Outdoor Features
Outdoor features is the Handis trade for everything that gets built on the deck and in the back yard after the deck framing is down — the outdoor kitchen counter that needs to hold a built-in grill and a side burner and survive nine months of Seattle rain a year, the built-in cedar bench around the perimeter that doubles seating without dragging chairs across the boards, the planters integrated into the rail so the herbs are six feet from the cook surface, the stairs and landing that connect a raised deck to a sloped yard, the lattice skirting and storage door that turns the four feet under a second-story deck into bike storage, the reinforced pad that lets a 600-gallon hot tub sit on framing that was specified for a barbecue and four people, and the low-voltage path and step lighting that makes a deck usable after the sun goes down at 4:15 in November. Six service families, all Handis carpentry, all sized for Pacific Northwest weather and code. The honest handoff is named on every page — anything that needs a gas line, any line-voltage circuit, any 240V hot-tub hookup routes to a licensed Washington L&I gas fitter or electrician. From $800 for a basic low-voltage lighting run to $25,000 for a full outdoor kitchen counter build.
Services
What Outdoor Features Covers
Outdoor features is the residential trade for everything Handis builds on the deck and in the immediate back-yard footprint after the deck structure itself is framed and decked — outdoor kitchen counters and weatherproof cabinetry, built-in benches and planters, stairs and landings, skirting and under-deck storage, hot-tub pads and deck reinforcement, and low-voltage path and step lighting. Six service families, each with its own scope, pricing floor, and licensed-trade handoff. Handis owns the structural carpentry: framing, sister-joist reinforcement, stair stringers, bench and planter boxes, skirting frames, weatherproofing, and the fastener selection that survives Pacific Northwest rain (stainless-steel exterior screws, hot-dip galvanized hardware, never plain steel that streaks rust into cedar within a year). The regulated work — any gas line for a built-in grill or side burner, any 120V or 240V line-voltage circuit, any hot-tub electrical hookup — subs to a licensed Washington L&I gas fitter or electrician, and the permit is pulled by the appropriate licensed party. We are honest on the booking call about which scopes are pure Handis carpentry (the majority) and which need a sub.
Outdoor Kitchen Structure (no gas/electric hookup)
Build the counter, the L-shaped or U-shaped framing, the cement-board or stone-clad surround, the weatherproof cabinets, and the openings sized to the grill and side-burner specs you bring us. Cement board on a pressure-treated frame, dimensional stone or porcelain large-format cladding, stainless or marine-grade cabinet doors, and a counter top in granite, quartzite, or sealed concrete. The grill drop-in opening, the side-burner cutout, and the gas-line stub-out location are framed to the manufacturer's spec; the gas line itself and any 120V outlet for the side burner ignition route to a licensed gas fitter and a licensed Washington L&I electrician. Seven to fourteen working days. From $8,000 for a basic 8-foot counter with cement-board surround and a drop-in grill opening to $25,000 for a U-shaped premium build with stone cladding, integrated cabinets, a sealed concrete top, and a side-burner cutout.
Outdoor Kitchen Structure (no gas/electric hookup) — counter framing, weatherproof surround, grill cutout, no gas or electric line
Built-In Benches & Planters
L-shaped, U-shaped, or perimeter cedar benches integrated into the deck rail or anchored to the deck framing, plus matching cedar planters built into the rail or freestanding on the deck surface with drainage pre-cut. Cedar is the Pacific Northwest default — it ages to a silver patina that looks intentional, resists rot for fifteen to twenty years without a finish, and matches the typical deck board. Benches get hidden fasteners (Camo screws, Cortex plugs) on the seat surface so nothing snags shorts. Planters get a perforated liner and a drainage gap so soil does not sit on the deck. Three to six working days per project. From $1,500 for a single 6-foot bench with hidden fasteners to $5,000 for a full L-shape with three integrated planters and matching back-rest.
Built-In Benches & Planters — cedar, hidden fasteners, integrated planters with drainage
Deck Stairs & Landings
Stair stringers, treads, risers, landings, and the rail or guard that goes with them — for a raised deck dropping to a sloped yard, a side stair that connects the deck to a walkway, or an intermediate landing that breaks a long flight on a steep grade. Pressure-treated stringers (cut to IBC R311 stair geometry — 7-inch rise max, 11-inch tread min, equal-rise throughout), cedar or composite treads matched to the deck, and a guard at 36 inches for residential per the IRC. Code-compliant 4-inch sphere rule on the rail balusters. Two to five working days. From $2,000 for a basic 4-step stair with a single landing to $7,000 for a full double-stair with intermediate landing, matching guard, and integrated bench at the landing.
