A lake house project rarely stops at the fence. The fence ties into a deck. The deck needs a gate to the dock path. The driveway needs a gate wide enough for the boat. The space under the deck needs closing in, and all the wood needs stain when it is done. Hire three contractors for that and you get three schedules, three layouts that do not quite meet, and three people to call when something needs attention. Here is how it works when one crew does it.
Fence construction
Wood, metal and farm and ranch fence, built with posts in concrete below the soft soil, braced corners and coated hardware. The fence is usually the frame of the whole project: it sets where the gates go and where the deck ties in. See wood fence, metal fence and farm and ranch fence.
Deck construction
Decks built on footings, framed square and bolted, with rails and stairs to code. A deck and a fence built together share a layout: the fence meets the deck at a post, a gate opens off the stairs, the skirting matches the pickets. See deck construction.
Gate installation
Walk gates matched to the fence, driveway gates sized for the boat and the trailer, openers where wanted. Planned with the fence and the deck so they land where you actually walk and drive. See gates.
The rest of the outdoor work
Pergolas over the deck, skirting under it, screens on the neighbor's side, pressure washing and staining across all of it. See other services.
Why one crew
- One layout. Fence, deck and gates drawn on the ground together, so they meet where they should.
- One schedule, in the right order, with the drying time for stain built in.
- One estimate and one mobilization, which usually costs less than three.
- Matching materials and finish across everything.
- One insurance certificate and one person to call in five years.
What we do not do
We are not a general contractor. Roofing, plumbing, electrical, house framing, docks and bulkheads are other trades, and we will tell you so rather than stretch past what we do well. For the outdoor work on this page, we are the crew.
Getting started
List everything you are thinking about on the estimate form, even the parts that might wait a year. We come out once, walk all of it, and send one written price with the work in order. Additional services lists each one.
Frequently asked questions
Do you do general construction?
We build fences, gates, decks, pergolas and skirting, and we wash and stain wood. We do not do roofing, plumbing, electrical, docks or house framing, and we will point you to the right trade for those.
Is it cheaper to do fence, deck and gates together?
Usually. One estimate, one mobilization, material delivered once, and the layout coordinated so nothing has to be redone. It also means one insurance certificate and one person to call.
In what order do you build?
Deck first if the fence ties into it, then fence, then gates, then skirting and screens, then stain once the wood has dried. We put the order in the estimate.