Russett Deck Professionals Inc

Very smoothly. Tom spent part of two days removing the existing deck and then two days to rebuild. He did a great job; the new deck looks terrific, and Tom and his son did nice job cleaning up. I would recommend this company.

Great! We love our new deck, and Russett was very communicative and helpful throughout.

We reviewed several proposals to replace our deck and chose Russett Deck Professionals based on Angie's List and other reviews, price estimate, and conversation with Tom Barna, principal of this business. Tom is direct, down-to-earth, and has a track record of delivering just what folks want, at a fair price. We met with Tom to finalize what we wanted and to draw up a contract. It was a pleasure working with someone who knows his business, actually does the work himself, and is not a high-pressure salesman or rep. We decided on Southern Yellow Pine for our new deck, although other options are available. We love real wood. Tom uses only excellent materials and the decking is beautiful and well-manufactured. With the assistance of his wife and daughter, the needed construction Permit was applied for and obtained. The cost of the Permit was included in the overall contract price. Construction began shortly after approval. We had to be out of town for a funeral on the day demolition of the old deck began, but we had every confidence that Tom would proceed responsibly without us. We returned home to find the gigantic old deck tucked inside an equally-gigantic dumpster, ready to haul away. There was no damage to anything, other than the former deck. Tom and his son, Tommy, dug all twelve footings by hand in our very rocky soil, and the footings passed inspection easily. They poured the hand-mixed concrete and then returned to begin converting an enormous pile of lumber into a great deck. We had purchased a new Nordic hot tub to be installed on the deck, so Tom arranged his schedule to leave some railings incomplete for the tub to be lifted up for delivery. He then returned to complete the job. Tom and his son work together as a well-practiced team and their skill levels are clearly very high. They are efficient, friendly, and energetic. The resulting deck is a delight and is even better than we were hoping for. It also meets building codes and manufacturers' requirements for fasteners -- something our old deck was seriously deficient at. We highly recommend Russett Deck Professionals to build whatever deck you are thinking about. You can trust them to carry out your design in an expert manner. Just don't expect a hyper sales-force with glossy brochures, a big service team, and tons of unnecessary communications -- just sign a contract for what you want, then sit back and let it happen! This is an exemplary family business.

There were some delays due to weather and I do realize during spring/early summer it is his busiest time of year, so it's not a major complaint; Tom was very professional, to the point and accommodating; the materials and craftsmanship are evident and second to none. They did a great job and I would recommend them for any deck job big or small. The price was about where I expected it to be and remember your also getting the materials and craftsmanship far superior to any subcontractor. Our family looks forward to many years of enjoyment on our new deck.

