Assuming you are skilled with designing decks and building things you might be able to design and build a deck in three to four weeks. However, the time required depends a lot on factors like the weather, purchase of required items, finding the right design and unforeseen circumstances.
There is software available for one to design a deck for a house. The deck designing software can be found online for free on both Home Design Software and Lowe's Deck Design Planner.
You can find some awesome design plans from websites @ www.decks.com/ try to consult deck designers. You can also design your own deck if you want it to be a unique deck.
When you add a deck to your home, you need to make a design before you build it. Measure the back of the home, or the front, and figure out where you are going to place the deck. If you plan on adding more room to your home, or if you want to add a pool near the deck later on, you need to take that into consideration.
4 hours
There are many books on deck design. I liked "The Deck Book: Inspirational Design Ideas" by Melissa Cardona on amazon or check your local library. Intructable.com also has a nice design for an octagonal deck.
www.ideasfor deckdesigns.com has a lot of different deck designs and pictures to choose from. By looking at the pictures they will help you visualize your deck design better.
a week or so.
Once the deck plan is written, it needs to be approved before you can start building. The approval process can take 2-3 weeks. Then, the deck itself may take around 3-5 weeks to be constucted.
form_title= Deck Design form_header= Build the deck of your dreams How many people would you like this deck accommodate?*=_[50] If there is a certain type of wood you would like to use, please specify:*=_[50] Do you want railing on your deck?*= () Yes () No
You can buy deck design software at your local bookstore and home improvement stores. Some stores let you design it in the building supplies department.
When selecting your deck design, you should take a moment to consider whether you want to go with covered deck designs or uncovered. Both have their benefits and disadvantages. For instance, a covered deck design will offer you shade from the sun and protection from the rain, while an open deck offers a wider view of your surrounding landscape. It's really a matter of personal preference, but in the summertime, that cover really comes in handy.
Eplans website is a great resource to help you with free deck design for your backyard. The website will also calculate the materials needed to build the deck.