Decks have a very high ROI. Most Realtors will tell you that a quality low maintaince deck is a great selling feature.  Decks are highly rated for the return on investment. A deck adds extra living space to your home at a relatively low price compared to building an alternative enclosed area in your home. These days a deck and outdoor living space is the new home addition. 

My advice to anyone considering building a deck is to first check with your HOA to see if there are any limitations and also the local zoning department to find out if you have any setback requirements that may cause you to need a variance.   If you are having a new deck installed a building permit from the county is required but but we take care of that process for our clients for additional costs. Even if you are just replacing decking, adding new steps and railings many building departments require a building permit so it's always best to check to see if it's needed.  Permits are not required typically for just deck repairs. We do handle zoning and building permits for our clients for an additional fee.

We do not recommend keeping your old deck framing if your deck structure is over 5-8 years old. We do not warranty the existing framing and there may be noticeable flaws in your existing structure that may be more noticeable with the new decking. We recommend a 40 point deck inspection prior if going with this option and can offer this as an additional service as well.  All we can do is make recommendations but it is your final decision. The framing of a deck is the most important part, so why install high-end decking on framing that will not last as long as your new decking and rails when overall the framing is not that much more of an expense.

There are pros and cons to every product. We can go over the pros and cons but highly recommend weighing all of your options. Decking has evolved just like technology. Typically the new lines of decking tend to be the better performing or better color options.  PVC decking tends to be the best for keeping cool to the feet especially near pool areas but does tend to contract and expand quite a bit more. The capped composites tend to be hotter to the feet, but gives a more natural wood look. The best on the market is Deckorators Voyage decking. It's a mineral based composite and is a different technology that separates it from all others with amazing benefits.