Tom Barna must have been very busy when we first contacted him in early April 2015; we had to call twice to get a call back. When he did, we arranged a visit date April 14 2015, which he kept and was punctual. He surveyed our existing deck and we expressed our desire to have the deck re-surfaced with new railing and larger steps with hand railings. We also asked that he provide a solid landing beneath the new steps either the same as the back pavers in place or any other design he might recommend. He provided a quote, we discussed it to make sure everything we wanted was included which he acknowledged, and we signed. He did say he was busy and could not start until late June or early July. We had wanted the deck built by Memorial Day, but we wanted Russett due to his being local and the many A ratings and reviews. We contacted Tom mid-June and after several days he texted back that he was planning to start July 6 but might not get the job completed that week and was going on vacation the next week. After several back and forth texts we finally agreed that he come out after the vacation so that the job could be completed without any down time mid-job. So Tom and his son arrived at 9AM on July 20 to begin. They removed the old wood the first day and hauled it away. The second day they cleaned up and inspected the existing framing, making one adjustment where a few joists needed to be adjusted slightly to eliminate a previous hump in the decking (previous installer's error - who was me). They did not respond to my request to remove the accumulated leaves and flora debris from under the deck -i t was not accessible when the deck was built and I thought it might be opportune to at least clear that out before recovering the deck frame. But Tom chose to not do that. They completed the deck surface and mounted some railing posts. Tom explained that most of the railing material would not arrive until Wednesday or Thursday. They did get the materials on time and completed the deck one day earlier than estimated, on Thursday of that week. A few items caused me to lower the ratings. Nearing the end of the job, I noticed that the step had not been built nor any railing in that area, yet he had removed the original step so I asked Tom about it. I t was only then he mentioned that he had not intended to install hand railings on our single step (actually two steps up from ground to deck surface). He told me this while I am standing in front of him leaning heavily on a cane since I am slightly disabled. I was bit dumbstruck at his insensitivity plus we had specifically discussed this requirement (we have several elderly family members who need handholds to use steps) at the initial visit. The job price was slightly higher than two other estimates I had obtained so I naturally assumed the steps included railings and a solid base at ground level as initially requested. But Tom had no intention of expanding the paver base and left the job with 40% of the wider step installed over dirt. We have had to contract our landscape service to complete the paving of the step landing. Also on the final day, Tom and his son swept up and picked up construction debris from around the deck. Unfortunately they left a lot of plastic "dust" on the deck and a lot of plastic drillings in the garden beds. We had to pick them all out by hand. Also the riser boards of the steps which Tom had trimmed in what were marred with black scuff marks which he made no attempt to wipe off before leaving. I would think that pride in one's work would demand presenting a customer with a sparkling clean deck at completion but this was not a concern for Tom. In his favor, Tom carefully worked around the metal awning pole supports which had to be detached from the front fascia board in order to re-trim it with the white plastic board, the they had to be re-attached into the fascia. He did that without any damage to the awning or frame. Tom's carpentry is very good - the deck looks great and is what we wanted. We did have to call him back to realign one end of one section of the railing. It was installed visibly lower than adjacent sections and did not loom like a professional had done the work. Tom came out within two days* and re-set that end of the railing section to our satisfaction. *we were away the day he came back out and due to our schedule we did not notice it until he texted me to check the rework. Overall we think Tom does A level work but his lack of responsiveness on the steps, the under-deck cleanup, and final deck presentation caused me to lower the grade one point. I work with construction contractors every day at my job, and have employed many good ones at home by using Angie's List. Despite the minor issues, I recommend Russett Decks and please make sure you understand the complete scope of work you are paying for and express your desire for a good clean up at the end.

We received estimates from Tom and two other Angie's List deck companies. It didn't hurt that Tom's estimate was $1700 less than the other two, but we chose Russett Deck because it is a family business so we knew who would be doing the work and we were impressed with Tom's professionalism, knowledge and his attitude of wanting to figure out what would meet our needs instead of just trying to sell us something. Before he came with the contract for us to sign and to collect the $1200 deposit on May 5, he recommended we go to TW Perry in Gaithersburg to get samples of flooring we were interested in which made the final decision of what brand and color to use much easier. He gave us a start date of "on or about July 20", a Monday. We live in the City of Rockville, so Tom had to submit his plan/drawings to them. When I called Russett Deck to find out why they hadn't come by Wednesday, I wasn't surprised to hear the hold up was waiting for Rockville's approval even though Tom had submitted plans 2 weeks earlier and emailed and phoned them. When the approval finally came on Friday, Tom and his son came to take down the old deck and start digging the footings which were finished Monday, the 27th. The following day, Rockville gave their approval for the footings and the construction could finally begin. Impressed by Tom's good humored determination throughout this process. Construction by Tom and his son was completed on Friday, the 31st, when we paid the rest of the bill. We very much appreciated his willingness to also replace two boards on our other deck, which I was surprised he didn't charge us for. My husband and I could not be more pleased with the quality of our new deck and look forward to finally using this space year round beyond feeding hummingbirds during the summer. In the spirit of full disclosure, the only issue we had was that we had to collect bits and pieces left behind after main parts of old deck and construction were hauled away. Also, had to clean the deck because of mud stains from boot prints. (Yes, Simple Green works well for this) We consider these minor issues and highly recommend Russett Deck Professionals.

