Guides
Deck and patio services and packages guide
A deck and patio services guide names the packages a contractor sells, what each includes, and the site conditions and local permits that change the scope.
What to take away
- Sell three or four named packages, not a menu of tasksa repair and refresh tier, a rebuild tier, a full outdoor room tier, and a design-build tier.
- Every package line states what is included, what is excluded, and what site condition would move the job up a tier.
- Footing depth, beam spans, guardrail loads and ledger attachment are set by the applicable building code and a licensed structural engineer, never by a sales sheet.
- Price the package from measured quantities and named variables, not from a competitor's advertised number.
- Put the permit, the inspection sequence and the warranty terms in writing before demolition starts.
This article covers general deck and patio contracting practice. It is not structural, engineering, permit, tax, insurance or legal advice. Requirements vary by province, state and municipality. Confirm them with the authority having jurisdiction and with qualified professionals.
The four packages deck and patio contractors sell
A package is a promise about a finished structure, not a list of tasks. Name it, price it, and describe the finished thing. Four tiers cover most residential demand.
Repair and refresh: Use Trex or TimberTech composite boards for replacement. Re-stain wood with a product like Penofin. Power wash and refasten where framing is sound. Replace loose railing pickets and stair treads. Sold by the square foot of decking plus a flat mobilization charge. It suits homeowners whose structure passed inspection but looks tired.
Like-for-like rebuild. Tear out and rebuild on the existing footprint and existing footing locations. An engineer reviews those footings. Install new joists, new decking, and new railing to current code.
Frame with Simpson Strong-Tie ZMAX connectors and Grace Vycor Deck Protector flashing tape at the ledger. Sold as a lump sum from measured areas. It suits a deck that failed inspection or has rot behind the ledger board.
Outdoor room. Rebuild plus additions that make the space usable. Add stairs, built-in benches, a privacy screen, a pergola or covered section, and lighting rough-in. Add a patio slab or paver field.
Use a StruXure pergola with adjustable louvers or a Belgard paver patio. Trex RainEscape creates dry space under the deck. Sold as a base price plus priced options. It suits a homeowner planning to stay.
Design-build. Survey, drawings, engineered structural details, permit application, and construction. Sold as a design fee credited against the construction contract. It suits sloped lots, second-story decks, and anything needing a variance. A firm like Archadeck offers design-build services for complex residential projects.
The packaging deck and patio services structure behind these tiers is worth reading before you rename them for your own market.
What each package contract line has to state
Write every package as a table a customer can read without you in the room. Six columns do it. They are included work, excluded work, quantity basis, and customer responsibilities. They also include acceptance standard and warranty term.
| Column | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Included | Remove and dispose of existing decking; supply and install new joists at code spacing with Simpson Strong-Tie ZMAX connectors |
| Excluded | Footing replacement, ledger repair, permit fees, yard restoration |
| Quantity basis | Measured deck area in square feet; railing in linear feet; stairs by riser count |
| Customer responsibilities | Clear the area, secure pets, provide water and power access, decide on railing style before framing |
| Acceptance standard | Level within the tolerance you state, no visible fastener pull-through, railing meets code height |
| Warranty | Workmanship term and manufacturer product term, stated separately, such as Trex's 25-year limited residential warranty or TimberTech AZEK's 30-year limited warranty |
| Decking options | Trex Transcend composite (25-year limited residential warranty), TimberTech AZEK Vintage Collection (30-year limited warranty), Fiberon Paramount (25-year limited warranty), Deckorators Voyage (25-year limited warranty) |
| Railing options | Fortress Building Products aluminum railing, Deckorators ALX railing |
The excluded column protects you. A customer who reads "yard restoration excluded" before signing does not become a callback.
Site conditions that move a job up a tier
A quote is only as good as its site assessment. Walk the property and record these before pricing.
- Frost depth at the site, from the local authority having jurisdiction, which sets minimum footing depth.
- Soil type and drainage, since clay and poor drainage change footing and grading work.
- Slope and grade change, which drives stair count and retaining work.
- Height above grade, which triggers fall-protection planning and longer posts.
- Ledger board condition and flashing detail, the most common source of hidden rot.
- Access width for equipment and material delivery.
- Utility locates before any excavation.
- HOA, condo board or conservation authority approval where one applies.
For railing, Fortress Building Products and Deckorators supply code-compliant aluminum systems. For pavers, Belgard and Techo-Bloc offer concrete and stone options.
