J R'S CUSTOM DECKS

The deck is perfect and everything about the company was superb. It was one of the best contractor/customer experiences we've ever had. We highly recommend J. R.'s for your deck needs.

We were purchasing a hot tub and wanted to construct a wooden deck around it. J.R. showed up to look at the area on time and was a great help in taking our ideas and coming up with a design that we really liked at a very reasonable price. I was concerned that the coordination of J.R. building the hot tub platform, having an electrician install the electrical, having the tub installed, and J.R. completing the deck around the tub would be a nightmare, but J.R. was very accommodating and helped us through the process. The deck turned out better than we had hoped and J.R. and his guys did everything that they said they would when they promised for the price they quoted. We would definitely use J.R. again.

JR was very responsive and easy to communicate and coordinate with. The team was prompt and professional, and the job went smoothly. My input was requested during the construction to ensure the deck met my expectations and satisfaction. The team did a nice job picking up the area upon completion. Overall, I am very pleased with the process and results! Terrific job!

JR was very prompt in returning our request for a deck estimate. He even scheduled time over the weekend to meet with us. He listened to our concerns and requests and put together a drawing for our review. We had some yard work that needed to be completed first and worked with us on slight modifications to the original design and quote. He placed us on the schedule and was out the very next week to begin construction. The crew was very efficient and completed the project in 2 days. The deck is beautiful, well crafted and perfectly designed. We would definitely recommend JR!

The work was done correctly and on schedule. The cost for the additional below-deck support was only $180, which had to be less than half of what it would have cost if we had obtained the materials. The estimate was provided in detail, listing separately the materials and labor to 1) remove the existing deck and steps, 2) install the new deck and steps, and 3) install the new below-deck supports. It also included the labor to haul the original wood and composite trash to the landfill, as well as the option to replace the wood deck and step handrail topcaps with composite. We chose not to replace the wood topcaps. Finally, J. R. gave us a discount of $225 for using Angie's List. I could not give an "A" for the Quality of the work because we found several of the composite boards had discolored areas, as if something had been dragged over the deck after the work had been completed. Possibly, the discolored areas were caused by an air compressor, which was used to blow off the small material left after each screw penetrated a composite board. Despite the discolored areas left on the new deck, we were very pleased with J. R. and his crew. In fact, almost a month after the work had been completed, J. R. called to check up on our deck.

I needed a deck built quickly in order to close on my house. JR came out the next morning, gave me a quote for a deck, arbor, and walkway, and came in $1000 less than the quote I got from another company for a smaller deck and arbor. The crew showed up on time, and got the job done in less time than they said it would get done. Rather than coming through the side gate which would have meant possibly ruining new grass and creating a muddy problem, they removed a section of my fence on the other side of the house, and when they finished, put it back. I cannot even tell the fence was disturbed. JR's quote was exactly what I was charged, not a cent more. I thought he provided excellent service, and made this a stress-free job.

I spoke to JR on the phone and he asked for an email with pictures of the existing railing and a description of what I wanted done. JR followed up with pictures of another project he had done with railing around the patio. It was exactly what I wanted. He communicated clearly that the additional posts for the gate would require a black metal base, but then the gate would be more solid and not move and drag on the concrete as the old one did. When he quoted the price and I agreed, he was able to send his crew out two days later to complete the job in one day. They removed the old railings and completely disposed of it and built the new railings. It looks great!

JR did the estimate promptly after I called him. i hired him to replace three sets of stairs off of my decks. They showed up on time and began work. They completed the work in one day and cleaned up after them selves. I would use them again.

They were very good and fast. They were clean.

