You’ve decided to build something. It could be a deck, a porch, or a patio. You’re past the daydreaming stage, and you’re well into, “Alright, let’s do this.” And the first thing that hits you is a question that can be hard to answer.
What do I need to really make this happen?
Not what color composite board or what railing style. This is a broader question than that. Most people who come to deck construction contractors in Central Iowa think the process starts with picking materials, but that’s not quite where it starts.
What Deck Builders Want to Know Before They Design Anything
When you work with a good outdoor living designer, they’ll come with a lot of questions. And they might be a little more personal than you’d expect for a construction project. But that’s what makes the process work.
Think about how you might use your yard on any given day. Not in a hypothetical future, but right now, with the deck or porch as it is currently. Would you be having coffee at 6 AM while the neighborhood is sleeping, or would you be half-watching your kids run through the sprinklers? Or is your home more of a “have the friends over to grill on Saturday night” sort of place?
Any of those answers can tell a deck builder about what you care about and how they can design for you. That’s true even if you say, “Sorry, we barely go out there right now, it’s just not a good place to spend time.” Because even that is good data. You need a space that gives you reasons to be out there in the first place.
Then there’s timing. In Des Moines, you might get solid outdoor months from April through October. Some Waukee families are done by Labor Day. Others in Johnston want to push into November with a fire pit. When your outdoor season ends doesn’t have to depend on the calendar or cool weather, and how you design your space can make cooler nights some of the most enjoyable.
The question-asking process is what separates deck companies that crank out templates from deck builders who do real design work. Those are the ones who provide a custom-built deck that meets your every need.
How Deck Designers Turn Your Answers Into a Plan
Decks aren’t just about blueprints and square footage. A layout alone won’t tell you how the deck will be used. That’s why the best deck builders in Des Moines have a sense for design.
So when a designer asks who uses the space, it’s not just small talk. Quite the opposite!
A young family in Ankeny with two kids under eight needs open sightlines and added safety features. An empty nest couple in Des Moines who want to read and watch the birds might need a screened porch with a ceiling fan, tucked into the quietest corner of the lot.
The decks and porches and patios people fall in love with aren't the ones with the fanciest materials. They're the ones where somebody thought hard about the moments that would happen there. Dinner on a warm Thursday evening. The hour after the kids go to bed, when it's just you and the crickets. Browse our deck galleries, and you'll see it. No two projects look alike because no two families live alike, which we factor into every deck design.
Let’s Build Something Beautiful, Together
More than permits or material samples, and before a tape measure ever comes out, what you need is a conversation with someone who knows what questions to ask.
Archadeck of Central Iowa has been having those conversations across Des Moines, Ankeny, Waukee, Johnston, and beyond for thirty years. So if you’re ready to start thinking about your porch or deck build, download our complimentary design guide to get started.
When you're ready, it would be our distinct pleasure to meet with you for a complimentary design consultation. Call Harold Cross and his team at (515) 203-8734, or
contact us using our online form.
