Tips & Traps for Building Decks, Patios, and Porches - Softcover

Woodson, R. Dodge

9780071450423: Tips & Traps for Building Decks, Patios, and Porches

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0071450424 ISBN 13: 9780071450423

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2005

Whether you’re looking for more usable outdoor space or you want to create more curb appeal to add value to your home, Decks, Patios, and Porches is exactly the resource you need. An easy-to-read guide that can save you thousands of dollars and prevent big, expensive mistakes, this book arms you with everything you need to know about hiring pros as well as designing and planning for a deck, patio or porch. Readers will learn about screening and selecting contractors, obtaining proper permits, avoiding zoning problems, choosing a design and having working plans and specifications prepared, specific code issues, selecting suitable sites, pros and cons of different materials, avoiding underground obstacles, such as utilities and bedrock, choosing a suitable foundation, sample pricing, and the bidding process.

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From the Back Cover:

FOLLOW THESE INSIDER TIPS -- and get the deck, patio, and porch of your dreams

In Tips & Traps for Building Decks, Patios, and Porches veteran contractor and builder R. Dodge Woodson shows you how to make the entire process of adding a deck, patio, or porch go more smoothly –- and cost a whole lot less. Woodson shares his insider tips and traps from more than 30 years’ building experience, preparing you to avoid construction rip-offs . . . get the best deal on materials . . .understand the process . . .and virtually eliminate hassles in deck, patio, or porch building. If you're about to hire a contractor or tackle the job yourself, you get the facts you need in an easy-to-read, enjoyable format. Packed with features designed to facilitate homeowner use, this guide offers a complete roadmap through the process. It helps you --

Screen and hire honest, skilled deck, patio, and porch professionals
Spot and eliminate "bad apples" before they can become a problem
Negotiate effectively
Decide what to do -- and what not to do -- yourself
Estimate costs before you begin, with easy-to-use charts on labor and materials
Understand the trade-offs in design, planning, and materials options
Keep contractors and subcontractors on the straight and narrow—on time and on budget
Move smoothly through every phase, from planning to code issues to completion

Sample checklists, forms, illustrations, and contracts make it easier to handle every aspect of your deck, patio, or porch project. Highlighted tips and traps warn you about money pits. Even if you have no prior experience with remodeling or construction, this book can help make sure the job gets done right -- at the right cost!

About the Author:

R. Dodge Woodson is a licensed Class A Builder and Master Plumber with almost three decades' experience in the construction field. He also holds the real estate license Designated Broker, the highest classification of professional real licensure available. The author of numerous books on construction, real estate, and plumbing for both amateurs and professionals, he also wrote Tips & Traps for Hiring a Contractor. Woodson is the president and owner of The Masters Group, Inc., of Brunswick, Maine. He bought his first piece of land in 1974 and has been a progressive land developer, builder, and remodeler in Virginia and Maine for the last 29 years.

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