Certified Deck Inspection Experts in Milwaukee, WI
Top Rated Deck Company In Milwaukee since 2000.
Our passion for offering premium deck building services to our clients is the driving factor behind our success. Our team of carpenters pool together their years of resourceful knowledge to offer customized deck solutions to our clients. We are the best at what we do. Building decks isn’t just our job, it’s our passion.
Inspection Services
Why Inspect?
Most decks are still made at least partially with wood. Even though pressure treated with rot-resistant chemicals, rain rusts the steel connectors, sun bakes the wood, and wind drives rainwater in and chemicals out. Loads of decks were build in the 1980’s when decks came into their most popular era, and many of them are still around and in use. Many of the decks built in that era were not build to any building standard, and because of deck failures and the subsequent deaths of many individuals, deck standards were developed and strengthened. Twenty years is considered a good test of time for new materials and designs in the construction industry. In that 20 year period nature and use tend to prove or disprove if the quality, longevity, and design standards were correct or flawed. We have learned much with regard to decks in that period.
While deck standards, materials, and designs are now much stronger based on the failures and lessons learned over the years. Even with decks built to the newer standards, they are still prone to the forces of nature, and human use and modification, and still need to be inspected on a regular basis.
Deck Safety
Deck safety inspections look at a number of stress points in a deck and the health of the connection hardware and materials.
The following major items are inspected when they can be viewed:
Deck Inspections
Excel Custom Decks is trained and certified to modern deck design standards through the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA.org) and can provide a comprehensive deck inspection. A key element of enjoying your deck for years to come is making sure it is safe and code compliant. NADRA’s “10-Point Consumer Safety Checklist” is a guide for viewing and inspecting the different parts of your deck, with an eye to what might need maintenance, repair, or replacement.
Mike Beaudry, executive vice president for NADRA has stated that one should consider a professional inspection. “A professional inspection will examine every inch of your deck, provide information on your deck’s capacity limits, identify any dangerous problem areas and give you a map of what to keep your eye on in the future. If your deck is older, this might include a regular deck inspection schedule,” says Beaudry.
Older decks require closer scrutiny. Many of these decks were built before code requirements were in place to protect consumers. Some of these decks may have deck-to-house attachments using only nails. If your deck is older, it is even more important to have it inspected by either a home inspector or a knowledgeable deck builder (see the listing at NADRA.org). NADRA member deck builders are required to adhere to a code of ethics and comply with state licensing and insurance requirements.
If you find your deck is not safe to enjoy, NADRA advises taking immediate action to have it repaired or rebuilt as necessary.
When hiring a deck builder, there is more to consider than just price. In addition to the tips above, NADRA recommends homeowners contact their city or county building department to speak with an inspector knowledgeable about deck construction.
For more information, we want to thank the following organizations for providing valuable information:
Permits are required for attached and detached decks. Any contractor applying for an attached deck permit for One and Two Family Residential Dwellings must have valid State of Wisconsin certifications
