You’re probably not going to like the answer, but the cheapest time to build your new Kansas City porch or covered deck was 5 years ago.

It is not more expensive to build a Kansas City porch or deck because because our prices have gone up. It’s because material costs have gone up and will continue to go up since the economy is strong nationwide. When times are good and the market will bear price increases, manufacturers and material suppliers take that opportunity to increase prices. We didn’t see these price increases back in 2008 and 2009 after the economy crashed but now we see them regularly and without any notice whatsoever.

We realize that the nature of planning and obtaining qualified, skilled firms to build outdoor projects and home improvements can be a long-term process. We know that a tremendous amount of thought and planning, as well as saving and budgeting, have gone on behind the scenes before homeowners contact us. We also know that when homeowners are ready to move forward with their project, they are anxious to start enjoying their new space as soon as possible. The challenge is that all the qualified and skilled firms are likely to be working months out into the future.

Here are some important timing factors to consider regarding when your new outdoor project will be completed and ready to enjoy

• The design process takes time
• The process of narrowing choices and selecting materials takes time
• The process of permitting takes time
• The shortage of skilled labor extends these timelines further
• All reputable builders have a wait before starting projects – probably in direct correlation to how strong they are as a builder

Since there are a number of time-consuming factors involved and since materials price increases could always be looming, what’s the best thing to do?

The best thing to do when you make your decision is to recognize the process and make the right choices for you since you will enjoy this space for many years in the future. Further, it’s important to understand that it’s worth the wait to ensure that you have numerous years of optimal enjoyment in your new space. It’s likely that most reputable builders have had calls from homeowners who went with the quickest option only to be disappointed and were then forced to look for another builder to fix that project that didn’t meet expectations.

Choose well, move forward instead of waiting and be patient enough to have the right project built by the right builder having made the best design and material decisions for how you want to live outside.

If you’re thinking about waiting to build your Kansas City porch or deck…

A Kansas City porch project that is tabled one year because it couldn’t be done on time may not be picked back up until the same time the following year causing the same issues as before. These homeowners always tell us they wish they would have completed the project the previous year so it would be ready at the very beginning of spring the next year.

It’s important to begin the conversation with a reputable KC deck builder and balance any wait time against your lifetime enjoyment of your new porch, deck or outdoor living space. Many memories will be made and shared in your new space over the many years you own your home.

Give us a call for a free consultation at (913) 851-3325 or drop us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net. Take a look at some of our top website photo galleries: outdoor fireplace photo gallery, screened porch photo gallery, deck photo gallery.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

Also read: Is it cheaper to repair or replace a deck?

As strange as it sounds, a majority of the complaints about deck contractors aren’t really about the quality of the end product. They are the byproduct of poor communications. When the customer and the deck contractor aren’t on the same page, it can lead to all kinds of problems, both big and small. Here are six ways that Archadeck takes care to keep our customers happy from start to finish ensuring our customers get the right communication at the right time.

1. Most deck contractors didn’t get into the business they are in because they have fabulous communication skills, so they might not realize how important those skills are. We prioritize talking to all our customers regularly and making sure that they have ample opportunities to ask questions. We make a point to be consistent over time with information that we have provided to our clients to avoid any potential confusion. We pride ourselves on being easy to find and easy to talk to.
2. Beyond speaking frequently with the homeowner, we stay in regular contact with our crews and our subcontractors. That helps to minimize surprises between all parties involved. It also means that if you have a question for someone working on your job site, they should have the same answer as someone from our office.
3. We take the time to discuss topics others might overlook, such as conditions on the job site. We want to hear about the oak tree that is special to you or that you have a cat and two dogs who might be visiting our work area (on purpose or not). We also want to keep you up to date on potential areas of danger that could change from day to day. You should know when we are going to dig post holes so that you can be extra aware to watch your step.
4. Keeping costs in line with customer expectations is an important part of our communications plan. We work diligently to talk about choices up front during the design process so that there is clarity about the final price you will pay. You’ll have plenty of time in advance to select the features, choices, and options that are right for you. You will also know the payment schedule up front so that you can make the necessary financial arrangements from your end.
5. Honesty has to play a central role in communications between contractor and customer. When you ask for help in making a choice between one feature or another on your Kansas City deck project, we’ll help you decipher the true value of various features so you can prioritize where you want to invest in different amenities or upgrades. Take a look at online reviews from our other Kansas City customers to see our superior record in educating our customers to help them get an end result that exceeded expectations.
6. Communications don’t have to just take place by conversation. An experienced, reputable porch or deck contractor will make sure that you receive a detailed price for all work in advance. This may even include a list of potential unexpected contingencies that may affect the final price. The presence of termite damage is an excellent example. We’ll do as complete and thorough a site survey as possible, but also do our best to warn you of any potential problems we anticipate may crop up.