Deck Stairs & Landings — code-compliant stringers, treads, landings, guard
Under-Deck Storage & Skirting
The four feet of clear space under a second-story deck turned into bike storage, garden-tool storage, or just clean visual closure of the open joist bay. Pressure-treated framing, cedar or composite vertical skirting boards with a 1-inch gap for ventilation (preventing the trapped-moisture rot that closed-in skirting causes in the Seattle climate), a hidden access door with a magnetic latch, and an optional under-deck drainage system (Trex RainEscape, TimberTech DrySpace) that turns the under-deck space into dry usable storage even when it rains. Two to five working days. From $1,500 for basic vertical skirting on a small deck to $5,000 for full skirting with access door and an under-deck drainage system on a 14 by 16-foot deck.
Under-Deck Storage & Skirting — cedar skirting, hidden door, optional under-deck drainage
Hot Tub Pad & Deck Reinforcement
The structural prep for a hot tub on a deck or on a concrete pad — sister-joist reinforcement for the 100 to 150 pounds per square foot loaded weight of a filled 600-gallon hot tub, doubled posts, a thicker beam if the existing framing is borderline, and an access panel for the electrician's 240V whip pull. On a ground install we pour or set a four-inch reinforced concrete pad sized to the tub footprint with a 6-inch perimeter, level to 1/8 inch across the diagonal (hot tubs are sensitive to twist — a tub set on an out-of-level pad cracks the shell within months). The 240V electrical hookup, the disconnect, and the GFCI breaker are pulled by a licensed Washington L&I electrician — Handis does not touch line-voltage hot-tub wiring. Three to seven working days. From $2,000 for a concrete pad on grade to $6,000 for full deck reinforcement plus pad with electrical chase pre-pulled.
Hot Tub Pad & Deck Reinforcement — sister-joists, doubled posts, concrete pad, electrician handoff
Low-Voltage Deck Lighting
Path lights, step-riser lights, post-cap lights, and rail-mount lights on a 12V or 24V low-voltage system that does not require a licensed electrician (low-voltage landscape lighting per the NEC is exempt from electrician-only install). A transformer mounted on the house wall or in a deck bay, direct-burial wire run through pre-cut chases in stair risers and post hollows, and LED fixtures rated for wet location with a five to ten-year manufacturer warranty (Volt, Kichler, FX Luminaire). The transformer plugs into an existing outdoor GFCI outlet on a 120V circuit — Handis confirms the outlet exists and is GFCI; if a new dedicated circuit is needed for the transformer that work routes to a licensed Washington L&I electrician. One to three working days. From $800 for a basic 4-light step-and-path package on an existing GFCI to $2,500 for a full deck with twelve fixtures including post caps, step risers, and rail mounts.
Low-Voltage Deck Lighting — 12V transformer, direct-burial wire, LED step and path fixtures
Outdoor Features Pricing
Final pricing depends on the deck footprint, the cedar or composite selection, the existing framing capacity (a 1996 deck rated for residential live load often needs reinforcement for a hot tub or a built-in kitchen), and whether a licensed gas fitter or electrician is in scope. Each sub-category page lists detailed pricing for that family. Licensed-sub fees pass through transparently with the line item named. Request a free estimate for an accurate quote.
Tell us the deck and the outdoor feature you have in mind — we will quote the carpentry and name the licensed-sub handoff up front.
Why Seattle Homeowners Book Handis for Outdoor Features
Outdoor carpentry in the Pacific Northwest is a different trade from outdoor carpentry in a dry climate. Cedar that survives twenty years in Phoenix rots in five in Seattle if it sits in trapped water against a galvanized fastener. Composite decking that stays cool in San Diego cups and gaps in the Cascade winter freeze-thaw cycle if it was installed too tight. A hot tub on a deck framed for residential live load splits a joist in season one. None of these are exotic mistakes — they are the failure modes of crews who learned the trade somewhere else and never adjusted the fastener spec, the gap spacing, or the load math for the rain and the climate. Handis builds outdoor features for the climate we actually live in. We use stainless-steel exterior screws on every cedar surface, we leave a 3/16-inch gap on composite per the manufacturer's cold-weather table, we calculate live and dead load before we put a hot tub on a deck, and we run gas and 240V to licensed trades because that is what state law requires and what insurance underwrites.
One project lead — carpentry, gas, and electrical coordinated on one schedule
Outdoor kitchen builds and hot-tub installs are two-trade projects (carpentry plus gas, or carpentry plus 240V electrical). The pattern that wrecks them is the homeowner trying to coordinate the gas fitter and the electrician independently while Handis builds the structure — the gas line shows up to a counter that was framed to the wrong opening depth, the electrician arrives before the deck reinforcement is signed off, the inspector comes on a day when one of the three trades is not finished. Handis runs the calendar so the licensed sub arrives when the carpentry is actually ready, with the cutouts and the chases in the right place to the manufacturer's spec.
