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Deck Building

The flat back yard in Ballard waiting for the entertaining deck. The Bellevue split-level whose old 12x16 cedar platform has outlived its 1990s lifespan. The Mercer Island hillside lot where the deck plan needs stamped engineering. The Capitol Hill condo with a south-facing terrace and the building manager requiring a structural memo before any framing happens. The Snoqualmie home where the homeowner is deciding between cedar and composite for the new build. Deck building is the new-construction trade — framing the structure from the post bases up, decking it with the chosen material, railing it to code, capping the rail, fascia-ing the rim, and flashing the ledger if it ties to the house. Handis self-performs all nine service families below — composite, cedar, pressure-treated, PVC, hardwood ipe, multi-level and elevated, floating ground-level, rooftop and condo, and hillside engineered. Permits and stamped engineering on builds that need them are pulled and coordinated by Handis as the general contractor. Peak season is April through September; we book the dry-window calendar early. From $8,000 for a floating ground-level deck to $80,000 for a multi-level engineered hillside build.

Deck building hub image — wide afternoon shot of a newly finished elevated cedar deck on a flat Seattle back yard, mitered fascia at every rim, capped cedar railing on three sides, deck stairs descending to a paver path, and the framing detail visible from the side showing 16-inch joist spacing and through-bolted ledger flashing tucked under the lap siding.

Services

Photo of a Handis deck-building crew mid-frame — a carpenter setting a 2x10 rim joist into a galvanized hanger on a beam, a second carpenter on a ladder leveling the cap rail of the railing system already partially installed, framing nailer and impact driver staged on the deck surface.
Pricing

Deck Building Pricing

Final pricing depends on square footage, material selection, the existing site conditions (flat lot vs slope, attached vs freestanding, ground-level vs elevated), railing material, and whether stamped engineering is required. Each variant page below has detailed pricing for that material or build type. Engineering, Seattle DCI permit fees, and licensed-electrical or licensed-gas portions are pass-through line items named in the project total. Request a free in-home estimate for an accurate quote.

Tell us the lot, the square footage you have in mind, and which material direction you are leaning — we will quote the project including engineering, permits, and licensed-sub coordination.

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Why Homeowners Book Handis for Deck Building
Trust

Why Homeowners Book Handis for Deck Building

A deck is a small structural engineering project disguised as a carpentry job. The frame carries 40 pounds per square foot of live load by IRC, plus the deck weight itself, plus the wet snow and rain loads the Puget Sound puts on it. Multiply by the deck footprint and you are routinely above 10,000 pounds of design load on a mid-size deck — all of it transferred through the joists into the beams, the beams into the posts, the posts into the footings, the footings into the soil. Any one of those load paths failing means the deck moves or eventually drops. The catastrophic deck collapses that hit the news every summer are not random — they are almost always a ledger failure (un-flashed and rotted, or nailed instead of bolted) or a post-base failure (rotted post against wet soil with no concrete pier). Handis builds for the full load path. Framing inspected before deck goes on; flashing inspected before siding closes back. The permit and the engineering are not bureaucratic friction — they are the third-party check that the structure adds up.

Estimate

Tell us the lot (flat back yard, sloped hillside, rooftop or condo terrace), the deck attachment (attached to the house, freestanding, multi-level), the rough square footage you have in mind, the material direction (PT, cedar, composite, PVC, ipe — or undecided and want a recommendation), the railing material preference, and any add-ons (stairs to a lower level, built-in benches, hot-tub pad, low-voltage lighting). We send a clear estimate with engineering, permits, and licensed-sub portions named line by line.

Service cost estimate illustration
Reviews

Customer Reviews

Recent deck building reviews from real Handis customers across the Puget Sound.

New 480-square-foot Trex Transcend deck on our flat back yard in Ballard. Capped cedar railing on three sides, low-voltage step lights at the stairs, mitered fascia. Handis pulled the Seattle DCI permit, framed in five working days, decked and railed in three more. Passed final inspection on the first walk-through. The cap rail is dead flat across 24 feet.

Diane and Robert K., 480 sq ft Trex Build

Multi-level cedar deck on our Mercer Island hillside, three different elevations following the slope down to the lawn. Handis brought a structural engineer in on visit two, stamped drawings two weeks later. Helical piers went in before any framing — they showed me the inspection log from the pier installer. Six weeks total including engineering and permit. Through one winter now with zero movement.

