August 5, 2024
From first site visit to final railing: the stages of a deck project, what drives the timeline, and where delays usually come from.
The build itself is usually the shortest part of a deck project. Most of the calendar goes to the steps on either side of it, and knowing that up front makes the schedule far less frustrating.
It starts with a site visit and an estimate. We look at the space, the grade, how the deck will attach to the house and what access the crew will have, then quote the work. Access matters more than people expect: a backyard reachable only through the house adds time to every single day of the build.
Design and material selection come next. Decking, railing style and any cover are settled here, because they change both the price and the framing. This is also where permit requirements get confirmed with your municipality, and where a permit is needed the municipal review time is usually the longest single item in the schedule — and the one least under anyone's control.
On site, demolition of an existing deck and footings come first, then framing, then the deck surface, then railings and stairs. Each stage depends on the one before, so weather that stops footings from curing pushes everything behind it.
Rain affects some stages and not others. Framing carries on through typical Lower Mainland weather; concrete work and any staining or finishing need dry conditions, so those are the parts that slip in a wet stretch.
The honest answer to timing is that it depends on deck size, whether a permit is required, and the season. We give a realistic window with the estimate rather than a best-case number, and we tell you when something moves.
Ready to start? Send us the deck size and location and we will book a site visit.