Deck checklists
Four checklists cover a deck's whole life: a planning checklist (size, height, material, railing, permit), a contractor vetting checklist (license, insurance, itemized bid, framing specifics), a seasonal maintenance checklist (clean, inspect, restain every two to three years), and an annual safety checklist (guards, ledger, stairs, fasteners).
Planning checklist. Square footage and deck height decided. Material chosen against installed ranges of $15 to $55 per square foot. Railing material chosen ($30 to $210 per linear foot installed). Stair count known ($75 to $450 per step). Local building department called about permits ($100 to $500) and frost depth. 811 utility locate scheduled before any digging.
Contractor vetting checklist. License verified directly with the issuing agency. Liability and workers' compensation insurance verified with the insurer, not the contractor. Three itemized bids on the same drawing. Framing questions answered in writing: joist species, size, spacing, ledger attachment and flashing, guard post attachment. Permit responsibility named in the contract. Payment schedule tied to inspections. Exclusions listed.
Seasonal maintenance checklist. Spring: inspect, then clean at $0.25 to $0.50 per square foot. Restain if you're at the two-to-three-year mark. Summer: move furniture and planters. Fall: clear the roughly 1/8 inch board gaps. Winter: clear snow gently, no unverified deicers.
Annual safety checklist. Push every guard section - 36 inches minimum height on decks over 30 inches above grade, no 4-inch sphere passage. Probe the ledger and post bases for soft wood. Check fastener and connector corrosion. Measure stair risers (7 3/4 inches maximum, no more than 3/8 inch variation) and confirm a handrail exists on stairs with four or more risers.
Choosing decks checklists
The judgement calls that decide the bill, before anyone quotes you.
- Verify insurance with the insurer A certificate handed to you by the contractor proves nothing about whether the policy is still in force. Call the carrier.
- Never sign a bid without an exclusions list Demolition, haul-away, permit fees, and grading are the usual omissions, and each becomes a change order.
- Tie money to inspections Framing inspection and final approval are natural payment milestones. The deck should not be occupied until final approval anyway.
- Do the safety list on the same day every year Pick a date in spring. It takes fifteen minutes and it's the difference between a $300 and a $5,000 rot repair.
- Keep one folder Permit, inspection sign-offs, contract, product warranty PDFs, and photos of the framing before decking went down. That folder is worth real money at resale.
All decks checklists
Decks Buyer Checklist
Decks Planning Checklist
Decks Contractor Vetting Checklist
Decks Seasonal Maintenance Checklist
Where these figures come from
Sources last checked
- Fixr - Cost to Build a Deck · retrieved 2026-07-26
- Fixr - Deck Staining Cost · retrieved 2026-07-26
- American Wood Council - DCA 6 Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide · retrieved 2026-07-26
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