Helen and Doug F., Multi-Level Cedar Hillside

Pressure-treated deck rebuild in Renton, replacing a 1992 build that had rotted at the posts and the ledger. Handis demoed the old deck, inspected the wall behind the ledger (rotted bottom plate, replaced), rebuilt to current code. Used the stainless-steel fasteners they explained were necessary for the new ACQ-treated PT — apparently regular galvanized corrodes against the new chemistry. Came in at $19,500 for a 240-square-foot build with full PT railing.

Frank B., PT Rebuild + Ledger Reflash

360-square-foot composite deck (TimberTech Vintage) in Sammamish, attached to the back of the house. We had been getting bids from $42,000 to $58,000 — Handis quoted $46,500 with the cap-rail and aluminum railing upgrade included. They were the only contractor who opened the wall behind the proposed ledger location on the estimate visit to inspect the bottom plate. That alone earned the job.

Marcus and Sara P., TimberTech Attached Deck

Floating ground-level cedar deck — 12 by 18 — in our Queen Anne back yard, sitting about 14 inches off the lawn. No permit needed at that height. Handis used adjustable deck blocks and double 2x8 beams, no ledger to the house. Three working days from delivery to finished. Looks like it belongs there.

Vincent and Lara T., Floating Ground-Level Cedar
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Handis deck building — pricing, materials, permits, timeline, engineering, and what fits your lot and budget.

