Decks fail for various reasons. But, given that not all contractors are qualified... More
Surviving the home-building slump by becoming an outdoor-living contractor More
Some deck contractors ask prospects for a design retainer. That's a way to get homeowners to commit to the project and to get paid for the time it took to design the deck. More
Rick Provost offer a case study of how a remodeling company saved a customer relationship. More
A market research report projects a 10% sales increase for the residential deck and rail market. Some deck builders are already seeing the uptick. More
In the first of a three-part series, Web columnist Rick Provost explains the pros and cons of working with large hardware retailers on installed sales. More
This year, for the first time, Archadeck of Charlotte in North Carolina mailed questionnaires to every person on the company payroll. Barry Klemons, president of the deck-building franchise, says he sent the questionnaires to get suggestions from employees and subcontractors for making departments and jobsites run better. Those who responded by a set date received something else in the mail: a check for $100. More
Wood-plastic composites are steadily chipping away at the pressure-treated wood... More
Many do-it-yourselfers learn upon encountering insurmountable obstacles mid-project, and as many Peter Pickup-type contractors discover in the process of going out of business by the thousands each year, making money designing and building decks isn't all that simple. More
