If you’re looking into adding a new deck onto your home, not just any contractor will do. Sure, there are plenty of DIY tutorials online that make deck installation look as easy as pie, but something that your family will stand on deserves the attention of the experts—if not for looks for safety’s sake.
But what sort of experts should you choose? Certainly, there are plenty of wood deck and vinyl decking pros out there, all of which claim to be the best in the business. While “best” is, of course, subjective, we at Tony’s Lifetime Exteriors know, from our years of providing the Sauk Rapids area with quality decks we stand behind, that the highest-end contractor will display a host of identifying characteristics. For the benefit of our customers, we share them below.
They Should Bost an In-House Team
This one will disqualify a lot of potential candidates right off the bat. If your decking crew is to be high-end, they must work in-house, not on a contracting basis, for their decking company.
Why does this matter? You may ask. How the decking company does their business is no business of mine. Well, it is—because how a decking company treats its employees directly reflects how they will treat you.
In-House Means Irreplaceable
An in-house decking company like us demonstrates that they truly care about their employees—enough to absorb hiring costs and offer them prolonged job security. They view creating relationships with their workers as paramount, as the ability to maintain a functional team would be compromised if they didn’t.
When a decking company focuses on relationship-building in this way, chances are that they view their customers similarly: as irreplaceable connections which a great business is built upon. They aren’t in what they do for the short-term, they’re in it for the long haul, and that’s exactly the kind of mentality that will bring you the quality deck you deserve.
In-House Means Skilled
It’s to the benefit of any in-house team to invest in the skills of its employees—and to maintain those skilled employees throughout the years. This means that, given a decking job, the company is not scrambling to put together a crew to best serve you; they already have one at the ready, and one that they’ve put the time into nurturing, at that.
With an in-house team, you’ll get the kind of decking service that can only come from workers who have had the security they need to hone their skills. You’ll also get only the best because the company has a large pool of workers waiting, not having a need to settle for whomever can get the job done in the name of preserving a deadline.
Online Image Says a Lot About a Given Decking Team
Decking pros should be thoroughly familiar with the modern world—in more specific terms, their website should be sparkling and their reviews likewise! Online is a common primary method of seeking out businesses for a variety of needs, so a decking pro should make it a point to appear professional there.
Again, you may be wondering why this matters. Certainly, appearances aren’t everything, and if you’ve heard through word-of-mouth that the given deck professional does solid work, then why should something like its online presence matter?
Professionalism Online Means Good-Looking Work in the Real World
While appearances aren’t everything, per se, they do certainly play a big role in your satisfaction with your exterior renovation. You want your deck to be both sturdy and good looking, yes? A contractor who neglects the latter portion online is bound to do so similarly in the real world.
A truly good decking company will stand for nothing but quality in anything that they do, whether it be on the job or in their website, aesthetically or practically. It’s a promise we make to our customers the second they pick up the phone. To sacrifice appearances or craftsmanship in any way would mean the entire client relationship—which the ideal decking contractor works to forge, as we discussed—falls apart.
Good Reviews Also Say a Lot
As important as the website is, reviews are just as so. You can glean a lot from how the deck company presents itself, but also a lot from how its clientele present it. Are they satisfied with the results? Do they go out of their way to describe the great kinds of service that they were provided with?
If the decking company can’t boast many positive reviews, chances are it can’t fulfil its promise to bring you quality results. If it can, on the other hand, you know the company is honest, hardworking, and customer-oriented—all things that make for a great deck-building experience.
Contact Tony’s Lifetime Exteriors for Top-Notch Decking Services
Our reviews speak for themselves, and our in-house decking team boasts the skills and finesse you need to complete the deck of your dreams. Give our Sauk Rapids office a call today at 320-252-9086.