How much does a deck cost?
A floating ground-level deck starts at $8,000. A pressure-treated rectangular deck starts at $14,000. A cedar deck starts at $18,000. A rooftop or condo deck starts at $25,000 because of the building-management coordination and the membrane-roof detailing. A composite deck (Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon, Deckorators) starts at $28,000. A PVC deck starts at $32,000. A multi-level or hillside engineered build starts at $35,000. A hardwood ipe deck starts at $40,000. Premium builds with cap-rail detailing, glass or cable railings, built-in benches, hot-tub pad reinforcement, and multi-level configurations land at the top of the range — $60,000 to $80,000. You get a written estimate before any work begins, with engineering, permits, and licensed-sub portions named line by line.
How long does the build take?
A floating ground-level deck finishes in 5 to 7 working days. A pressure-treated rectangular deck runs 7 to 10 working days. A cedar deck runs 8 to 12 working days. A composite deck runs 10 to 15 working days because of the longer fastening time and the cap-rail and fascia detailing. A multi-level or hillside engineered build runs three to six weeks including the framing-inspection wait. A rooftop or condo build adds time for the building-management or HOA review. Engineering and permit time is two to four weeks before any framing starts. The working-day schedule and the calendar dates go on the quote at contract signing.
Composite, cedar, pressure-treated, PVC, or ipe — which is right for me?
Pressure-treated (PT, $14,000 to $28,000) when budget is the primary driver and you accept the annual-stain maintenance cycle. Cedar ($18,000 to $40,000) when you want the traditional Northwest look and accept the biennial-stain cycle. Composite ($28,000 to $68,000 across Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon, Deckorators) when low maintenance and the modern look matter and the 25 to 50-year warranties are the right tradeoff for the higher up-front cost. PVC ($32,000 to $70,000) when you want the longest manufacturer warranties and the most weather-resistant material. Ipe ($40,000 to $80,000) when budget is not the driver and you want the premium natural-hardwood look with 50+ year life. We will walk you through each on the booking call and recommend the right direction for your specific project.
Do I need a permit for my deck?
Depends on the deck. In Seattle (and most Washington jurisdictions), decks under 30 inches above grade and not attached to the house typically do not require a permit. Decks over 30 inches above grade, any attached deck of any height, multi-level builds, hillside builds, and large pergolas or covers require a Seattle DCI permit and in most cases stamped structural engineering drawings. Handis pulls the permit under our general-contractor license, coordinates the engineering if required, schedules the framing and final inspections, and provides the permit copy at project close. Permit fees and engineering fees are pass-through line items on the quote.
What is the deck-collapse issue I read about?
Catastrophic deck-collapse incidents are almost always caused by ledger failure — the long horizontal board attaching the deck to the house pulling away under load. The two failure modes are nail-attached ledgers (instead of through-bolted with the IRC lag schedule) and ledgers bolted to rotted bottom plate behind un-flashed siding. Every Handis attached-deck ledger is through-bolted with 1/2-inch hot-dipped galvanized or stainless lag bolts at 16-inch on-center staggered top and bottom per IRC R507.9.1.3, Z-flashed under the siding with the flashing leg tucked behind the weather-resistive barrier, and the bottom plate of the wall behind the ledger gets opened, inspected, and replaced if rotted before any bolts go in. The inspection IS part of the build, not an option.
Why is engineering required on hillside builds?
Sloped lots, multi-level builds, and decks elevated more than 8 feet above grade carry larger loads through fewer support points, and the soil bearing capacity on a slope is different than on a flat lot. A licensed structural engineer designs the footing system (helical piers, augered concrete piers, or driven structural piles) sized to the loaded deck weight and the soil bearing per the geotechnical report when one is required, designs the beam-to-post and beam-to-joist connections for the larger spans, and stamps the drawings that go with the permit application. The engineering exists because the loads on these builds are large enough that prescriptive code does not cover them. Handis coordinates a licensed structural engineer on our regular bench and the engineering fee is a pass-through line on the quote.
How long do decks last in the Puget Sound climate?
Pressure-treated lasts 15 to 25 years with annual staining and proper hot-dipped galvanized or stainless fasteners. Cedar lasts 15 to 30 years with annual or biennial staining (untreated cedar lasts shorter; properly stained cedar can run 25+ years). Composite (Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon, Deckorators) carries 25 to 50-year manufacturer warranties depending on the line and most builds outlive the warranty in normal use. PVC carries the longest residential warranties — typically 50-year limited — and is the most weather-resistant material. Ipe lasts 50+ years when oiled annually. The Puget Sound climate is wet but mild (no harsh freeze-thaw, no UV extremes); deck life is largely a function of maintenance and material choice, not the climate itself.
Can you frame a hot tub into the deck?
Yes — hot-tub framing is a Handis specialty. A filled and occupied 4-to-8 person hot tub runs 3,500 to 6,500 pounds, well above the standard 40 PSF residential deck design load. On new builds we frame the hot-tub section as a separate point-loaded structure inside the deck framing — typically sistered 2x10 or 2x12 joists at 12-inch on-center over the tub footprint, a doubled beam underneath, and additional posts on dedicated concrete piers sized to the tub weight. On existing-deck retrofits we reinforce the existing framing the same way after a structural inspection. The 240V hot-tub circuit routes to a licensed Washington L&I electrician on a scheduled visit inside the build calendar.
When is the best time of year to build a deck in Seattle?
April through September is the peak build window — the dry-and-warm weather covers the stain-and-sealer cure window (three to seven dry days for stained surfaces) and the concrete-pier cure (above-freezing for the first 48 hours). October through March is harder — we continue to build through the winter on covered framing, on builds with composite or PVC decking (no stain cycle to wait on), and in dry stretches, but the calendar is more conditional and the schedule may stretch. May through July weeks fill out by late February most years — book early for a spring or early-summer install.
Do you cover the whole Puget Sound region?
Yes — service area covers north Seattle and Shoreline through Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah, Sammamish, Renton, Tukwila, Burien, and south to Federal Way. Hillside engineered builds on the Eastside (Mercer Island, Issaquah Highlands, Sammamish, Klahanie) are a specialty — the engineered footings and stamped-drawing coordination are routine for us. Builds on the I-90 corridor (North Bend, Snoqualmie) are covered with a travel premium named on the quote before you sign. Rooftop and condo builds in Capitol Hill, Belltown, South Lake Union, and downtown Seattle are covered with the building-management coordination included.
Is the work guaranteed?
Yes. Handis carries general liability and workers' compensation; every carpenter has cleared a background screening before the first job. One-year warranty covers decking, railing, cap rail, fascia, and finishes. Two-year warranty covers structural framing — joists, beams, posts, ledger flashing — on full new builds. If any structural member fails inside two years, we come back and replace it at no charge. The licensed-electrical and licensed-gas portions (where they appear on the quote) carry their own Washington L&I-trade warranties under their license numbers, also named on the quote so you know whom to call for what.

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