THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 26, 1995 TAG: 9508240427
SECTION: REAL ESTATE WEEKLY PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY BRENDA HARRIS, SPECIAL TO REAL ESTATE WEEKLY
LENGTH: Long : 134 lines
Everyone likes the outdoors. Whether we go outside for playing, barbecuing, reading in the shade, or just enjoying a breeze or gazing at the stars, a deck provides the perfect stage for these al fresco moments.
Adding a deck is a very popular home improvement. It's a way to increase livable space for a fraction of the cost of adding rooms, to make a nondescript house take on a new dimension, and to enhance a home's value.
The term ``deck'' can define many different outdoor structures: modest platforms close to the ground, multi-level decks, raised poolside surfaces, or spectacular high-level structures. The California Redwood Association has noted a trend away from the ordinary square or rectangular decks of the past.
Today's decks are more elaborate. They frequently incorporate such amenities as food preparation and serving centers, built-in benches, elaborate railings, gazebos, trellises, spas and exterior lighting.
Although a deck is a relatively simple addition, many things have to be taken into consideration. Choosing the deck's site involves studying the climate, sun's path, wind, rain, and relationships to the house and yard. Figuring out how and when the deck will be used is very important.
When properly designed, a deck should offer privacy and a sense of enclosure, its size should be appropriate for uses and intended space. It should be accessible and inviting, comfortable and pleasant, and in harmony with its setting.
Building a deck can be a do-it-yourself project if you're handy with tools, know some carpentry, and have the necessary time. Proper safety procedures involving tools and pressure-treated lumber must be followed. By not hiring a contractor, one you expect to save 50 to 70 percent of the cost.
Steve Doucette built his own deck in the Pembroke Meadows subdivision of Virginia Beach five years ago. The Doucette family's lot slopes to Old Donation Creek, an inlet of the Lynnhaven River. The deck was built in several stages.
After a swimming pool was put in, the project began. First, the deck was built around the house, then the decking placed around the dock, then the pool decking. Finally, the hot tub and its surrounding decking were constructed.
The finished project affords the Doucettes an attractive outdoor living area that takes full advantage of their waterfront site.
``I always have to have some sort of project to do,'' Steve says. ``My friend, Frank Tignor, planned this deck and helped me build it. Doing it yourself takes longer, but that's the only disadvantage.''
Was there anything he'd change if he did it again? ``Yes,'' says Steve. ``I'd rent a pneumatic hammer.''
A recent innovation that provides do-it-yourselfers substantial high-tech help with a decking job is provided by hardware superstores such as Lowe's and Home Quarters (HQ) Warehouse.
Computer programs offer custom deck design assistance. After providing measurements, size, and the height from the top of the deck to the ground, the consumer receives for no charge a computerized deck design and materials list with prices.
Seated before the store's computer, the customer can see how different decks would look, including three-dimensioned views. He or she also receives a post layout view, different dimensioned plan views, beam layout information, and a stress analysis.
According to Bill Fehlhaber, custom millwork design specialist at Home Quarters Warehouse, the average deck built by a do-it-yourselfer costs $2 to $2.50 per square foot. He advises the customer interested in building his own deck to stake out the back yard with sticks and string. This way, the deck's size can be properly assessed, and any obstructions will be noted before deckbuilding begins.
Although the printed diagrams from the hardware stores are developed in compliance with generally accepted construction methods and building codes, all plans must be submitted to the city's building department for approval.
Building codes set minimum safety standards for materials and construction techniques. They ensure that structures will be well made and safe. Zoning regulations should also be checked, and ``Miss Utility'' must be called to check the location of underground utility lines.
Property deeds can also restrict the project's design, location, or construction. They should be carefully checked for easements, architectural-standard restrictions, and other limitations.
Sometimes it makes more sense to hire a contractor to build a deck. As Harry Murphy, owner of A Murphy Fence Company in Chesapeake says, ``There's a lot more to it than posts in the ground with boards nailed on top.'' According to Seth Farwell of Custom Carpentry in Chesapeake, people who aren't that handy or don't have the time are the most likely to hire a contractor.
Certain site conditions and types of decks usually require the help of professionals. These can include unstable soil, sand, mud or water; high-level decks and those on steep hillsides; cantilevered decks; and decks that end up including electrical wiring, outlets or lighting.
Doug and Lois Knapp knew they wanted a deck and screened-in porch built when they moved into their new home in the Park Place subdivision of Virginia Beach a few months ago, and also knew that they didn't want to undertake the project themselves.
Their contractor, Glenn Stagg of Decked Out Builders, sat down with them and discussed what they wanted in their deck before designing their 418 square foot, three-sectioned deck on two levels and 14-by-16-foot screened-in porch with three skylights. Custom touches include a built-in bar, barbecuing corner, corner storage cabinet by the house and three sets of steps.
``We wanted a place for relaxation and entertaining,'' says Lois. ``Glenn Stagg did a great job for us, and we've been spending a lot of time out here since it was built.'' Deck maintenance for the Knapps' pine deck only requires washing and re-sealing the deck every one to 1 1/2 years.
Any deck attached to the house or ground is considered an improvement to the property, and consequently the homeowner's tax assessment will increase. Assessment formulas may vary by city.
In Chesapeake, the increase in assessment varies according to the size and quality of the deck. The Portsmouth assessor's office increases the assessment depending upon the type of house and the deck's size. The larger the deck, the lower the increase per square foot of deck.
In the transient Tidewater area, a valid concern is whether one can recoup the costs of a deck when it comes time to sell the house. According to building-industry surveys, a deck will return about 70 to 80 percent of its cost, if contracted out, when a house is sold.
This depends on an area's climate, though. The more months of the year that the outdoor space can be utilized, the greater will be the rate of return on investment.
Fran Chapman, a real estate agent with Long & Foster, says, ``A deck is attractive to homebuyers because it serves as an extension for family living. It makes a house more competitive when compared to other houses on the market.''
In their quest for more usable living space, Americans have turned to the outdoors, which is why decks have become one of the nation's top home improvements. A well-designed deck provides an accessible, inviting outdoor refuge for a family for years to come. ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
DECKED OUT
Lois Knapp, her daughter Molly, 9, and granddaughter Caity Aldous,
3, enjoy the deck and sun room in Knapp's Virginia Beach home.
Photo by GARY C. KNAPP
Jesse B. Doucette, 14, takes a dip next to the deck built by her
father, Steve Doucette.
by CNB