Everything we have written down
16 guides, each built from numbers we can show you: the state's own record, the text of the code, and our own rates. No national averages, no advice we would not follow ourselves.
How to check a contractor’s license in CaliforniaRead the state record in two minutes, and use it on us.Deck stair and railing code in CaliforniaTen numbers an inspector measures, each with its code section.What it costs to sand and stain a deckOur own prices, with the wash and stain included.How much a deck costs in the Bay AreaEight combinations of material and ground, with the rate per sq ft.Do you build patios?We do not lay pavers. What we build on that ground instead.Do you need a permit for a deck?Four conditions from the state code, and the rule in each of our 33 towns.Composite decking: what to know before you chooseThree kinds of board, the warranties behind them, heat and install rules.Deck railings: systems, prices and the codeFive railings we build, the price per foot, and cable done right.Redwood or ipe: real wood for a deckGrades, hardness, fasteners and care, from the boards we lay.Pergolas: kit or custom, which roof, what it costsThree questions in the order we ask them at the estimate.Deck stain: which product, how many coats, what colorThe stains we use, one coat or two, and the colors clients pick.Repair the deck or replace it?What we look at under an old deck, and when a repair is money wasted.Deck framing, from the footings upFooting sizes, post heights and joist spans from the 2025 California code.The low deck: three heights where the rules changeWhen a floating deck needs no permit, footings or railing.Deck step lighting: where the lights goLights in the risers and the one light the code asks for.Hillside deck cost, soil and city checksFootings, guards and local checks for a deck on a slope, with real costs from our slope projects.