We’ve been quoting and working with customers for many years now and it’s interesting, even with warnings from homeowners found on the internet, that people go with unlicensed deck builders. Many home inspectors tell us that about one-third of the decks they check are unsafe. That’s a shame. The reasoning behind licensing builders in the first place was to protect property owners from incompetent or dishonest contractors. What’s more is that the licensing process isn’t very hard – it tests basic competency as well as ways to screen out the dishonest ones. A valid license is the first indication that your contractor might be qualified to do the job.
Beyond that, a building or construction permit will need to be acquired before work is done. Understanding your county’s process is important as they’re all slightly different. Fortunately, we’ve worked with the area/county licensing offices and understand their differences. For instance, if we were to work with you and you were in Oconee County, after determining the best design, we would fill out a construction permit then get with the officer for any further instructions or changes.
I’ve never witnessed a deck construction go particularly well over time when not dealing with a licensed contractor and getting a construction permit with post-construction approval. The amount of money saved by not working with someone who is experienced and know what they’re doing is foregone once you start noticing the problems. My suggestion is to do it right and save the headaches.