Sundeck Centre | Everything Under The Sun

Small job, big job, it doesn’t matter. Get it in writing and keep notes.

All home renovations and upgrades should have a written contract between you and your contractor. Why? A contract establishes the foundation for a good working relationship between you and your contractor. A detailed and clearly written contract reduces confusion and misunderstandings, and helps you both see the work the same way. It’s a game plan.

The vast majority of projects are not exposed to litigation, written contracts can keep it that way. Written contracts are a legally binding agreement between you and your contractor. It spells out the responsibilities and rights of both parties and ensures there is a clear record of the agreement. They can also safeguard you from financial loss or personal liability in case of accidents or injuries during the project.

You should always obtain a few bids and compare them. Even when you think you have made up your mind with your contractor of choice it’s always diligent to see what others have to offer. You might be surprised. Keep in mind that the lowest bid is not always the best.

When you’re planning a project keep notes about the materials you would like to use, their quantity, brand, size and colour. Make some sketches or drawings. These notes are extremely important because you want the contractor to be clear about your vision of the finished product. It can turn out that the contractor isn’t experienced with your choices or he can offer a better solution based on his know-how.

Take pictures from beginning to end during your renovation. Not only is it a great record to look back on when the project is finished, but it can be an invaluable record if there are problems

Problems do crop up from time to time, even with the best of contractors. Open communication usually helps to resolve contentious issues. If a dispute does progress to the point where the client or contractor can't agree, the options are costly arbitration and for most homeowners – stress. A written contract will certainly help in these cases. And, contrary to popular belief, the customer is not always right. A good contractor will discuss the work with you ahead of time to head off any concerns.

Remember, the best protection for the homeowner and for the contractor is a contract that clearly spells out how the job is going to work, and what will happen if problems arise. There are plenty of well-paid lawyers that will attest to that.

Almost every home with two stories that I inspect has a wooden deck. The difference in strength and quality is quite profound when comparing contemporary decks with older ones. Both types have a common enemy – the weather.

Wood decks are often constructed by the builder during the original construction of the home but, in most cases, they were probably built by the homeowner who thought that they had the skills or by a contractor they hired. Elevated deck layouts vary greatly and are costly to build. In some cases, short cuts are made by contractors to make a larger profit or the homeowner was unaware of how to build the structure properly. Either way, construction and layout techniques vary greatly. The greatest sacrifice is typically the overall safety of the deck.

The age and reliability of the lumber are factors in deck collapse. Wood moves and decays with exposure to weather - even treated wood. Wooden structures built without the benefit of a roof will not last forever, even though the wood is treated to resist the effects of the weather. 

Fasteners, their quality and quantity, and the way they are used, contribute to deck failure. Nail connections are a complete mistake. Unlike bolts or screws, nails can pull out. Research shows that nearly every collapsed deck had been attached with nails. Nails can rust, they may not be long enough, or they may shear under load. A screwed-in connection works differently than a nail by gaining increased strength from the wedging action of wood fibres along the entire length of the shaft. For every inch of penetration, lag bolts have as much as nine times the pull-out resistance of a nail.

When decks fail, it is usually because the load exceeds capacity. When a deck reaches its collapsing point, they give away like trap doors. Although there might be clear warning signs of an imminent failure, if the deck had been inspected, most people involved in the collapse usually state that the failure was instant and that they had “no warning”. You don’t have to be part of an Animal House deck party to experience a failure; most reports indicate that the desk was being used as a low-key gathering.