Experience
A contractor’s experience in regards to a specified field directly
affects your overall experience as a client. It’s essential that your
Nashville deck contractor possess the skills to manage your outdoor living project and the many
details involved from start to finish. Many of these skills, such as initial
property assessment and the structural integrity of each deck design,
come from years of hands-on experience working in the field of deck design
and construction. A lack of experience can lead to a structure that doesn’t
blend seamlessly with your home’s architectural style, isn’t
structurally sound and will probably not last longer than a few years
— at best.
As part of your due diligence, make sure to ask some probing and investigative
questions regarding a potential contractor’s experience, like How
many projects like yours has the contractor completed? And not just the
business owner, but what about the organization behind him? What experience
do the supervisor(s) and the tradesmen have? Is there a larger support
organization behind them providing engineering and technical guidance
if they get in over their heads?
Make sure to pay attention to
how they answer these questions to get a good picture of their customer service
skills. The answers to these questions go a long way toward determining
the outcome of a project, even before it begins. In addition, a good deck
contractor should be more than willing to give you a list of the last
five decking projects he did so you can verify their knowledge and experience
as well as their past clients’ experiences.
Professionalism
By definition, professionalism means possessing the skill, good judgment
and business-like behavior that is expected from a person who is trained
to do a job well. No matter what service is being performed, every Nashville
homeowner deserves and should demand professionalism. Even though it’s
clear what being professional means, sometimes it’s hard to determine
a professional deck contractor from a regular residential or commercial builder.
Processes
Adhering to a process, or series of steps in which to do something, guarantees
consistent results, improved efficiency and a higher quality of workmanship.
Using checklists and procedures combined with proper planning reduces
the opportunities for overlooked items and delays.
How do you know if your contractor effectively uses good processes? Start
by checking their sales process and then ask during your vetting process.
Find out what your contractor’s method for planning and monitoring
construction will be. Do they actually use written checklists for ensuring
that all steps get addressed before, during and after construction? Is
there a supervisor or manager holding the crews responsible for following
these processes?
Here at Archadeck of Nashville, our careful attention to process is one
of the factors that sets us apart from other deck and outdoor structure builders:
- Our process begins with the free deck design consultation
- We then conduct a comprehensive needs analysis identifying your needs and
desires in regards to your new deck or deck renovation project
- An in-depth site survey buttons down the particulars
- We have a detailed photo gallery and portfolio of completed decks to view
- We work with you to refine or streamline your deck design
- Rather than a general estimate, you’re given a precise price quote
- Archadeck of Nashville takes care of all necessary permits necessary for
your deck project
- Once your project has begun, progress will proceed without lags
- Our workers respect your property
- Construction debris is removed regularly and the project site is kept clean
and orderly
