Why We Do This Work
We build and repair decks for homeowners in Elizabeth and the towns around it. Decking work found most of us after years doing general carpentry, since a deck takes a beating that indoor framing never has to survive. When you call, you're talking to someone who's going to be under your deck with a flashlight, not a scheduler reading from a script.
The problem we see most is rot that started at the ledger board, the beam that bolts the deck to your house, because that spot traps water if it isn't flashed right. We pull the old flashing, check the rim joist behind it for soft wood, and replace anything that's compromised before reattaching the ledger with the right hardware. The other common issue is a railing that never met code spacing to begin with, which we catch and rebuild during repairs even if that wasn't the original job. A deck that's still solid in five years starts with what's happening at the framing, not what stain color you picked.
