Building a Home Porches & Decks Design Dilemma

Deck with Builder or Wait til possession.

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

In the process of a new build walk out lower level. The builder will add a 14 x 23 deck up and 14 x 23 patio down for $41 per square ft up and $13 per square ft down. It would be a very simple design with pressure treated decking and spindles. The question is should I wait til after possesion and have a deck designed to the space with possible outdoor kitchen area and pergala? I d hate to do something with the builder and have to redo what I could of done from the start.

i know it could very greatly depending on design features, appliances, plumbing, pergalas etc., but is $41.00 a good price for a basic deck?

All comments greatly appreciated! Thanks! The house will include a 9x9 covered deck and 9x9 patio with stairs.

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Comments (6)

littlebug zone 5 Missouri
5 years ago
I don’t know about the logistics, but what about the money? Is the cost already set aside in your mortgage (assuming you will have one), or did you have other funds set aside for these projects? The reason I ask: if you will need to borrow more $$ and patch it into your mortgage, it will end up costing you a lot more due to interest.
anj_p
5 years ago
So you're already getting a 9x9 deck and 9x9 patio? Would you be ripping that out to do your future deck? Seems like a waste to me. Can you get a credit?

Maybe talk to some deck builders in your area to see what it will cost you to do what you want. FWIW, we will be paying A LOT more to get a deck done after our build. We wanted a screen porch, which our builder didn't offer. The builder's deck would have cost us $10k without stairs; for comparison, a friend just got a quote for a screen porch and deck (similar to what we want to do - 12x12 screen porch with a 12x12 open deck) and the cheapest bid was $80k.

I think $41/SF seems pretty reasonable, at least in our area, but your area may be different.
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Julie Praus
5 years ago
As a building inspector, I try to encourage owners to install the deck at the time of home construction to make sure the deck ledger is installed properly. Adding a deck later is possible if the ledger attachment can be verified. This would require an unfinished basement and no spray foam insulation in the rim area. If this is not possible, then an future deck can be added using a second post and beam line about 24” from the house wall, cantilevering the joists to the house, essentially building a self supporting deck. Some builders will install the ledger only, not knowing the size or loads on the future deck. Future decks don’t always get inspected, so the most critical connection is missed.
Denise
Original Author
5 years ago
Paying cash. 9x9 would be added on to. see picture.
Denise
Original Author
5 years ago
Is it hard to add a pergala and outdoor kitchen to an existing deck? Could we utilize existing basic deck?

Lower Level will be finished.
lyfia
5 years ago
Where would the pergola and outdoor kitchen go? Seems like the deck will be covered so not getting the pergola part or are you talking about adding onto the deck? Before doing anything you should think through the design of where you want things to go. If you don't you may end up with things in areas where you wanted to put something else. For example stairs where you wanted the outdoor kitchen.