We hired Tom to build a new deck in place of our old, deteriorating deck which came with the house in poor condition when we bought 4.5 years ago. We decided to keep the same size, about 15x25, and went with pressure treated which was in our budget. We decided to save a little $$ by removing and hauling the old deck to the solid waste facility ourselves, and had everything ready to go when Tom started. They were delayed a little since we had a wet spring, but Erin called to keep us updated. It took maybe 10 days total for Tom and his son to build the deck. Everything was done by hand and even though the deck itself was fairly simple, you noticed their attention to detail to get the cuts right, make everything level, and build a solid deck. A couple of things stood out: - Where we had removed the old deck, some of the siding had pulled away from the house (the bottom 3 rows). It seemed maybe they had replaced the siding or put flashing in when they attached the new support beam (ledger?) to the house. Anyway it was nice and secure and alleviated my fear of water somehow leaking in. - We had discussed to some detail about stair placement, but they shifted them slightly and it dramatically improved the functionality of the deck as well as the appearance. - The deck skirt is actually somewhat under the deck attached to the main support beam giving the appearance of a floating deck, not flush with the railings and fascia like most decks. I have since put some edging flush with the fascia and put washstone underneath the shallow overhang and it looks really sharp. All in all, the deck is well built and sturdy, and there were no cut corners. We were impressed how quickly the deck went up once the footings were in and inspected. Tom and his son did a really, really great job and we're very happy to have found a builder who seems to take pride in quality. This seems to be sometimes hard to find in the DC suburbs.

I called and scheduled an appointment for Mr Russett to come over and look at area and discuss work to be done. He came, exactly on time, to my home and looked at the current deck and he gave me an estimate, to replace with Azek floor using use non Azek railing. He told me the Azek rail would be more expensive because materials are significantly more expensive. I had to get approval from my HOA for railing and color. After getting approval I then notified Mr. Russett and he came by a few days later with the contract. That was December 15, 2014 and he gave me a start date of about March 24 and finish of about April 6, 2015, barring weather extremes, injuries, etc. I gave him a check for $1400. I sent him a copy of my platt a few day later. as requested. On March 18, I sent an email and left a voice message to ask about the start date. He called early the next day and said they would be delayed starting (weather and injuries) and that they were working hard to catch up. I told him the delay was no problem for me. It sounded to me that it would be at least a month delay, but he called on April 7 and said they would start the next day. They began work on April 8, 2015. Sometimes one and sometimes two people worked almost every day, even in some rain, though never all day. They worked steadily and carefully. Not that it matters, but they were working at other locations as well. The work was completed on April 18 (it would have been the 17th, but the supplier was short one post sleeve). He came back on Saturday and finished up. A beautiful deck. I am very happy.

The entire experience was excellent. After calling the company, Tom came out to my house within a few days to provide an estimate. He did not try and sell me or rush me into making any decisions. Instead, he explained the builiding and payment process as well as the materials. A few days later, I decided to hire Tom. His price was very competitive especially for the quality of wood he uses. Additionally, I felt like I was making the right decision by hiring Tom because of all the positive reviews on Angie's List. Tom came back out to my home, and I signed the contract and paid an initial deposit. Tom came out and started construction on the date promised even though there were several days of poor weather conditions leading up to the start date of construction. Tom worked on the deck for 4-5 days before it was completed. I was very impressed with the quality of work and how quickly he was able to build the deck by himself. Additionally, he did not leave a mess when he left each day. There were two minor issues that did not pass inspection; however, they are not something that is typically flagged on an inspection. It can vary on who comes out to inspect the deck. Nonetheless, Tom came out and corrected those issues in a very timely manner and then the deck passed inspection. The deck was completed on time and on budget. Again, I want to reiterate that I'm very pleased with Tom and his work. I love my deck and am very thankful I had such a great experience.

this company was very responsive to telephone calls and questions. After getting two other bids, we decided to go with Tom because we were more impressed with his knowledge. We contracted for the job in June, but Tom was very honest and said that he would not be able to start the job until early August and once he began, it would take 5 days. Tom started when he said he would and he was a true professional. He and his son work efficiently, constantly and diligently. The job was completed in 5 days and they cleaned up the entire site. It was such a wonderful experience to have a competent, polite and nice expert at the house. I have no hesitation at all to recommending this company..