For trusted deck builders Kansas City, choose Archadeck. We have been designing and building decks throughout the Kansas City Metro since 2001.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you’re considering adding a custom deck, sunroom, or screened porch to your home, give us a ring. Our consultation is free. We can discuss options, provide design ideas and of course give you a price quote to consider. Give us a call or send us an email. (913) 851 – 3325 or kansascity@archadeck.net. For loads of great pictures, please visit our website at kansas-city.archadeck.com

Also read: Which roof style is best for your Kansas City porch?

Spring and summer are insanely busy for every reputable porch and deck contractor in the outdoor building trades. Our skilled tradesmen are working very long days and our project start dates are pushed out quite a way.

If you encounter a deck contractor in mid-May who says that he is available to start right away, be very wary. It’s the equivalent of talking to one of Santa’s elves on December 15 and having him say that things have been slow so he’s been getting a lot of reading done at the office. It’s a sufficiently unusual enough situation that it should set off warning bells in your head.

End your search for “deck builders Kansas City” with the experienced design-build team at Archadeck. We have been building custom decks, porches, and more since 2001.

Any experienced, reputable, licensed contractor will be booked solid in the warmer months. If you talk to a contractor who is not, you should ask yourself why. A new contractor will not have had the time or opportunity to to build a reputation in the community. This makes it difficult to judge the quality of his work because there will be fewer past customers to consult for references and not many previous jobs sites to go visit. This might not ultimately be a deal breaker, but you will need to do additional due diligence about his skills and competency to assure yourself that he/she will do a professional job on your porch or deck.

A deck contractor with a poor reputation is another matter entirely. There is no amount of cost savings on a job that will make up for trusting your home and your money to someone who has done shoddy or incomplete work in the past.

If you contract with Archadeck of Kansas City in the spring or summer, we will have to put you on our waiting list before we can begin your project. At this time of year, we regularly receive 20x more phone calls each month than we do during the winter. We don’t want to make customers wait, but we have to. That’s the bad news. The good news is that I can give you as many references as you want. If you have the time and want to visit 20 of our past customers, you could. I can also send you to many review sites which each have many reviews attesting to the quality work and excellent service you will receive.

Once that you accept that you will probably have to wait before breaking ground on your new outdoor living space, you might want to get a jump on some of the planning that will improve the work that you and your reputable contractor will do together. First, think about how you want to use your new space. Identifying function goes a long way toward creating a quality design for any living space. Do you hate bugs? Love sun? Host large parties? Want a place for your cats to watch birds? Think about these kinds of activities and take notes.

It’s also important to think about your budget. There is no need to be bashful about talking about money. Building is our business and we have these conversations daily. Your budget will drive the scope and materials of your project, so it’s important to have an idea about it up front. You don’t need to know all of the cost details in advance, but you want to know enough to stay within a budget where you are comfortable.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you’re considering the addition of a deck, porch, other outdoor living structure to your Kansas City area home, don’t wait. Give us a call at (913) 851-3325 for a free consultation or email us at kansascity@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.