Honest licensed-trade handoff, named on the quote
Gas lines for a built-in grill or side burner, 120V or 240V line-voltage circuits, hot-tub 240V whips, and any new dedicated circuit route to a licensed Washington L&I gas fitter or electrician. We name the sub line by line on the quote so you see exactly what Handis is doing and what the licensed trade is doing. Permits are pulled by the appropriate licensed party. Low-voltage landscape lighting (12V or 24V transformer plugged into an existing GFCI outlet) is Handis scope under the NEC landscape-lighting exemption and we are honest about that — it is a real carpentry-and-wiring service we self-perform.
Fastener and finish selection for Pacific Northwest rain
Stainless-steel exterior screws (305 or 316 grade) on every cedar surface that gets full exposure to weather, hot-dip galvanized hardware on every structural connector (Simpson Strong-Tie HDG or stainless), composite gap spacing per the manufacturer's cold-weather table (typically 3/16-inch on 90-degree install days, 1/8-inch when installing below 50 degrees), and never plain steel that streaks rust into cedar within twelve months of install. Cedar gets a clear penetrating finish only if you ask for it — most Seattle homeowners prefer the silver patina, and the finish is the easier maintenance over the long run.
Load calculations for hot tubs and built-in kitchens before we cut a board
A filled 600-gallon hot tub with three adults loads a deck at about 100 to 150 pounds per square foot — three to five times the 40-psf residential live load that most decks were framed for. A built-in outdoor kitchen with a granite top and stone cladding loads at 80 to 120 psf along the counter line. Before we put either on an existing deck we calculate the existing framing capacity (joist size, span, post spacing, beam), name whether sister-joist reinforcement, doubled posts, or a new beam is required, and price the reinforcement transparently. If the deck cannot be reinforced to spec we tell you on the estimate visit and recommend a ground install on a concrete pad instead.
Insured, background-checked, written project warranty
Handis carries general liability and workers' compensation; every carpenter has cleared a background screening. Our project warranty covers our workmanship for one year — bench joints, planter drainage, stair stringer fastening, skirting attachment, low-voltage wire connections, and any cement-board or stone-clad surround. The licensed-sub portion (gas, electrical, hot-tub hookup) carries its own L&I-trade warranty, also named on the quote so you know whom to call for what.
Estimate
Tell us the deck (existing footprint, age, board material), the outdoor feature you have in mind (outdoor kitchen, bench-and-planter package, stairs, skirting, hot tub, low-voltage lighting), and any known constraints — a sloped yard, an existing GFCI outlet location, a specific grill or hot-tub spec you have already chosen. We send a clear estimate with the licensed-sub portions named line by line.
What Our Customers Say
Recent outdoor features reviews from verified Seattle-area customers across all six service families.
Built-in cedar L-bench around the back rail of our Bellevue deck with two integrated planters and a matching back-rest. Three working days. Hidden fasteners on the seat surface — my kid actually sits on it without complaining about catching shorts. The planters have proper drainage and the rosemary has been alive for fourteen months in our wet winters.
Outdoor kitchen counter on our Redmond deck. Handis built the structure — 10-foot cement-board frame, stone-clad surround, sealed-concrete top, drop-in opening sized to the Weber Genesis II we picked. They named the gas fitter on the quote and coordinated his visit on day five for the line and the regulator. The licensed electrician came in for the 120V side-burner ignition outlet. Inspector signed everything off. We have been grilling weekly since June.
Hot tub pad and deck reinforcement for a 600-gallon Caldera spa on our raised cedar deck. Handis assessed the existing 2x10 framing on 16-inch centers and called for sister-joists across the 8-foot span and doubled posts under the tub footprint. They cut and pulled the chase for the electrician's 240V whip before they decked over. The electrician hooked up the GFCI breaker and the disconnect. Tub sits dead level — no twist, no cracking.
Replaced the 1998 stairs off our second-story deck with a proper double-stair to an intermediate landing because the original single flight was too steep for code and my mother could not use it. Handis cut new stringers to IBC geometry, set the landing on concrete piers, ran a matching cedar guard at 36 inches, and even built a small bench into the landing. Five working days. Mother visits and uses the stairs.
Under-deck skirting and storage for the 14 by 16-foot raised deck behind our Issaquah house. They framed pressure-treated, ran cedar vertical boards with the proper ventilation gap (not closed-in like the previous owner wanted, which would have rotted out in five years here), put in a hidden access door for the bikes, and installed a Trex RainEscape system overhead so the storage space stays dry in the wettest months. Four working days. The bikes finally have a home.
Low-voltage path and step lighting on our existing cedar deck. Twelve fixtures total — post caps on the corner posts, step lights under each riser, two path lights along the walkway from the side gate. They ran the wire through pre-cut chases inside the post hollows and under the step risers so nothing is visible. Plugged into the existing GFCI on the back wall of the house. Two days. The deck is finally usable in November when it goes dark at 4:15.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Handis outdoor features — scope, licensed-trade handoff, scheduling, pricing, permits, weather-readiness, and what fits one Handis visit versus a multi-trade project.