Category Archives: Choosing a contractor

Archadeck of Central GA, Choosing a contractor, Decks, Pool decks and patios, Poolside outdoor spaces

Will an above ground pool deck have you swimming in debt?

above ground pool-deck-Macon GAAre you enticed by end-of-summer sale prices for above ground pools? Before you dive into purchasing an above ground pool for your family, Archadeck of Central Georgia recommends you consider all of the potential expense, beyond the cost of the pool itself, before making a purchasing decision. This includes the cost of adding an above ground pool deck.

Here in central Georgia we still have some hot weather on the calendar. You still have a few more weeks of swimming pool weather remaining. Plus, if you buy a pool now, you’ll already be set when temperatures heat up again next spring.

Forsyth Ga-deck-above ground poolKeep in mind that you will need to purchase more than just the pool. The cost of installation is usually not included, and that can run as high as $3,000 according to some sources. While filters, ladders and pumps may come with the pool, you will need to purchase cleaning tools, a pool cover, chemicals and maybe even a pool vacuum.

Does your picture of an above ground pool include a pool deck surrounding it?

This is where you may encounter sticker shock. If you want a sturdy, well-built pool deck made of quality materials, it will cost more than the pool itself.  Sometimes an in-ground pool with concrete decking is actually more cost effective than an above ground pool with the same size pressure treated or composite decking. Then again, sometimes an above ground pool is the only option due to the topography of the yard or septic field lines.

fiberglass above ground pool-deck-Macon GA

Building decks is something Archadeck of Central Georgia does well. We love doing it. We love the creative challenge of designing the perfect deck for your home. While a pool deck is no different, people are often surprised to learn how much a good-quality above ground pool deck can cost. So please do that research before you invest in a pool if you feel like an above ground pool isn’t complete without a nice pool deck around it.

Archadeck of Central Georgia only builds sturdy, good-quality decks — and that includes our pool decks. We will not skimp on materials or workmanship because it’s “just a pool deck.” We want the best for your family, as we know you do. We want your family to be safe around the pool, and we want your investment in a pool deck to last for more than a year or two.

Deck-inground pool-Macon GA
Archadeck of Central GA builds many in ground pool decks and poolside outdoor living structures in Macon and the surrounding areas, too!

Search for images of above ground pool decks on the internet, especially on Pinterest, and you may see some amazing structures. Designs for pool decks can be simple and basic, or they can be as elaborate as you desire.

Stephen Denton Archadeck Augusta square lr
Stephen Denton, owner Archadeck of Central GA.

If you are willing to invest in a quality structure, contact us to learn more about adding a pool deck to your above ground pool in Macon, Warner Robins or the surrounding area. You can reach us by phone at (478) 745 – 2000 or via email at centralgeorgia@archadeck.net.

Choosing a contractor, Decks

Some contractors don’t disappear

Hiring contractors can be a scary experience. Being a contractor can be a frustrating experience – for the same reason. The bad contractors ruin it for everyone. Bad contractors leave a bad taste and often shoddy work in their trail making homeowners leery of engaging a contractor to do business at their home.  As a reputable contractor doing business here in the Macon/Warner Robins area for over 26 years, we often meet homeowners that have expectations of sub-par value and communication that is even worse.

Deck-Fiberon Protect-Warner Robins GA 750When looking for a builder, there are a couple great litmus tests to apply to a contractor but all of those won’t tell you whether that contractor will be around 5, 10 or more years in the future if something goes wrong.

Recently a past client gave me a call. My team built his deck about 11 years prior. The client was replacing a few “rotten” deck boards himself and had some questions. I remembered the homeowner and set a date to go take a look at the deck. Pressure-treated wood is warrantied against fungal rot and termites for the life of the project or 45 years by the wood manufacturer. Regardless, the Archadeck plate is affixed to that gentleman’s deck and we stand behind our work.

Fiberon Protect-Deck-Warner Robins 750The homeowner noted that some of the deck boards and joist were rotting. Usually when someone says their deck is rotting it is actually not fungal rot, but a loss of structural integrity due to lack of maintenance. The sun and rain are very destructive to pressure treated lumber if it is not maintained properly. However, when I inspected the deck I found some of the joists were actually rotting from fungus! This is something I’ve virtually never seen. I also noticed that Restore paint had been used on the decking boards. We do suspect this contributed to the condition of the deck boards because it does not allow wet boards to dry. But the joist should not have been affected and regardless there should not have been “rot” from fungus. The homeowners did not realize that this was covered by the ArchadeckWarrantyy but I did. So, I explained to our clients that we were going to take care of this issue.

Now that the homeowners knew we were going to replace the joists that were rotting and were going to do this at no charge to them, they decided to upgrade the decking to a composite decking to alleviate annual maintenance in the future. I did this at a discount just to cover the labor in replacing the joists and installing the new decking boards. It’s our busiest time of the year and losing a crew for a week is painful; but our past clients are just as important as our new ones, whether those homeowners have been with us 1 month, 12 months, 11 years or more.

Stephen Denton Archadeck Augusta square lrIf you are considering adding a porch, deck, patio or other space to your Central GA area home, give Archadeck of Central GA a call for a free consultation at (478) 745 – 2000. We look forward to your call.

To see hundreds of great pictures, watch Archadeck of Central GA videos, or read customer reviews and testimonials, visit our Archadeck of Central GA website.