The Benefits of Adding a Deck to Your Home

As the weather becomes nicer during the spring, people often find themselves wishing their home had a deck. The reasons are obvious: warm afternoons spent reading in the sun, hosting get-togethers in the nice weather. There are even financial benefits to adding a deck to your home.

Read on for more on the many ways adding a deck can increase your home’s value and improve livability.

Types of decks

• Attached – Decks that are attached to the front or back of a house are very popular. They add outdoor living space that can be personalized to reflect your family’s style and used daily.
• Wraparound – A wraparound porch can add a lot of extra space to your home, which can be used for entertainment and every-day living. They also create a lot of opportunities for decorating with steps, railings, and cedar posts.
• Multi-level – A multi-level deck is a good option for a yard with changes in elevation or uneven terrain. It can also have a highly unique design, and can be used to connect a house to the bottom of the lot.
• Rooftop/garage – Adding a deck to your garage or rooftop will give your home a unique flair. They offer great views and increased privacy and are a great option for urban homes that don’t have a lot of yard space.
• Island – An island deck is completely detached from the house. Usually, they’re placed in the backyard. They must be on smooth, even ground, and make a great area for outdoor entertainment.

Home value

Adding a deck is a relatively low-cost way to add value to your home. Not only will it make your home a more attractive option to potential buyers should you want to sell, it will also increase the financial value. The cost of adding a deck largely depends on the materials you choose to use. However, homeowners recoup an average of 70% of the cost of adding the deck when they eventually sell their homes. Some common options for deck building materials include:

• Pressure-treated lumber – Approximately 75% of new decks are finished with pressure-treated lumber. It’s affordable ($.75-$1.25 per linar foot on average), easy to cut and fasten, and resistant to rot and wood-boring bugs.
• Composites – Composite decks are made up of wood fibers and recycled plastic. They’re extremely weather resistance and hold up against stains, warping, splitting and rotting. Composite is generally less expensive than plastic lumber.
• Cedar and redwood – Running at about $3.75-$5.00 per square foot on average, cedar and redwood decks are popular for their beautiful natural colors and durability.
• Tropical hardwoods – Tropical hardwoods like Ipe, Cambara, and Golden Ironwood, made dense, long-lasting decks. Generally, they are a bit more expensive on average. However, you’ll get out of your deck what you put into it, and you can factor the cost into the value of your home.

Curb appeal

A deck allows for a lot of personalization. It’s a great way to increase your home’s curb appeal or make a beautiful backyard. It also means more room for features like:

• Grills
• Patio furniture
• Bird feeders
• Potted plants
• Light fixtures
• Fire pits
• Outdoor dining spaces
• Shelves
• Pergolas

Decks are highly customizable. There are endless possibilities when it comes to decorating your deck and making it into a livable space. The first thing people notice when they look at your house is the what you put on the outside: your yard, outdoor decorations, and your deck, especially if it’s a wraparound or it’s attached to the front of your house. It’s a great opportunity to develop your home’s outdoor aesthetics while actually adding a functional, useable area to enjoy the outdoors to your home.

Increased square footage

Attaching a deck to your home will obviously increase the amount of living space. If you want to sell in the future, you can factor in that extra square footage. More space is always a good thing, especially for a family. A deck adds more room for entertaining guests and daily living for your family, as well as for activities like gardening.

Quick construction process

Compared with other home construction projects that can take months or even years to complete, deck building is a pretty fast process. In fact, it usually only takes a matter of weeks, especially if you hire an experienced, professional construction team. There’s also minimal interruption to your daily life, since construction is entirely on the lot or the outside of the house.

On average, the deck building process takes between 1 and 3 weeks, depending on style and the amount of work that needs to be done. It generally consists of planning a layout, developing framing and posts, installing railings, laying deck boards, and adding steps. It’s important that your deck is built by a professional in order to ensure safety and quality installation.

In conclusion

If you’re looking to increase the value of your home, or simply want a comfortable, beautiful outdoor space, adding a deck is a great option. The construction process is fairly simple and affordable, especially compared with projects like home additions, and won’t interrupt your day-to-day life. Ultimately, you’ll have a functional outdoor living space that you can use however you like, with the added bonus of making your house more appealing to potential homebuyers if you choose to sell in the future.