HipForum

from H. A. White
Mountain View, California

Question: My family is considering adding a deck to the back of our home. We really don't have the time to do it ourselves and we would probably need more experience before we could tackle a home improvement project this big. Should we hire a contractor or do it ourselves?

Answer: My father and I just completed the finishing touches on his basement. Now we’ve done this type of thing before, and we even had to hire an electrician to do wiring and a carpet guy to complete the flooring.

Which brings me to my point: when you talk about building a patio deck, you’re talking about preparing the ground, framework, and levelling. These are things best left to the pros. My advice to you would be to contract the work out to a professional (with references). You’ll thank me and your back will thank me.

The home improvement advice and information given in this column is a general recommendation only. On-site examination of the problem is required for a proper decision on repair.