Custom Deck Design
Custom Deck Designs

Custom Deck Design in Loudoun County

During the custom design consultation step, you pick up where the initial estimate leaves off. The goal of the Custom Deck Design appointment is to give you confidence you are making the right decision with their deck project. Our company’s owner/general contractor meets you at your property and together we find solutions to any unique challenges your project has and deliver a custom design tailored to your specific needs.

During this stage, you benefit from our 25 years of experience designing and building decks in Loudoun County as we assist you in selecting a final layout, materials, and options on the deck. When we’re done we render the plans in 3D so you can visualize the project before we build and you have everything you need to submit to your HOA for approval.

Who would benefit from a custom design consultation?

A custom design consultation is beneficial for anyone, but especially when your deck is going to be more than a typical rectangle. Similar to meeting with an architect before you build a home, meeting with a deck designer is an important step to make sure you’re getting the right deck for you and your unique situation. If there is something complicated about your property, the plans, or if you just have a lot of questions that you feel like you can’t get answered elsewhere, the custom deck design meeting will help you get those answers.

Where Does the Custom Deck Design Fit Into The Project Timeline?

The Custom Deck Design is either the second step in the process after a free initial consultation and estimate, or can also be scheduled as a stand alone appointment. A fully refundable $500 design deposit toward the overall project cost is required prior to scheduling this appointment. This deposit covers the time needed to fully develop the custom deck design and plans you will receive, and those used for permits and to help you obtain HOA approvals. Sometimes, more complicated projects require a custom design to give an accurate estimate. In these cases it’s beneficial to skip the initial consultation and start with a custom deck design appointment. Doing so allows time to look at multiple options, select final details and in some particularly tricky cases, talk to the structural engineers we work with, to give an accurate price. Pro Tip: Every year in Spring and Summer deck builder schedules stack up. During these busier months, to speed up the process, many homeowners choose to skip the initial consult and estimate and start with the Custom Deck Design. Doing so can save you up to 4 weeks on your timeline.

What are some common situations that benefit from a custom design consultation?

  • Screened porches
  • Large custom decks
  • Multi-tiered or multi-leveled decks
  • Adding an addition to a current deck
  • Coordinating your deck design with a landscaping or patio project
  • Decks under or around hot tubs and pools
  • Building on properties with a steep slope, propane tanks, septic fields, or other obstructions
  • Using a rain catch or underdeck system to make the space under the deck more usable
  • Planning to add future additions to the deck you’re building now
  • Inspecting for rot or insect damage in your existing deck
  • Designing with specific furniture or accessories in mind
  • Your current deck is hard to use, but you don’t know why
Custom Deck Design

What is included in the custom design consultation?

During your appointment, the lead designer takes the time to go review:
  • How you plan to use the deck The size and shape of the deck you are planning to build.
  • The furniture and finishes you plan to use after the deck is built
  • Which materials and options are best for your situation and preferences
  • How to get the most out of your budget
  • The answers to any outstanding questions you may have

Once we fully understand what you are looking for, we custom design a deck together to accomplish your goals. You get:

  • Suggestions based on our experience
  • Building plans including Top and Front view with dimensions
  • A final 3D rendering of your project, useful for HOA approvals
  • Recommended brands of materials.
  • Final, all-In contract price for the project

How does it differ from a free estimate I can get from other companies?

While we also provide free standard estimates that are comparable with the free estimates you find elsewhere, with a custom design consultation, you pre-pay a $500 deposit towards the final project. This pre-paid deposit covers the cost of our lead designer’s time. This additional time makes it possible to take you step-by-step through all of your possible design options and to weigh the pros and cons of each one without any pressure.

What do you mean by “no risk to the homeowner?”

We’ve found that some homeowners that would benefit from the custom design consultation are reluctant to pre-pay for the design and plans for their deck. For this reason, we’ve taken 4 steps to take the pressure off the price and make it a no-risk decision for any homeowner.

  1. The pre-paid design deposit is automatically applied to the purchase price of the deck we design for you.
  2. When we talk, if we determine you don’t need a full custom design, we revert to a free standard estimate at no cost to you.
  3. If you love our design but want someone else to build it, your deposit covers all the plans developed for your project, including the framing view, front view, top view, 3D design, and our recommended brands of materials.
  4. Finally, if you didn’t find any value in the consultation and don’t want the designs, let us know and we will refund the design deposit.

One of the biggest benefits of our design consultations is that the pre-paid deposit takes the pressure off of the appointment. We don’t feel the need to watch the clock, press you for a sale, or include expensive upgrades to make up our time investment. Instead, our full focus is on designing the best possible deck or porch that balances 1) how you plan to use your deck or porch, 2) your budget, and 3) the constraints of your property.

As a result, you get a clear, in-depth assessment and fully developed deck plans. For most people, the conversation alone is worth the deposit, because they get an honest opinion from someone who has the experience of doing this for 20 years.

Still have questions?

Every deck project could benefit from a custom design consultation. If you have any questions about our standard estimate or our custom design consultation, please contact us at info@LoudounDeckandFence.com or call our office at 703-737-0710.