Outdoor Solutions Inc

We had our deck tear down and build done by Outdoor Solutions Inc. late summer of 2022. The finished product turned out much better (appearance and quality of construction) than we could have imagined. Jim and Christi Funk, the proprietors, were very easy and friendly to work with. Jim was very informative in helping select the material and describing the process. He was great at describing the qualities of TREX materials and the type of railing that would be best. His crew, with Josh as the lead, was very thorough and conscientious in doing the work. They definitely wanted to do the job the right way. Bottom line, we have a very beautiful deck at a very reasonable price. People comment on how well it fits our house. For area of improvements’: project start date could be better planned and material delivery could be better coordinated. Outside of this, we are very happy with work done on our deck.

It was excellent. Searched for a long time for a contractor who could correct issues I had with footings under my deck stairs rising due to frost heave and making me deck stairs and landing uneven. Most contractors never responded to my request for help. Owner Jim Funk responded immediately with an outline of how to permanently correct the frost issue. Despite being very busy building complete decks, he offered an opportunity to an employee to respond to my issues on a weekend. Joshua was the person who helped me. I was able to get assistance quickly. The work was done professionally, without disturbing my flower bed ( very challenging), with a complete description of the fix, and a very friendly encounter. Best results I have ever had hiring a contractor. I highly recommend.

Everything about my experience with Outdoor Solutions was positive. Jim was very easy to work with, flexible, and timely in his response to my questions. I was very appreciative that his company was willing to take on a smaller deck repair job. I had contacted at least 6 other companies over the last year, looking for someone willing to come out and fix two deck posts that were heaving out of the ground and pushing up one corner of my deck. Most companies refused to even call me back, and the others were not willing to look at my problem unless I wanted a complete tear-down and rebuilding of my deck. It seems that most companies don't want anything to do with customers who won't or can't spend $30,000 or more on a project, so I was thrilled that Jim was willing to have someone from one of his crews come work on my deck. He sent out Joshua to do the work less than a week after contacting him. I couldn't believe the quick response and the flexibility Outdoor Solutions provided in order to fit my repair project in around other larger projects. Joshua's work was exceptional in all ways. In my opinion, he did the work of a 2-man crew and worked until everything was perfect. He took pride in his work and was very detail-oriented. In addition, he was very friendly, courteous, professional, and hard-working. I am now able to enjoy my deck for the rest of the summer. Thanks to both Jim and Joshua, I had a very positive experience, and would definitely recommend Outdoor Solutions Inc., whether it is for a small deck repair or the installation of a brand new deck.

The above rating represents our overall experience with the company throughout the duration of the deck build. This does not reflect the quality of the deck itself. Unfortunately our experience with Outdoor Solutions started out great and ended on a very bad note. Without going into many details, I’ll just say that we have our interpretation of what happened and how it should have been handled, and Jim has his own. Jim could improve in a few areas: keeping composure and not getting emotional when there is a disagreement, timeliness of completing work, and most importantly, communication – make sure that subcontractors are aware of any designs/upgrades (e.g. the subcontractors weren’t told of the angled boards, picture framing, or gate – these items were only caught proactively due to us being home during the project and frequently engaging and chatting with them), better coordination with the stair companies and clients (our spiral stair install was delayed weeks due to this – confusion over who needed to install footings, coordinating inspections, etc), and being proactive and iterative with your communications to clients. As soon as frustrations began with the timing and issues with our stairs, the mood and quality of communications from the company decreased significantly. And lastly, treat your clients with respect, even during disagreements. We were extremely offended by Jim’s requirement that we hand over the check for final payment before he would complete a few things with which we weren’t 100% satisfied. This is the first time we’ve received such an ultimatum and we’ve never been put in such an uncomfortable situation working with other contractors. There was no precedent for this – we paid both the initial deposit and first half of the payment promptly and never once acted or communicated in a way that would imply we were not in a position to pay the final invoice. Such an implication was terribly insulting. In fact, we were constantly trying to get in touch with Jim and his wife to understand when the final work would be done so that we could give them the check and finalize the project. We were both frustrated with the situation, but unfortunately the notion of us wanting some of the detail work on our $30k+ deck to be done correctly was unacceptable in the company’s eyes. That aside, the quality of the deck is great and the subcontractors who built it, Cheryl and Tim Barry from T&L Construction, were absolutely phenomenal.

Other than taking longer than they said it would we were happy with the work. Until 4 years later when all the Fascia Boards started to warp and Jim had zero interest in helping me navigate the process of getting these warrantied. After several back and fourths with Trex they agreed to warranty the boards but the credit was put in Jim's companies name. I have tried for over 2 weeks to get the warrantied boards so I could find a different contractor to complete their work which was installed improperly from the beginning.

Jim was very responsive and very flexible in scheduling this small job. Brandon did excellent work, and the aluminum railing looks great and will be much less maintenance than the previous wood railing.

