DESIGN/BUILD- USING DECK SUBCONTRACTORS: All Hands On Deck

Many homeowners take great pride in their landscapes, and with more people staying close to home rather than jetting off to exotic locales, landscaping is a hot commodity. Specifically, contractors are being called to create highly useful environments that include structures like decks where homeowners can do almost everything except go to bed for the night.

"Outdoor living areas are in," says George Drummond, owner, Casa Decks, Virginia Beach, Va. "An average deck has evolved from a square 12-by-12-foot appendage stuck off the back door to a functional outdoor living area. As decks are being used more, they feed the desire of wanting to improve that outdoor living area, whether it be with a gazebo, pergola, built-in cooking area, landscape or water feature."

However, not all landscape contractors have the staff or the expertise to build a client’s dream deck. As a result, contractors may turn to deck builders like Drummond to take on these colossal carpentry projects. "When our clients request outdoor structures like a deck or gazebo, we’ll often design the structure and hire a subcontractor to implement the work," says Chuck Hyams, project manager and landscape architect with Scott Byron & Co., Lake Bluff, Ill. "By talking with the client, we can do a good job of embodying what they want in a deck design, but a lot of times we need the accuracy of a carpenter or engineer to help us implement it. It’s a working partnership."

As such, Hyams and Drummond both note that strong interaction between the landscape contractor and deck builder is essential for projects to be completed to the client’s satisfaction. Though both men have different approaches to these types of co-contractor relationships, their advice can help contractors in both industries develop highly compatible partnerships.

PICKING TEAMS. Most contractors would agree that having compatability among crewmembers and subcontractors is a priority, especially on large projects. In the same way that companies interview people for regular employment, meeting with prospective deck subcontractors ensures that those potential teammembers meet company standards in both job quality and communication.

"When you’re looking for a subcontractor who you trust, there are a couple of issues to consider," Hyams says. "Primarily, you’re going to look at the quality of the work, which includes the grade of wood they use, how the joints are put together, and the basic elements of how the structure was built. The other aspect is what kind of company they are. Checking that they’re insured and licensed to do the type of work you and your client are expecting will make sure everything comes together correctly."

Hyams says Scott Byron & Co. has a number of subcontractors they work with for projects ranging from decks to electrical work that may need to go into a job. Choosing the most compatible company is a matter of looking closely at the work they’ve done in the past. "We look at the quality of work either by going through a portfolio that they have or by visiting job sites, which is the best scenario," he says. "That lets us take an up-close look at the techniques they use, as well as how their work holds up over time."

As a deck contractor who works with landscape contractors regularly, Drummond adds that landscape contractors should look for someone with a reputation and willingness to work with the overall contract manager. "This becomes a business relationship, and both company reputations are on the line," he says. "The contract manager needs someone he can rely on – someone who is personable, communicates well and does quality work."

In choosing subcontractors himself, Drummond prefers smaller companies and worked with several subcontractors before finding the most reliable companies. "I tried to go with the smaller companies where the company principal was on site," he says. "I felt they had a much greater awareness of the project’s image and dealing with the client. I’ve gone through several masons, roofers and electrical contractors to finally get a subcontractor I’m comfortable with."

Finally, when choosing a deck subcontractor, Hyams and Drummond agree that looking for a contractor who specializes in decks and gazebos is best. "Most of the contractors in that area of the industry handle fences, trellises, wood products, small decks or railings to big gazebos or pergolas," Hyams says, "so they’re able to do all that and have the resources to buy the wood and other products involved with these projects."

COMPANY COLLABORATION. During the selection process, landscape contractors should consider the relationship they expect to build with the deck contractor. Will the deck builder be listed as a subcontractor or will the companies use separate contracts? How much input will the deck contractor have on the design? Because all businesses operate differently, these types of questions should be considered early on.

"We don’t have an issue working with landscape contractors, but we don’t include them as a part of our contracts, nor is our company included as a subcontractor in theirs," Drummond says, noting that working in a subcontractor capacity often causes him to lose client input on the deck design.

Hyams, however, prefers to work as the lead contractor on large projects, though he discusses his designs with the deck subcontractor before presenting the design to the client. "I’ll show the deck builder a sketch of the deck and explain my intent with the design," he explains. "We don’t have engineers on our staff, so we rely on their knowledge to help us determine the load and quality of wood we need to use, certain lengths or dimensions and the engineering aspects so the structure is solidly supported."

This stands as another reason for landscape contractors to find subcontractors who specialize in decks, Hyams adds. "Even though our landscape crews are involved in setting the grade for the structure, our deck subcontractor often has a better understanding of what is needed to implement a design," he says. "For instance, if we made an elevation error, we want them to bring that up to us. They’re brining knowledge from their industry that we may not be aware of."

Additionally, Drummond notes that whether landscape and deck contractors are working as a team or independently, communication is a must. "Our clients mostly use separate contracts – one for the deck and one for the landscaping," he says. "But those installations can’t be done in a vacuum and it’s my reputation at stake with any contract I have with a potential client. If I was referred by another company, their reputation can also be impacted by my actions, and I’m protective of that."

TALKING SHOP. In terms of communication, coordinating when different crews will be on site can help landscaping and deck crews keep out of each other’s way.

"If we can schedule the landscape and deck crews to be on the site on different days, that normally works best." Drummond says. "The exceptions are those items that need to be incorporated at the same time, such as rerouting gas, plumbing or electrical lines for an outdoor kitchen or spa. We like to hide all the plumbing and wiring within the structure, so those are instances where we would collaborate with the other contractors on the site."

Drummond adds that on many jobs the deck is installed before the landscaping. However, convenience or cost may prompt the homeowner to have some of the landscaping installed before the deck and then have the landscape crews return to install more plants after the structure is completed. In those cases, cell phones and e-mail are often the easiest ways for contractors to stay informed on each other’s progress. Still, on-site meetings are important.

"If a lot of work is going in at the same time, ideally I’ll meet with the subcontractors on a daily basis," Hyams says. "We’ll talk about who will be working in certain spaces and how we’ll coordinate the traffic patterns if our crew needs to be around the structure for some aspect of the installation."

Hyams adds that he prefers clients to communicate directly with him, rather than discuss their concerns with a subcontractor. "We like to be their single point of contact, but if they happen to talk to the deck contractor about a detail they want to change, it’s not a terrible problem," he says. "In those cases, we expect the subcontractor to contact us and update us on the situation. We won’t necessarily question the choice if the customer has decided to change a material or something, but we certainly want to be informed."

Regardless of who the client speaks with, Drummond comments that a contractor is a craftsmen who turns a homeowner’s dreams into reality. "The biggest thing is to listen to the client and let the design complement whatever the homeowner is trying to do," he says. "We need to remember that we get to leave after the job is done – they have to live with it."