With warmer weather around the corner, that means family and friends gathering, grilling and relaxing with a glass of wine or cup of coffee outside. That also means it’s time to get your deck in check—making any necessary repairs or adding a new patio to update your backyard.

Whether it be a standard deck, patio or sunroom off your back door, or a complete outdoor living space filled with all the bells and whistles—an outdoor kitchen, TV lounging area, fire pit and pergola to complete the space—Dave Lyons and Archadeck of Delaware can do it all. Operating since 1980, Archadeck is a trusted and reliable custom deck, patio and porch builder, and recently opened their newest location in Delaware in August 2017. They are proud to serve Delaware with their expertise and knowledge in the decking industry and provide the best materials and design that can turn your dream outdoor living space into reality.

House & Home spoke with Lyons about the latest trends, his many years of experience and why Archadeck stands apart from the rest.

How many years have you been in the decking industry, and can you talk about the experience you bring to Archadeck?
I have been involved in the outdoor building industry my entire life—30-plus years. While I was growing up, my father was a general contractor and we did all kinds of interesting  and unique projects, like renovating a barn into living space, building a custom great room addition with 100-year-old timbers salvaged from the old Woolworth’s department store on Market Street [in Wilmington], to building the very first McDonald’s  Playland in Delaware on Main Street in Newark and transforming a Cape Cod in Newark into a Spanish hacienda.

What advice can you give homeowners when looking for an expert in the  decking industry?
Sometimes customers get caught up in trying  to get an apples-to-apples comparison when they are getting bids—this can be a difficult and risky process. While it’s easy to compare the materials that are being used, it’s very difficult to compare the workmanship and level of service that you’re going to get. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

What is the process like when signing a contract with Archadeck?
At the initial client meeting we listen to the client’s vision of what they desire in their outdoor living project. The goal is to be able to provide the client with a custom personalized design that will be a solution for how the client envisions using the space. If both parties agree, a second appointment will be set   to review the custom design. At the design appointment, options can be discussed on finishes and design to create the perfect space for the client. We  then review the payment schedule and move forward with the contract signing and deposit. 

What are the latest trends in decking styles and materials?
The latest trends are moving more toward the high-end composites and railing packages that look more and more like wood. For instance, Azek and TimberTech both added three  additional colors to their best deck board lines—Azek Vintage and TimberTech Legacy. There are aluminum railing packages, cable rails and glass rails, and many more composite options that you would swear were painted wood railings.

With many contractors to choose from, why choose Archadeck?
Everyone has a story about the nightmare renovation  project, whether it be the contractor not showing up, the price changed at the end of the project without notice, the jobsite was a mess or once the final check was paid the contractor would not pick up the phone again for warranty issues.

At Archadeck, we strive to build high-value projects for our clients. Our goal is to be better than other builders with the intangibles that make a better project—always being professional,  providing great communication, keeping the job site clean, providing a custom design and being honest and up front with pricing. We also have a warranty no one else can offer backed by a third party.

Archadeck of Delaware
Newark, Del.
(302) 455-2426 | Delaware.Archadeck.com 

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 18, Issue 11 (May 2018). 
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