Outdoor Solutions is a great company! We highly recommend them. The owner, Jim, is a great guy. Very kind and honest. They have been in business for a long time and I know why! Our builder, Chris, did an excellent job and was so nice to have at our house. We are very happy with our beautiful deck and look forward to spending a lot of time on it for many years.

Project went great. Jim provided an accurate estimate, quickly scheduled the install and the crew completed the job on time - it looks terrific. Very happy with the process.

Working with Outdoor Solutions and Chris specifically was fantastic. Professionalism, curtesy, and most of all, final product all were beyond my expectations. Good, fair price (not the cheapest, but far from most expensive of all the estimates I received). I would definitely recommend and hire again!

Outdoor Solutions completed a new 21’ x 16’ deck project with maintenance free decking and aluminum railing (with drink rail) at our home. The project included a new stairway from the deck to our backyard and an under-decking system for water drainage to keep our underneath patio space dry. Jim was very helpful in providing input to design decisions and recommending products to be used in the project as we completed its planning, and that resulted in the deck being incorporated well into our landscaping and lot space and to have some attractive finishing features like post wraps that matched our house trim color. During construction, Chris and his crew were very friendly and professional in their work and took care to clean-up the work site thoroughly as the construction progressed. Jim and his team made sure that we were absolutely satisfied with all of the results for the deck project. We love our new deck! We were extremely pleased with our experience with Outdoor Solutions and highly recommend!

My experience with Jim, the owner, and his crew of Chris, Cory and Mark was A+. Jim helped guide me with the solution that best fit my needs and budget. Chris, the job foreman, and his crew of Cory and Mark were outstanding and did a fantastic job. My expectations were exceeded. Jim and his crew were all professional, courteous, respectful and absolutely wonderful to work with. I would definitely hire them again! Linda Lange, Burnsville

I usually do not write reviews, especially if they are not good reviews. However, I was not pleased with the work from Outdoor solutions and think it is important to pass this information on to the next customer. The work we had done was several years ago at our old home. We had this company build a large deck, remove tree stumps and do landscaping of the back yard around an existing pool. They also replaced a window with sliding glass doors. Total project cost was roughly $25,000. The work was fair, and not expert. The family owned company, run by the father was difficult to work with. The quote and first interview with Jim was good enough to hire him, but the work done by him and his family/employees was only fair. It was hard to watch and listen to Jim talk and yell at his employees. He also seemed to pull on our heart strings by telling us about his cancer struggles, saying his life expectancy was short, yet I am not certain this was true. The work itself, as I said, was fair. The smaller details of the deck construction (not visible on most photos) was not high quality. Working with Jim was uncomfortable after we hired him. I often felt we could not ask for what we wanted and that we "owed" him something. This is not how a customer should feel. Overall, the feeling left with us after the project was finished was one of relief that we did not have to deal with him or his company anymore. Often, looking back at experiences, this is what sticks with us. I remember specific issues with the work involving us stopping him from doing shotty electrical work without a permit for that work (I did the electrical work with a permit myself). After showing my spouse what I have written so far, we are mostly in agreement about this review. She added that they got an "F" grade for when they found and removed drain tile from around our pool which lead to rework of that area by a different contractor due to flooding issues. She also stated that we felt manipulated by Jim's personality. In addition I will add that the work itself was rated as a "B-" to "C". Dealing with Jim and his personality was a negative for us and we realize our experience with his personality will not be everyone's experience. If you hire him, I hope this helps you know what you are in for. I am sorry to feel I need to pass this information on to others in the hope of helping someone else out in their search for a good contractor. I also hope that Jim learns from past mistakes and gets better in his customer service and care.

The project went smoothly and was accomplished in a reasonable amount of time. Our builders, Derek and Ethan had to deal with difficult terrain and problems in getting materials to the site (As I've learned was common this summer). They overcame these challenges and built us a deck to be proud of. While the old deck detracted from the appearance of our house, our new deck is an asset! We are very happy with it.

The process went very smoothly, and the new deck is fantastic. Jim was super helpful answering my questions about various materials choices during the planning process, and Chris and his crew did an excellent job on the construction. They also accomodated some last minute design changes from me, including coming back several weeks later to install a gate that I requested after the project had begun, which was on backorder at the time. They even handled some light tree and bush pruning that needed to be done to accomodate the new deck, which I had expected to need to do myself before they could begin. The final result looks amazing.

Highly Recommend! They did an amazing job on building our deck and they delivered in the timeline that was discussed! They are very prompt and gave us a quality product! I called for an estimate and they were out the next day to discuss the project. They prices are reasonable and they are a pleasure to work with! Carli

I found this company through another member reviews, which stated that Jim is an honest guy who will always try to help and take the project where another company simply not interested in taking because either it is too small or just too complex. So we have a deck with heaving issue that over the years just getting worse that threaten the integrity of the house structure itself. Other company that I called simply not interested, can't do it, or can't come until much later in the season. Jim called back in the same day and tried to understand the problem. He stopped by to check it out himself the next day and genuinely tried to help out without bankrupting me. He was able to squeeze in my project in between all his other projects due to the urgency of the issue. The crew he sent were terrific. Tim is a great guy and they were able to level my deck/porch back to normal. Their professionalism and quality of workmanship are unmatched. All in all we are very satisfied and very happy with the results. We are so glad that we found Jim and definitely will call him for our next / future project.