It went amazing! JR and his staff were very friendly, cordial, timely and efficient. JR came out to do the estimate and made some great suggestions that would streamline the deck with the house, but wasn't at all pushy about it. We received his estimate and drawing a couple of days after he came out and a week after we decided to move forward he had his team out working on the deck. There were 3 guys working and they got the deck done in a day and a half! We were at work during the service and left the back gate open for them. They were very careful not to mess up the rest of our grass or yard while they were building the deck and cleaned everything up when they were done. The guys were very friendly and JR checked in on the deck and with us regularly until the deck was completed. The deck is flawless. Great quality, perfectly cut and laid and it looks gorgeous. They even sunk the foundation into concrete instead of using deck blocks! It's the perfect deck for our yard and was a great price! We have had two other companies come out (Lowes and a smaller local business) over the years to give us quotes for the deck and their pricing was crazy and they were going to take 3 times the amount of time JR's crew did. Plus they wanted to dig out half of our yard to do the work. JR's team only dug what was necessary for the work they were doing. We are so happy with our deck and with JR and company that we will absolutely use them again for any future needs and would recommend them anytime!

We contacted Mr. JR last minute. We wanted a deck built before the 4th of July so it would be ready for a gathering we planned with friends and family. After submitting our information on his site for him to contact us he responded immediately. When he came by our home to give us a quote, he gave us the best price! (After requesting quotes from 5 other companies AND especially using cedar wood!) Mr. JR and his crew were very respectful from start to finish. NO PROBLEMS! NO COMPLAINTS! NO WORRIES! Money well spent! Thanks for everything!!!

JR was very responsive when we first contacted him as we were having our pool built starting in February. He stayed in touch with us along the way as we had many delays due to rain and winter weather, but once our pool and decking were completed JR was out taking final measurements. He and his crew were able to finish our arbor in less than one day and they even made improvements on one of our gates. We are extremely happy with his work and would recommend him to any of our friends and family. Come to find out, my fiancees parents had used him in the past and were very happy with him...small world!

My wife and I got bids from four other contractors before meeting with JR. We told him what we were looking for generally but invited him to use his imagination to design our deck and screened in porch. While he took a few days to get back to us with his drawing and bid, my wife and I sketched out our own idea to better drill down our wants and needs. When JR emailed us his drawing and bid, my wife and I were shocked that 1) his drawing was 95% accurate with our drawing (that he did not see) and 2) his final cost was between $4000 and $16000 dollars cheaper AND that was his final bid...not an estimate! The choice was clear. JR was very flexible with our timeline because we had sprinklers to move, pest control to spray the area, and simply "life" to all manage before he could come out. But his crew of three guys came out and went right to work. Here's a great hint: We fed his crew lunch and provided cookies to eat throughout the day. This is a kind act we do for anyone doing hard manual labor for us and we do it to be kind and not expect anything in return. The guys from JR appreciated it and so did JR himself. It's just the right thing to do. The deck and porch took three full days to build and it looks fabulous! The day after it was all built, JR himself came out to inspect the final product with my wife and me. Since he does not stain wood, he offered some stain buying options and some advice on the best time of day to stain the wood. He even did a quick repair on my fence while he was inspecting the deck just because he saw how a section was falling apart. He went above and beyond on that. Very professional! Finally, his clean up crew came out and picked up all the trash and scrap wood...not even a splinter remained. JR and his crew were A+ in every category. I would use him again without hesitation and would recommend him to anybody. The only thing I would tell people is he does not accept credit cards, so have the money in your account and pay by check or cash.

J.R. And his team were a pleasure to work with. They were prompt and cleaned up after them selves. JR listened to what we wanted and provided costs for composite vs pressure treated and spoke to the differences. We would definitely hire them again. The deck looks wonderful.

We contacted J.R. and got an immediate response. Set a date to meet, he was here on time. We were vague about what we wanted and ask him to design a new deck for us with the ideas we gave to him. He got back to us, right away with a plan. We went over modifications we wanted. He then redrew the plans and gave us a copy to send to the HOA for approval. We agreed on a time and he and his crew were here on time and did excellent and fast work. We asked J.R. for referrals for electrician and sealer contractors, contacted both with his help and both showed up on time, did excellent work. We now have a beautiful cedar & composite covered deck that will be usable nearly year round