Tom is a very professional contractor and I highly recommend him. His work is superior and he is very professional, meticulous and takes great pride in his work and craftsmanship. We are truly pleased with our new deck. Tom also built a small deck off our our mudroom. The deck construction is beautiful and very, very sturdy. If you need a deck built, I would give Russett Deck Professionals a call.

Thomas Barna works with his son as an efficient team with full attention to detail. He works as though he has done this hundreds of times. We chose the Azek flooring in cobra brown to offset the white Azek trim and traditional white Endurance railing. The finished product is a striking low maintenance deck that won't check and pop nails(hidden fasteners). With Russett Deck Professionals,you know the A-Team will show up. The tag on his truck says DECK PRO.

Thomas was professional and easy to deal with from the beginning. He explained our options - wood or synthetic - and costs of each. He had samples of materials and numerous photos of his work. There was no pressure, as we needed to think about our decisions. He accurately estimated when the work would begin. He completed all of the work himself, with the help of his son. The deck was completed quickly and with better craftsmanship than the one it replaced. There were no delays, in spite of the cold weather. Thomas was considerate about maintaining access to our back door and being nice to our dog. Cleanup was prompt and thorough. I would highly recommend him! This is the first time we have used Angie's list to select a contractor.

They were great and wonderful. They were exactly on time and on budget. They were reliable and cleaned up their mess.

Tom built my deck; always showed up on time, gave me a reasonable estimate and started and finished the job when he said he would. The attention to detail is fantastic including a hand rail down the steps and edging/moulding around the sides of the floor. I'm very impressed with the work and he works very quickly and cleaned everything up when he was done. I would recommend this business to anyone.

Tom is amazing. Everything was perfect with this job from start to finish and we are very, very happy. Tom embraces the client's vision from the beginning. He is very punctual, methodical, professional, pleasant, and works so quickly. I told my sister that he had a "Zen-like" approach to his craftsmanship--you never even knew he was there until you looked out the window and saw the unbelievable progress made during any given day. He actually started the job 3 days early and finished in less time than anticipated. He had his son with him one day and they worked so well together. Tom did not leave a single task undone--down to removing the leaves from the deck before he left today, to expert clean up. The deck is beautiful piece of work--diagonal boards take your breath away, the bronze pickets (his choice) make you unsure whether you are looking at small tree limbs or through non-intrusive pickets, and the lattice work and framing was just the finishing touch. My husband had admired several decks in a local area where he does landscaping, and found out that Tom had done them all--those clients are as pleased with Tom's work as we are. Such a job well done. We are looking forward to many years of enjoying Tom's work and should we ever have another carpentry project, we know where to turn.

Tom came out promptly to give us an estimate. He reviewed the project with us and gave us suggestions when we asked for them. He listened to us in terms of what we wanted and was able to bring our vision out perfectly. Tom is very detail oriented. He is calm and patient and worked very diligently. The first part of the job, Tom's son worked with him. He had the same work ethic as his father. It was heart warming to see how well this father and son worked together. When Tom was selected for the job, he told us the approximate start date and the projected finish date. He was spot on with both of these. He came in on time and on budget. I would recommend him without hesitation. Our porch is beautiful. We are so glad that we used Russet Deck Professionals.

The construction started and finished a few days earlier than stated in the contract. The deck materials used were per the contract - excellent quality. Tom and his son demonstrated excellent carpentry skills, we especially liked the design of the lattice work he put under the deck. We would definitely recommend Tom for design and building of decks.