It went very well in spite of extreme heat.

From the beginning of our search for a company to install a new deck for us, we were impressed with the responsiveness of Outdoor Solutions and the honesty and demeanor of Jim, the owner. He showed us many samples and options for our project and offered good advice on the choices we eventually made. Our 2-man crew was headed by Derrek, who is a master carpenter and figured out an innovative solution for an existing deck light that now does not protrude thru the deck floor. Derrek and his helper Roberto were hard-working and professional. They showed up early and worked late when necessary, and debris was hauled away each day. Our project took longer than estimated but that was because Derek was committed to pleasing us and went above and beyond what others might have done to assure our satisfaction. We absolutely LOVE our new maintenance-free deck and the enhancement it has made to our back yard. One small side note which meant a lot to me was that Christian gospel songs were played as background music while they worked. My husband and I are so happy we chose Outdoor Solutions and recommend this company without any hesitation.

We are so happy with the results we received from the folks at Outdoor Solutions! Jim and Christy were a joy to work with and were eager to listen to our ideas and needs for our deck project and then found a way to bring it to life! The crew with Tim, Cheryl and the other guys (sorry, didn't get the names!) were fantastic! Always willing to talk about the project and to make sure we were getting exactly what we needed. I would highly recommend these folks for any project. the cost was very fair and the workmanship was exceptional!!! Our deck is our new "happy place". It's really an extension of our living space! Thank you!

After struggling with the maintenance of a cedar deck for many years; scraping for paint prep, the tedious painting of spindles and railing, staining deck boards and eventually seeing the start of rotting deck boards - we decided it was time to look at "no maintenance" deck options. We contacted 3 contractors for quotes and design ideas. Jim Funk at Outdoor Solutions got back to us very timely and was out to take a look within a week, then followed up with the quote shortly thereafter. Ultimately we settled in on Outdoor Solutions, the bid was in line with the others, their reviews were excellent, and quite frankly, we really liked Jim. We were happy to have made a decision, especially when Chris and the skilled crew arrived and got to work. They were efficient, professional, and protective of our property - willing to go the extra mile. We were very pleased when the goal timeline of completion was met. We are absolutely delighted with our new decking, railing and stairs, although we've lived with it for only a few weeks, we continue to marvel at what a transformation it has made to our space. Aesthetically the railing and decking exceeded our expectations. We look forward to enjoying our decks this summer/fall and for many years to come. When you are ready to take the leap, we wholeheartedly endorse Outdoor Solutions!

We had a wonderful experience working with Jim and Christy. It was a joy to have Chris working on the deck, too. We replaced an existing wood deck...no expansion. It looks wonderful as does the new railing with added lighting. Couldn't be more pleased.

Jim and his team at Outdoor Solutions delivered a fabulous deck. We LOVE it!! We are in our forever home and wanted a maintenance free deck with glass railing to enjoy our country view. The process from bid to completion was prompt and professional. The samples brought to our home were a big help in the decision process. Not only did we get a beautiful glass railing, it included LED lighting that adds a wow effect. We appreciated Tim and Cheryl's craftsmanship and attention to detail. Thank you Outdoor Solutions!

Outdoor Solutions did a fabulous job on our new screen porch. The workmanship was excellent and they completed the project in a timely manner despite the winter weather. I appreciate the attention to detail they gave to their work and in keeping the worksite clean and orderly. Outdoor Solutions is a great company with which to work!

Jim was honest and upfront about pricing and different kinds of decking. Mike,Olivia,and LT were Awesome at building my deck. They came out in early February (cold) stayed until dark. They kept me in the loop every step of the way, they were Very Professional. My wife and I now have a Deck we can be Proud of!!!! It is So Beautiful and Much Safer than the Old one!! I can’t Recommend Outdoor Solutions Enough!!! They are Honest and Ethical!!! Very Competitive Pricing also!! Thank you Outdoor Solutions!! Job Well Done!! Mike Carlson

We received four estimates/quotes from four different contractors/companies, to replace our 25 year old deck with composite decking. Jim and Outdoor Solutions were by far the easiest to work with and the most knowledgeable. Their quote was middle of the pack but they excelled in their knowledge, experience and willingness to work with us. Mike conducted the estimate, and he was also the daily on-site foreman of the four man crew. He knew exactly what we wanted from the initial estimate, and he had the experience to make it happen. Where he really shined however was in his recommendation of a plan for a privacy fence on one side of the deck, an area where the other contractors fell way short. Mike spent countless hours sourcing a local metal fabricator, planning the installation and incorporating a design of my choosing. I would not hesitate to recommend Outdoor Solutions to my neighbors or for our own future projects.