This deck had seen better days. The new owners decided to update the poor thing because it had taken such a beating over the years, and it was never built properly from the beginning. The incline of the stairs was too steep, with short boards making up the steps. The supporting posts were 4x4. No way that was built to code. It seemed simple enough to build at first, but I insisted the pickets needed a more modern flair. They needed to be encased in boxes before they were attached to the railings. It disturbs my peace to see pickets detach at the base of the railings, as had happened here before when the large dog made room for his head to go through. Let's just say there were missing links. The team did some extra work getting those boxes assembled, securing each picket with screws through the top and bottom before inserting into the railings. We added a very necessary landing and concrete pad. Very polished. I approve. Dog-proof. Weatherproof. Long-lasting. We updated the fencing also. Posts, connected by 2x4s, with individual pickets attached at top and bottom for better strength. The large dog figured out if he lunged at the old fence sections in the weak joints, he would find escape, as he had done repeatedly. We fixed that. read less