After we met we waited about 48 hours for his drawing, which was a very reasonable time frame. The drawing was very detailed and easy to understand. His price was fair. To be honest, we did not take any more bids for the job. That is not our normal practice, but based on J.R.'s reviews we did not want to look further. This was not our first rodeo and we learned a long time ago that making a decision based solely on a cheaper price can ultimately be a nightmare. The old adage that you get what you pay for is often very true one way or the other. Although the deck is a simple 12 x 19 foot space, we knew the project would be a little challenging because of the necessity of tying it in with two different existing levels. We wanted someone we had confidence in to do the job and based on reviews we knew J. R. could, and his price was fair. J.R. came over the day before the start date to introduce us to Mike, his project manager. J.R. was not on site during the construction of the deck, but he provided an excellent and efficient crew under the management of Mike. They arrived on time, were polite and worked all day setting the footings and frame. The next morning they came back on time and installed the boards and step up from the lower deck. They were finished by early afternoon. The transition from the lower deck to the upper deck is seamless and looks like it was always part of the plan and not an afterthought or "add on." The same is true for where the deck meets the existing concrete patio the house builder poured over 30 years ago. The deck is sturdy, very well-built and looks terrific! Our neighbor came over not long after they were finished and said it looks like a dance floor. He's right. We have in mind another project for the future and we plan to call J.R. We also would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a solid and well-built deck at a fair price. He's a true professional.. One last thought. J.R. uses lumber from a lumber yard. It's *much better* quality than the lumber you find at big box stores.

JR's team started on time which was very near when I received a bid. I liked this since I did not have to wait weeks. JR saved all my posts and saved me lots of time and money by using the existing frame. He added a few new posts to ensure a stable frame and built from there. It took him about one day to remove the old deck and then they started building. The rains started promptly and his team did the best they could to work given the weather we had in May in San Antonio. Overall it took about 2-3 days longer than planned but that was no fault of the contractor. I specifically asked for 6x6 rough cedar to be used for posts and I specifically asked for custom balusters to be used. He had no problem with that and was honest with the pricing and instal. Needless to say, my family is thrilled with the end product and only wished we had called JR several years earlier. I would say JR's skills are on taking what a customer wants and executing a plan. He is not overly creative with other peoples money which was good for me because I knew what I wanted and he did exactly that. He had confidence with everything I talked to him about including doors, flares on the stairs, running the posts long etc. J R's custom decks treated me fair and did exactly what I asked for. There was not one "up-sell" attempted which I certainly appreciated. THANK YOU

We emailed J.R. after reviewing Angie's list. He called within 15 minutes after the email, surveyed the project three days later and provided an estimate that evening. The price was very reasonable and since we felt comfortable with all the positive reviews excepted his estimate. We had to get approval from our HOA so he incorporated his drawing onto our property survey to make the approval process easier. Once we received approval and we let him know, J.R. and his crew started building the deck a few days later when he said he would. J.R. contacted us throughout the project to let us know how the project was going. One morning it was raining really bad so he notified us that they would not be on site that day but would return the next work day and did so, as promised. My family and I couldn't be happier with our new deck extension. J.R. Is a true professional and has a great group of craftsman who do outstanding work. They even helped my elderly mother with our dogs. We didn't have stairs for a couple of days so they would pick them up so they could go potty...haha...great guys! Anyway, J.R. provided us with a great quality deck, well worth the money! We highly recommend J.R. and have already referred him to a friend.

Did not receive a timely response to our initial call & request.

I had an arbor built by JR over an existing deck in 2013. When it was time to replace the old deck, I contacted JR. He and his crew are very professional and courteous. All work is done with precision and they are honest. His workers arrive on time and don't leave until all work is completed. 90% of the old pine deck was replaced by cedar; new cedar railings (with aluminum balusters) and stair also. I am very pleased with the result, and don't hesitate to recommend JR.