Wow. Best carpentry job I've ever seen. Great-looking deck, and one that is not going to give one inch to the elements. I think I could put an elephant on this deck and teach it to jump up and down. I agree with others' assessments of Tom from Russett Deck Professionals. Very quiet, very professional, very skilled carpenter who demolished old deck and rebuilt a beautiful new one. The whole experience was very positive. Sales is very low-key. Tom is willing to advise but won't push you in any particular direction. No pressure. Pricing was excellent. As I said, I was very impressed by the work quality. Old deck was demolished easily, without damage to the house, and all materials removed from site by the end of the job. Tom does all his work himself. I was kind of mystified how he could, but I then noticed the various little professional tricks that let him, for example, toenail joists in place without having to have someone hold the board. The holes for the foundation were dug with minimal disruption, even though some hardscaping (patio and large yard rocks) needed to be moved. The new deck went up rapidly, even with the inclement weather we had. Tom installed the decking itself on the diagonal, which both lends strength and gives the finished product a classier look. The synthetic Azek decking was a bit more expensive than pressure-treated (PT), but it looks EXACTLY like wood (and in our case, matches the house closely). Highly recommended, since it will last indefinitely and requires no annual maintenance. Installation was first-rate; the visitors I had last week were having a hard time figuring out how the boards were screwed down (due to the hidden stainless screw system--oh, and thanks Tom for leaving me a couple of the special bits used with that in case I ever need to take up a board). The Trex Transcend railing system also looks classy and with the thin aluminum balusters Tom recommended, it does a good job of being "visually light," preserving the view from the back of the house. The County inspector passed the deck without incident, always a good sign. With the weather improving, we look forward to enjoying the deck this spring and summer, and for many years in the future. We intend to expand the deck (screen it in, add stairs, make the area under it dry) in a couple years and will call Tom back to do the work.

Tom is very quiet and does not come across as a typical salesman, in contrast to some of the other companies who gave us quotes. He is extremely skilled and professional, though, and we decided to hire him after seeing some of his work and getting a bid that was $12,000 less than anyone else! He amazed us by doing the entire job by himself in only five weeks, even after losing a couple of days to Hurricane Sandy. We became used to coming home from work surprised at how much he had accomplished. He provided very good workmanship, and recommended an excellent electrician to install the lighting and ceiling fans. Tom did exactly what we wanted, in the time frame he estimated. We would definitely recommend him!

Tom did an excellent job and I would highly recommend him. Our deck was 27 years old and quite deteriorated; however, Tom said the support posts and joists were still good and did not recommend replacing everything. He did add some some support joists for the decking to bring it up to current code. We kept the same design, which kept the cost down. Our deck is roughly 25x15 with a set of long stairs going down to the basement level and on the other side just two steps down to the yard. He worked quickly and did a very thorough job and we were impressed he did all the work himself. When I came home from work one day, I thought the one opening going out to the yard was not wide enough and he made it larger the next day with no complaints. I also asked at the last minute to make the two steps going out to the yard deeper front to back to have more of a platform instead of a narrow step and again he widenend them withhout incident. We were undecided whether to go with wood again or spend the money for composite, but when we told Tom we planned to move in 6 years or so, he suggested sticking with wood and not spending more...he just advised us to have it stained/sealed every 2-3 years until we sell. We got estimates from other Angie's List deck companies and I think any of them would have done a good job, but I was happy we went with Tom..he did a great job and his estimate was the lowest to boot! I was also happy to support a local, family business. I would definitely hire him again and recommend him to friends and family.

No problems whatsoever occurred. He did everything and more than we had planned.

They were very responsive. We had an appt set up very quickly. we were pleased with the quality of work shown to us in examples of projects they've done. Their price was lower than anticipated as well. We plan on moving forward with them in the spring.

Tom did an amazing job building our deck. He is a highly skilled carpenter and it shows in his work. I was a little skeptical about having a one man team take on such a huge task but after looking through some of his previous work it looked like he had done it before. I'm glad we went with him because he was honest, hard-working and fair in his estimates. When I told him other companies were trying to up-sell materials and even colors of decking, Tom thought that was crazy. His prices were very reasonable and sometimes just at cost to him. We went with high-end materials because of this and although it was expensive, it was far less than what other companies had quoted. When it came to timeline, if I hadn't seen him working on the deck myself I would have thought he had a 5 person team building it. He works fast but doesn't cut corners in the process. The work was completed right on with his estimates. The deck feels completely solid and shows quality workmanship. Tom even went beyond what was agreed to and fixed a hole that was left by a furnace vent under the deck. I asked if he could help me out, and he did without any additional charges. This shows the kind of person he is and how he conducts his business. I highly recommend going with Tom and his company.

Mr. Tom was on time and pleasant to work with. He did a fantastic job. His craftsmanship is superb!