told him I needed to have the work completed by October 25. Jim asked me several questions to ascertain more clearly what I was aiming for in adding a deck. Jim advised me that the type of deck I was interested in was quite expensive and much more than I had budgeted. He explained that an alternate decking, besides being less expensive, was actually not that hard to maintain. Jim provided further information and suggested I take time to think about our conversation and contact him if I wanted to move forward with my deck project. After lack of interest from other companies and one company unable to complete my project within my time frame due to "insurance projects" as their priority (recent hurricane/earthquake/flood), I went forward with Maryland Deck and Shed. I could not have had a more pleasant experience with a company. Even when I suggested I suggested a revision to include in the contract that the balance of payment would not be until a final inspection passed by the county inspector, Jim did not take offense. He went ahead and adjusted the contract accordingly. Scotty and Dave, contractors used on many Maryland Deck and Shed projects, were an able team who took their work seriously. They were quite a plealsant duo to work with. They were determined to meet my deadline to have my deck completed and worked into the early evenings (i.e. just until it got dark) as well as the weekend. When talking with the neighbors, who were admiring the deck as it went up, they told me Scotty checked with them to make sure they weren't be disturbed by too much noise. Once the deck was up, they even sanded necessary areas of the deck to make sure for a smooth finish. Scotty and Dave straightened up and cleaned up every day. Jim and Scotty made sure I knew what was going on in terms of process and progress. In spite of his saying he handled the business side of the company, and would send someone out to meet with me, in fact, Jim was with me every step of the way. I don't know if he was there every day, but I know he was there every day I was there, which was purely accidental, as I never knew what day or time, or how long I would be at the property. I happened to be at the house when the county inspector showed up for his final inspection to sign off on the work. He was impressed with the way the contractors had finished off some details, above the already stringent codes of the county I live in. When it was time to put in the door from the house to the deck, they didn't just go out and purchase a door and put it in. I was asked what type of door I wanted installed; even whether I wanted left opening, or right (how many people really think of that detail?). Installing the door required taking space that was used as a closet. Before demolishing the area, I was asked if I wanted to save the shelving. Installing the basement door hand rail proved a challenge because it could not be installed as initially envisioned. After a few days of trying to come up with a solution, one was found and the rail is up. I have received photos of the finished rail, as the difficulty in getting it to set properly in the ground could not be completed before I had to return to my job out of the country. From the photos, I can say that I am pleased with the way it turned out. It looks great with the deck.

awesome awesome awesome! these guys are the real deal. I went to Angie's list on Sat. 8am, I got a call back from them by 8:30, and they began working 10 days later. They finished the whole deck in 7 days. Concrete support poles and safely connected it our existing 10 yr old deck. These are the best folks I have hired since I moved to baltimore 2 years ago.

Fantastic. We have had some great luck with hiring from Angies List and this was the best hire yet. We spoke with several other companies most of whom wanted to scrap the current deck and rebuild from scratch. Maryland Deck and Shed (MDAS) said that they could refurbish the deck. The work was completed in one day, ahead of schedule (two days were quoted) and the work was completed within a week of speaking with the company. The workmanship was excellent and the builders went above and beyond. The end of the railings where rounded (they were not on the old deck) and, in the end, the deck looked better than when it was originally built. The price was between 1/2 and 1/3 of what it would have been had we built the deck from scratch and it looks just as good as it would have had we had it completely rebuilt.

They were very responsive. They responded to my emails within fifteen minutes. I would use them in the future.

I am updating my entry regarding this company. I previously rated them an F due to trouble getting an estimate. Due to the persistence of the owner Jim, I did get an estimate and after some discussion we agreed to move forward with my shed. The ensuing experience was entirely positive and I now would recommend them for work. The crew was punctual, friendly, flexible, and performed quality work. The job was completed on time and I was in constant communication with the owner regarding details and progress. We had a rough start but in the end things turned out very well and I'm pleased I didn't give up on them.

Randy was very responsive when we called to get an estimate. He came to our home, surveyed the yard, and sent us designs based on our request.. Randy worked with us to alter the designs and Jim was very helpful in helping us secure the building permit and HOA paperwork needed before they could start construction. Both Jim and Randy frequently monitored process along the way. The entire crew from start to finish were extremely skillful, professional, respectful, and hard-working. In addition, they responded promptly to our concerns during the building process. We are extremely happy with the final product. The deck is amazing. It is just what we envisioned.