Any item on that list that surprises you after demolition is a change order. Change orders cost you the customer's goodwill even when they pay.
Permits, inspections and who signs off
Permit scope varies by municipality. In Ontario, the Building Code Act and the local building department govern. In many U.S. jurisdictions, the same applies through the local building department and the state or provincial code adoption. Do not tell a customer a permit is or is not required. Tell them you will confirm it with the permit office.
Three things belong in writing before demolition:
- Who pulls the permit and who pays the fee.
- The inspection sequence the municipality requires, and who books each inspection.
- What happens to the schedule and the price if an inspection fails.
Structural questions go to a licensed structural engineer. Footing sizing, beam spans, joist spans, guardrail loads and ledger attachment are engineering decisions under the applicable building code. A salesperson who sizes a beam from a table in a brochure creates liability for the business.
Fall protection on residential work is governed by the applicable occupational health and safety regulator. The OSHA residential fall protection guidance describes the methods and makes clear the employer remains responsible for site-specific controls. Treat it as a starting point and confirm your own regulator's requirements.
The build sequence, step by step
Nine steps, in order. Each one has a handoff where information gets lost.
- Measure and photograph.Record the footprint, elevations, door thresholds and existing conditions. Photographs settle later disputes.
- Design handoff.Drawings, structural details and material selections go to the crew lead in writing, not by verbal briefing on site.
- Permit and approval.Application, review, and any variance or HOA approval.
- Demolition and disposal.Confirm what is being removed and where it goes before the first board comes off.
- Foundation.Excavation, footing, pier or pile work per the engineered detail, with utility locates complete.
- Framing.Ledger attachment and flashing, beams, joists, blocking and stairs, all to the engineered drawings.
- Decking.Board layout, gapping, fastener selection for the material, and stair treads.
- Railing and finishes.Guard and handrail to code, lighting, staining or sealing.
- Punch list and warranty.Walk the job with the customer, write the list, close it, and hand over the warranty document.
The punch list walk is the cheapest marketing you will ever do. A customer who watches you fix a small item without argument refers at a higher rate than one who never had a problem.
Pricing the packages without guessing
No article can give you a current price for a deck in your market. A number copied from a competitor is worse than no number. Build the price from your own measured quantities.
For a rebuild, add deck area times decking cost per square foot. Add railing length times railing cost per linear foot, and riser count times stair cost per riser. Add framing material takeoff and estimated labor hours times your burdened hourly rate. Then add equipment and disposal, permit and engineering fees, and overhead and target margin.
Substitute your own figures for every term. Track the difference between estimated and actual labor hours per package on every job. That single number tells you which package is underpriced.
For wage inputs when you set the burdened hourly rate, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables publish occupation, industry, state and metropolitan estimates. They are one input, not a local market rate.
Keep the records that support every number: supplier invoices, time sheets, disposal receipts, permit fees. The IRS guidance on business records explains what a recordkeeping system needs to show. In Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency publishes the equivalent requirements, and GST/HST registration depends on your revenue threshold.
Presenting and advertising the packages
Every claim in your brochure, your website and your truck has to be truthful and supported. The FTC advertising guidance for small business covers both claim substantiation and endorsement disclosure. If you quote a customer, get permission and do not edit the meaning.
Three habits keep the presentation honest:
- State the quantity basis next to every price, so "from $X" means a defined area or length.
- Show what moves the price, not just the starting price.
- Never advertise a warranty term longer than your supplier's product warranty.
A customer who understands the exclusions before signing is a customer who does not dispute the invoice.
Common questions
How many packages should a small deck builder offer?
Three or four. Fewer than three and every job becomes custom, which destroys your estimating speed. More than four and neither your salesperson nor your customer can hold the differences in mind. Name them for the finished result, not for the internal task list.
Who decides footing depth and beam sizing?
The applicable building code sets the minimums, and a licensed structural engineer designs the specific structure. Your job is to build to those drawings and to record any site condition that differs from what the drawings assumed. Never let a salesperson size structural members.
What has to be in writing before demolition?
The scope with inclusions and exclusions, the price and its quantity basis. The permit responsibility, the payment schedule, the change-order process. The inspection sequence, and the warranty terms. Verbal agreements about railing style or yard restoration are where disputes start.
How do you price a package you have never built?
Price it as a cost-plus estimate with a stated cap, and tell the customer it is an estimate. Track actual hours and materials against it. After two or three jobs you have enough data to publish a fixed price, and not before.
