Two quotes for the same deck can be thousands of dollars apart, and usually that is because they are not quotes for the same deck. One includes the permit, the stairs and the railing lights; the other does not mention them. One replaces the ledger; the other screws new boards to the old framing. These ten questions bring the differences out before you sign.
Are you registered, bonded and insured in Washington?
Washington requires construction contractors to register with the Department of Labor & Industries, and registration means carrying a bond and liability insurance. Check the registration yourself with the L&I contractor lookup, and ask for the insurance certificate. Ours are on the About page.
Who prepares and submits the permit?
If the deck needs one, the drawings, the submittal and the inspections belong in the contract with a name next to them. A builder who suggests skipping the permit on an elevated deck is suggesting you carry the risk, at sale and in a failure. The Deck Permit Checker tells you whether your project needs one, and our permit guide explains what the city checks.
What exactly is in the price?
Ask for an itemized quote. Railings, stairs and lighting move the price of a deck more than the boards do, and they are the lines most often left vague. So are permit fees, tear-out and disposal of an old deck, and cleanup. The Deck Cost Calculator shows how those parts add up, so you can see which quote left something out.
What happens if you find rot under the old deck?
On a replacement or a resurface, some damage only shows once the boards come up. A good answer: the builder probes the ledger, joists and posts before quoting, and anything found later is priced and shown to you before work continues. A vague answer is how a fixed price stops being fixed.
How will the deck attach to the house?
The ledger joint is where most deck failures start. Listen for siding removed, a membrane, bolts or structural screws, spacers and cap flashing. We explain why in Ledger Flashing: The Hidden Detail That Decides How Long a Deck Lasts.
What is under the boards?
Footing size and depth, joist spacing, the connectors at posts and beams, and whether the joist tops are taped. In a wet climate the framing outlives the decking only if it is built to dry. Ask whether the framing is the same whichever board you choose; it should be.
Will the installation keep the board’s warranty?
Composite warranties from Trex, TimberTech and Fiberon depend on the manufacturer’s installation instructions: joist spacing, board gaps, fasteners and ventilation under low decks. Ask whether the crew installs to that specification. Composite Decks covers the details that matter.
Who will actually build it?
Ask whether one crew builds the project from footings to railing or whether parts go to subcontractors, and who you call when something comes up.
When can you start, and how long will it take?
Get the sequence in writing: design, permit, build. A start date that ignores permit review is not a start date. When to Start Planning a Deck If You Want It by Summer lays out the usual timeline.
What will the drawing show?
You should see the deck against your house before you sign: the size, the stairs, the railing, the doors, and where the furniture goes. A stair is far cheaper to move on a drawing than on site. Planning a Deck Layout lists what to check.
We answer all ten at the design visit, for homes in Bellevue, Redmond and across the Eastside and Seattle. How We Work shows the whole process, and the quote form is the place to start.