JR was the first contractor to respond out (4) who were called to provide estimates. He came out and provided a written estimate within (2) days of being contacted. His bid was accepted on a Saturday, and began work on Tuesday. Tuesday his crew demo'd the old deck and set new posts in concrete. The 20'x10' deck was completed by Friday. Total build time including demo was four days. His crew was consistent, arrive by 9am every morning, and worked well into the early evening. They had the necessary tools and equipment, and worked steadily. The job site was cleaned each evening, and completely picked up upon final completion. I would highly recommend JR, and will use his company in the future.

I contacted J.R. after reading all of the great reviews to get an estimate on a new deck for my backyard. I was extremely pleased with his timeliness in scheduling a day to come to my home and give me his recommendations, then within two days, the final costs. I contacted him to make some changes to the plan and he was able to give me the new cost by the end of the day. Once we agreed on the plan, his crew was at my home within two days (as scheduled), arrived on time and completed the work in a day and a half, including removal of the existing deck, and clean up. The work was impeccable with attention to detail. Overall, I'm extremely pleased with J.R. and his crew and highly recommend him.

The construction process was great. JR's crew was punctual, professional and hardworking. JR himself is a breeze to work with. He took care of the permit process for San Antonio, worked with me to get the required HOA approvals, and he maintained the schedule we set for the work. In addition, his "all-in" price was fair and reasonable, and I did not have to pay anything until the work was completed to my satisfaction. We are very happy with our new deck and would recommend JR's Custom Decks to anyone looking to build a new deck.

J. Reyna made several personal trips to our property to make suggestions and take measurements before drawing a detailed plan and bid for the project. He emailed sketches and answered all questions thoroughly. We felt fully informed before and after the project began. The crew was timely, well supervised, well supplied, accurate and pleasant to have working there. We are very happy with our lovely deck and gazebo. We did not list the cost of this project, as each project is custom work and dependent on the choices made. We think the price paid was fair for the distance traveled and the quality of work we requested and received.

We are exceedingly pleased with our cedar deck addition (February 2014) to our covered patio on our newly constructed Ryland Home (April 2013) in Kinder Ranch. Jose Reyna "got it" from beginning to end and we made several alterations in our plans from our first consultation with him in January 2014. Yes, Jose did suggest my lengthy e-mails outlining ideas were on the order of "books" :-), but he listened well and the final product is everything we could have hoped for. We got several competitive bids which were so much higher, there was no doubt we would go with JR given his professionalism and experience as well as pleasant manner. He oversaw the project, but his crew super was clearly accomplished. In retrospect, I gave unclear information to the team as to where the sprinkler system was located. That ended up costing me an additional amount with our Sprinkler guy to reset part of his piping. But that was my fault. JR's company does not do the staining work, but JR recommended someone to stain the deck, but I declined as we had stained our property privacy fence and felt we could tackle the deck project. Again, in retrospect, we should probably have hired the staining work out. I gave it a cleaning and then only one coat of transparent Cedar Natural Tone Waterproof Stain from Home Depot. The metal spindles made for very tedious work. And there was more to be stained than met the eye since the deck is seven feet off the ground and fully skirted. The skirting and door to access under the deck has given us all the garden and yard storage we need, eliminating the need for a shed. We had already rocked the area when the back yard was landscaped at move-in as we anticipated the deck addition. Initially, we looked at a composite material for the decking, but decided the added expense of thousands did not justify composite over cedar. We also initially though of a ten by eighteen deck, but then, with JR's help, rethought that and bumped it out two feet with an angle in the bump out for aesthetic reasons. We also asked JR to return to put in a safety gate from the deck to the first step down to the top stairway platform. We decided that when we realized someone might accidentally step off the main deck onto the step down platform. We could have had the top stairway platform and the deck on the same level, but then the fall of the steps would have extended further than we wanted. We are very pleased with the final result. It has also proved tiny grandchild proof so we don't have to worry about our little ones falling down the stairs. A friend who is a very capable DYI guy (which I am not!) looked the completed deck over and couldn't stop praising its construction. I have attached photos showing the before and after and multiple angles of the work. Again, don't judge it by the stain job since that was the work of my wife and me.