Every job below is one we do ourselves across Costa Mesa.
We frame new decks on concrete piers or footings poured below grade, then build up with pressure-treated joists spaced at 16 inches on center. Board choice, railing style, and stair placement all get worked out before we pour anything, not after.
Most repair calls start with a soft spot underfoot or a post that's started to lean. We pull the decking back far enough to see the joists and ledger, replace what's rotted, and only re-skin over framing that's actually sound.
Costa Mesa sun breaks down sealer faster than people expect, usually inside two to three years on a south-facing deck. We pressure wash, let the wood dry out fully, then apply a penetrating stain and sealer rated for UV, not a film-forming product that'll just peel later.
If you want something beyond a rectangle off the back door, we'll lay out multiple levels, built-in benches, or a pergola tied into the structure. We draw it to scale first so you're approving a plan, not guessing from a sketch.
Decks built over a garage, patio, or interior room need a true waterproof membrane under the walking surface, not just a coating sprayed on top. We lap and seal every penetration, slope the deck to drain, and flash it at the house connection so water has nowhere to get in.
Composite boards don't rot and don't need staining, which is why a lot of homeowners switch after their second round of sanding a wood deck. We still frame it in pressure-treated lumber underneath, since composite is a surface material, not a structural one.
Sometimes the frame is fine and only the decking is shot, cupped boards, popped fasteners, gray weathered wood. We swap the boards, check the joists underneath while they're exposed, and match spacing so the new run doesn't look patched in.
Loose balusters and a wobbly top rail usually mean the posts were never bolted through the rim joist in the first place. We rebuild to current spacing code, a 4 inch gap max between balusters, so it passes inspection and actually holds weight.
Second-story decks and balconies over living space are where a small leak turns into a drywall and mold problem inside the house. We install a fully adhered waterproof membrane, not a brush-on coating, and test the slope and drains before anyone walks on it.
When a deck's framing is too far gone to patch, it's cheaper in the long run to tear it out and start over. We haul off the old lumber and old fasteners and check the ledger and house framing underneath before building back.
Four steps, and no surprises in any of them.
You tell us what you want doing, we look at what is actually there, and we ask the awkward questions early.
In writing, itemised, free. If something might add cost later we flag it now rather than at the end.
Same crew throughout. We cover your floors, keep the dust down and tidy up before we leave each day.
You point out anything you are not happy with and we fix it before the invoice, not after.
Deck and waterproofing work scheduled throughout this part of Orange County.
Questions that come up once a project is actually underway.
Describe the problem and we will tell you what it probably is. No obligation.
