If someone has to move their chair every time another person walks from the back door to the stairs, you’ve already found the first thing to fix in your next deck. Maybe you need more square footage. Maybe you need a better layout. Either way, start with what gets in your way on the deck you have today.
Decide what you’d do with more room
Think about how you use your backyard on a normal weekend. Do you need room for a dining table where people can pull out their chairs? A spot for the grill that keeps the path to the yard clear? A separate seating area where you can relax without being in the middle of everything? Before deciding how big to go, measure the furniture you actually want to use. That gives you a more useful starting point than picking a deck size on paper.
Look at where the stairs land
Moving the stairs can change how the whole deck feels. If they cut through the middle of your seating area or send everyone around the grill to get to the yard, adding a few feet won’t necessarily fix it. Think about where you want to end up when you walk down the steps: the patio, the pool path, or the open part of the yard. Work backward from there.
Compare an addition with a fresh start
If the existing structure is sound and you like where the deck sits, expanding it may be worth exploring. A contractor can look at whether the current framing can work with the proposed addition. If the frame needs substantial work or you want to change the shape, height, or stair layout, ask for a rebuild option too. Comparing both gives you a clearer picture of what you’d pay to keep and what you’d gain by starting fresh.
For ideas, browse our deck building and rebuilding gallery, including projects in Shamong and Cherry Hill.
Start planning now for next season
November is a good time to talk through the layout and budget while you still have this year’s deck frustrations fresh in mind. From our base in Shamong, we work with homeowners in Medford, Mount Laurel, and Moorestown in Burlington County, as well as nearby Cherry Hill in Camden County.
Call Deck Restoration Plus at 609-268-3436 for a free deck build or rebuild estimate, or tell us what you’d like to change.
