Deck Building and Repair in Tacoma and South Puget Sound
New builds, rebuilds and structural repair, composite or wood.
Licensed BESTPPC752LD$30,000 bondedInsuredFree estimatesSe habla español
The situation
What you're actually dealing with
A deck is a structure before it is an amenity. The footings, the ledger connection to the house and the framing underneath determine whether it is safe, and the decking surface you walk on is the last and least important part of it.
In this climate decks fail from the bottom up. Joists stay damp, the ledger flashing behind the boards gives way, and fasteners corrode where they sit in standing water. A deck can look fine from above while the ledger connection holding it to the house has been rotting quietly for years. That connection is the single most common cause of deck collapse.
Whether we are building new or repairing what you have, the structure gets inspected and addressed first. If your deck only needs new surface boards, Best Pro will tell you that instead of selling you a rebuild.
Public record
Verify with L&I- WA contractor license
- BESTPPC752LD
- Construction Contractor, General · Active · UBI 605 604 724
- Contractor bond
- $30,000
- The North River Insurance Company · double the $15,000 a specialty contractor carries
- General liability
- $1,000,000
- State National Insurance Company Inc · four times the $250,000 state minimum
Scope
What a typical job includes
This is the standard scope. Yours is written out and agreed before anything starts.
- Assessment of existing footings, framing, ledger and fasteners
- Properly sized and placed concrete footings for new construction
- Pressure-treated framing with joist spacing set for the decking material
- Correctly flashed ledger attachment to the house
- Structural fasteners and hardware rated for exterior and treated lumber
- Decking installation in composite or wood
- Railing, stairs and guard construction to code height and spacing
- Permit coordination where the height or size of the deck requires it
- Site cleanup and haul-away of demolition material
Cost
What drives the price
Best Pro does not publish price ranges, because a number posted on a website has to ignore everything that actually makes your job cost what it costs. Here is what a quote is built from instead.
- Square footage, height above grade, and whether stairs are involved
- Decking material, since composite and wood are meaningfully different budgets
- The number and depth of footings, which depend on soil and span
- Railing type and total linear footage
- Whether an existing deck can be reframed or has to come out entirely
- Permitting requirements for the deck's height and size in your jurisdiction
The free estimate covers all of it: an on-site walkthrough, a written scope, and a firm number you can compare against anyone else's.
Get my free estimateProcess
How a decks job runs
Step 1
Site visit and design
We look at the space, the door threshold, the grade and how you actually intend to use the deck, then size it accordingly. Bigger is not automatically better.
Step 2
Written scope and permitting
Materials, framing plan and railing detail in writing. Decks above a certain height need a permit, and we confirm the requirement with your jurisdiction before scheduling.
Step 3
Demolition or excavation
The old deck comes out, or the footing locations get dug and poured for a new build.
Step 4
Framing
Ledger flashed and fastened, beams and joists set, everything checked for level and span before a single deck board goes down.
Step 5
Decking, rail and stairs
Surface boards, then railing, guards and stair treads. Fastener pattern kept consistent and hidden where the product allows.
Step 6
Walkthrough
We walk the finished deck with you, including the parts you cannot see, so you know what is underneath it.
Options
Materials and choices
Straight guidance on what suits this climate and this housing stock, including where the cheaper option is genuinely fine.
- Composite decking
- The practical answer for most homes in the south Sound. It does not need annual sealing, it does not splinter, and it holds up to a climate that keeps a deck surface wet for half the year. Higher cost up front, far less maintenance.
- Pressure-treated wood
- The lowest-cost surface and still a legitimate choice. It requires cleaning and sealing every year or two in this climate to avoid checking and greying.
- Cedar
- Better looking than treated lumber and naturally rot-resistant, at a middle price. It still needs regular finishing to hold its color here.
- Railing
- Wood, composite, or metal and cable. Cable and metal keep sightlines open, which matters if the deck looks out at anything worth looking at.
Recent work
Deck Building and Repair projects
Decks
Composite deck, paver patio and lighting
A curved composite deck stepping down to a herringbone paver patio, with a seat wall, integrated riser lighting along every step, and a steel pergola wired for string lights.
Decks
Curved composite deck against a stone seat wall
The same deck in daylight, showing the curved edge cut to follow the existing block retaining wall and the contrasting fascia and step nosing.
Decks
Covered deck and grill area
Composite decking carried under an existing covered patio to create a sheltered outdoor kitchen and grill area that stays usable through the wet season.
Decks
Deck framing and composite install
Pressure-treated framing with joists set and blocked before any decking goes down, with hidden fasteners and the first composite boards being laid. The part of a deck you stop being able to see once it is finished.
Decks
Low-profile composite deck with wrapped steps
A ground-level composite deck built off a sliding door, with a full-width wrapped step and a gravel drainage border around the perimeter.
Decks
Raised deck with cedar railing and stairs
A raised deck with composite decking and fascia, cedar railing and balusters, and a full stair run down to grade over a gravel base.
Questions
Decks questions, answered
Permit requirements depend on the deck's height above grade, its size, and whether it is attached to the house. Requirements differ between the City of Tacoma, unincorporated Pierce County and the other jurisdictions in the service area. Best Pro Contractors confirms the requirement with your jurisdiction as part of the written quote.
Composite is generally the better long-term choice in the south Puget Sound because it does not require annual sealing in a climate that keeps deck surfaces wet for much of the year. Pressure-treated wood costs less up front and remains a reasonable choice if you are willing to maintain it.
Often, yes. If the footings, framing and ledger connection are sound, replacing only the decking and railing is a much smaller job. The structure gets inspected first and you get told honestly which one you are looking at.
A straightforward single-level deck typically takes three to five working days after footings have cured. Multi-level decks, extensive stairs or complex railing add time.
A failed or improperly flashed ledger connection where the deck attaches to the house. Water gets behind it, the rim joist rots, and the deck can look completely sound from above while that connection is compromised.
Also available
Related services
Get a free decks estimate
Tell us what you need and Alberto gets back to you within 24 hours. Estimates are free and there is no obligation.
Free estimates, no obligation, and se habla español.