There are two ways a homeowner ends up with a deck that’s not spacious enough. One is by purchasing a home with an existing deck. The buyer may even know up front the deck’s too small, but likes the house. Then, there are the homeowners who add decks to their homes. Life, of course, is full of surprises. No matter how carefully a homeowner, deck designer, and contractor evaluate and plan, stuff happens. For example, families grow and shrink suddenly. New friendships and lifestyles change entertaining patterns. Hence, a deck that was perfect the day it was completed can effectively “shrink”. Happens all the time. Whichever way you came to have a deck that’s too small, you’ll be looking at deck extension to make things right.
DECK EXTENSION – FIRST STEPS
There are a few basic decisions to make right at the outset. What, for example, do you mean by “extension” ? It could mean literally making the existing deck wider, longer, or both. There are a number of considerations in regard to this concept. Materials, for example. The older an existing deck is, the more difficult it will be to find materials that match the existing stuff. That may not matter to you, though.
The alternative to widening and lengthening of an existing deck is to add new levels. The height of the new level doesn’t have to be greatly different from the existing deck to create a distinct space. Then, any difference in the appearances of the new and old decking “makes sense”, visually. On the other hand, an added level ‘s intended purpose is a design factor. For instance, if the addition is intended to accommodate teens apart from the adults, more distance might be better. Say, a full flight of stairs worth of difference.
REALITY CHECKS
As you and your deck builder arrive at some basic concepts, it’s time for a reality check. There are, after all, building codes to research and comply with. Here, MG Construction & Decks shines. We figure all that stuff out for our clients. There may be regulatory limitations on the size of any deck on your property. If it’s an existing deck, well, that may be why it was built so small in the first place. Existing decks call for another reality check. Your deck builder should inspect it to determine whether its condition indicates enough additional years of service. Not much point in extending a deck that’s a year away from a structural failure. Repairs may turn out to be the first construction work that gets done.
MAKING IT HAPPEN
In short, deck extension is a good idea that comes with a few special issues. Properly and professionally done, it can be a fantastic upgrade. Mobilize your Los Angeles deck designers to imagine, plan, and execute it.
MG Construction & Decks offers several interior and exterior remodeling services in Los Angeles California. There is no project too small or too large. However, the majority of our focus has been focused on:
