Home Improvement Information

Planning For a New Deck


Part of the fun of a new deck is the planning! When you plan your deck, you can let your imagination run wild and add all kinds of fun features. As your planning process moves forward, you can whittle down your design to a more practical (and buildable) plan. Planning a new deck can be as simple as a few sketches, or as complete as a blueprint. You can have an architect or designer create plans for you, or you can do it yourself. Also, there are many new software programs available to make planning easier.

Before you start planning your deck, you may want to browse through some magazines for ideas. You can also search the Internet for photos of existing decks to give you some better ideas. There are also entire books written specifically for decks and deck building. They usually have hundreds of full-color photos to help you decide what features you want to add to your deck.

So the first place to start, is to measure the area you have available for your new deck. This is sometimes easier if you have a long tape measure; a 50 foot long tape measure is usually best for a project like this. Using wooden stakes, hammer them into the ground at the corners of your deck. This will help you visualize where your new deck will be. It's a lot easier to move wooden stakes around, then to change the layout while building your deck.

As you stake out your new deck, take into consideration any changes in elevation. You may want to consider a multi-level deck, areas for steps, or special task areas on your deck. Task areas may include things like a wet bar, a place for a grill, or even a private sitting area. These special task areas are what will make your new deck unique.

Once you have your deck staked out in its final position, you will want to draw some final plans. You can take these plans to your local home center or building supply store, and they can create a materials list for you. You will also need a set of plans if you need a building permit for your deck. Most townships or municipalities require building permits for a new deck. They will want to have one or two sets of plans submitted with the building fee. The more professional your plans look, the easier it will be for you to get approval to build your new deck.

Once you have your final building permit and your plans all finished, it's time to start building your deck. The next series of articles will cover building your deck from start to finish.

Dean Novosat is an avid do-it-yourselfer and remodeler. He writes for http://build-decks-patios.com, http://for-gadget-guys.com, and http://www.the-kitchen-designer.com


MORE RESOURCES:

The Quincy Cove

Home improvement issues top consumer complaint
Boston Globe
Complaints against home improvement contractors topped the list of consumer complaints made to state officials during 2009, ...
State consumer advocates discuss complaints, offer tipsBoston Herald
Don't be just another suckerMetro.us (blog)
Boston Foreclosures Part of Biggest State ComplaintsThe Quincy Cove
Boston Globe -Boston Herald
all 5 news articles »


Top Value-Adding Home Improvement Projects
WCPO
Spring is almost here, so it's time to spruce up your home, but what really adds the most value? Coldwell Banker's list of top projects may surprise you. ...

and more »


Top Home Improvement Online Retailer Renames Itself Build.com, Inc.
PR Web (press release)
“We are creating Build.com to be the absolute best online home improvement shopping experience for customers looking for the entire home improvement ...



Reuters

Home Improvement Retailers See Glints of Rebound
New York Times
Home Depot and Lowe's, the nation's largest home improvement retailers, posted better-than-expected earnings this week. They said that they did not have to ...
Lowe's Feels The ColdForbes
Home Depot swings to profit, gives rosier outlookMarketWatch
Home Depot Profits Beat Lowe's in Home Improvement SalesHULIQ
Wall Street Journal -Financial Times -Forbes
all 968 news articles »


Cash for Carpenters? Obama Proposes Home Improvement Rebates
PR-CANADA.net (press release)
US President Barack Obama called on Congress to pass his administration's "Homestar" proposal, an initiative that would offer homeowners up to $3000 in ...



Leveraging A Recovery In Home Improvement
Investopedia
The economy's housing and home improvement segment seems to be on the cusp of a turnaround. Housing manufacturers such as Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) and ...



Home Improvement: Continuing Student Housing Process Changes
St. Norbert Times
The time has come for another year of continuing student housing selection. As in years past, there are some changes being made to the housing process. ...



The Home Improvement Industry - A $300 Billion Giant
PR Web (press release)
The home improvement industry is a key ingredient to stimulating the economy despite being overlooked by Congressional leaders, neglected by the financial ...



Scamming Home Contractor Off To Jail
WCVB-TV
A home improvement contractor will spend the next four years in prison after scamming 23 homeowners out of hundreds of thousands of dollars for sunrooms ...
North Andover man gets jail time in sunroom scamBoston Globe

all 3 news articles »


Home Improvement Sunday
KULR-TV
BILLINGS - The Home Improvement Show wrapped up Sunday at the MetraPark Expo Center. The three-day event featured all sorts of gadgets, ...


Google News

home | site map
© 2006