Fence Repair Marin
Fence Repair Marin
A new deck is one of the higher-value projects a Marin property owner takes on, and getting the material and structure right up front matters more here than in most places, hillside lots around Mill Valley and Tiburon put real load and grading demands on a deck that a flat lot in Novato never will. We build new decks in both pressure-treated wood and composite, sized and engineered for the specific property, and permitted to Marin County code from the start. If your current deck just needs work rather than a full rebuild, our deck repair page covers that, and a new deck project is often paired with new fence installation when both are part of the same backyard plan.
Pressure-treated wood costs less upfront and is the more straightforward material to repair down the line if a board ever needs replacing. Composite costs more to install but needs essentially no staining or sealing over its life, which is worth factoring in on properties in heavier fog exposure where wood finishes wear faster. Neither option is universally "better," it comes down to upfront budget versus long-term upkeep.
A meaningful share of Marin properties sit on graded or hillside lots, which changes the engineering of a deck substantially, footings often need to go deeper, and support structure has to account for slope and drainage in a way a flat-lot deck doesn't. On steep lots, we typically go deeper than the minimum code requirement for footings, since Marin's clay soil shifts more than the sandier soil found elsewhere, and a footing that's only just deep enough today can work its way loose within a few years. We factor all of this into the design and permit submission from the start rather than treating every deck as the same standard build.
Marin County requires a building permit for most new deck construction, and pulling that permit is standard practice for a licensed contractor, not an extra step homeowners are expected to manage themselves. If a contractor asks you to pull the permit yourself, that's worth treating as a red flag rather than normal practice. We handle the permit submission and inspection scheduling as part of the build.
A new deck's cost is driven mainly by size, material, and height off the ground. Pressure-treated wood remains the most budget-friendly option and works well for straightforward, low decks. Composite decking costs more upfront, sometimes close to double the material cost of wood, but it doesn't need the yearly staining and sealing that wood requires, which owners who want a lower-maintenance deck often find worth the difference. Height matters too: a deck more than a few feet off the ground needs additional framing and, on hillside lots, deeper footings to meet code, both of which add to the cost. In Mill Valley, where many homes sit on sloped lots, we build a fair number of tall decks with engineered footings, which puts them toward the higher end of the pricing range. In Tiburon, flatter lots close to the water tend to keep decks lower to the ground, which keeps costs more moderate.
We start with a site walk to assess grading, drainage, and material fit, then a straight quote and permit submission before any construction begins. Most standard decks are complete within one to two weeks of permit approval depending on size and site access, and we walk you through the finished structure before calling the job done.