Selling Decks - Where are all the Big Decks?

Larry was 18 years old and building decks in Burlington Ontario. He went out and worked for the best deck companies in Ontario the year previously, about 5 of them. He learned all their tricks, how to price and how to do some basic marketing and decided that he could do it better. Marketing that worked? Flyers, a small ad in the phone book, and signs on the lawn and truck while you work seem to do the trick.

Larry worked on 1 street for 2 months, some 12 jobs in total. He was working under a name cooked up by his father. "Fair Deal Carpentry", and it sounded right since that's really what everybody wants right?

Larry was 18, but unfortunately he looked 14. It is a difficult task to convince anyone that he is an expert in the field of decks and fences when you look so child like.

What's in a name anyways? Your work speaks for itself right? All that matters is that you get your foot in the door and get the opportunity to sell right? All leads are good leads... aren't they?

Larry was doing a job in Hamilton for a referred renovation through a friend and if you have ever been in Hamilton you will know that it is all 1 way streets. A drunk in a van loaded with roofing materials ran a red light and Larry's truck t-boned the van. His left arm went through the drivers side window and his right hand pushed the steering wheel of the F150 about 6" out of round. The truck was about 3' shorter than it started out.

After 6 months of rehab and laser treatments he could finally turn his ignition key in his truck. Insurance replaced the truck, but he lost about 4 months of work at this critical time in his business start up. He burned up all his cash and was basically starting again.

This was 1991 and Larry is/was Lawrence Winterburn, founder of GardenStructure.com and things have changed a little in the past 20 years.

All the things that worked for me in the first year or two are now ancient history. Flyers, Yellow pages no longer work. Lawn and Truck Signs might, but that original name...my God, what a mistake that was!

I milked some opportunities, what turned out to be important ones from the bargain seeking clients I ended up meeting up with, but that Fair Deal name lead to lost opportunities, jobs with no profit and cheapskate clients that would negotiate all the way through the job. Things didn't start to get better until I changed that name.

It was just one of the reasons I didn't get the big profitable jobs back then.

I was doing all kinds of things wrong, and lucky for me, I learned from the experience.

If you want to learn how to get the big leads, and opportunity to do more profitable large projects, click this link. Starting a Deck Company

I want to help you become a success... Preferably Sooner -- Rather than later!

L

Spring 2012

It is shaping up to be a great year!  All the crews are busy and they got a good early start.

We have openings for exclusive builder, coming up next month in Oakville. Dan took a cushy corporate job in Calgary with Stanley Tools. To be young and impetuous....Yes, I am envious. Dan did great work with us. Did a beautiful portico in Oakville and another curved deck we haven't taken photos of yet.

North York is also coming available later this spring. Brian doesn't have time for decks and fences since he is making investments in a development in India...and will be developing a subdivision there. Brian also did beautiful work with us.

We have new builders this year in Windsor, Barrie and Caledon... all brilliant craftsmen.

If you are interested in becoming an exclusive builder with GardenStructure.com call Lawrence at 888 293 8938

Dealing with the Building Department

The critical thing you have to remember when dealing with the Building Department is that they are just doing their job.

In some places the rules that govern them may seem misguided or unjust--but once you know the rules you should skate through. The first thing to understand that it is their job to guide you through the process of obtaining a permit. Secondly, the rules are there to make sure that what you build will be safe for you and your visitors.

In Canada the laws governing construction and permitting are based on old British precepts. Your home is your castle and you can build whatever you want--no accounting for taste! This also means that if you draw the plans yourself they have to examine and accept them so long as they meet code.

They have brought in stringent guidelines in Ontario and to be candid, it is like the "Do as we Say Festival", from The Simpsons episode. They tell you that these are the handrails that you are allowed to build and they will dictate design in a quite fascist way. You may need to do some research on the rules... not the guidelines and make what you design for your home fit the general guidelines.

A contractor does not have the right to design building plans or deck plans or addition plans on behalf of a homeowner in Ontario.  You need to take courses and get a BCIN Certificate, and then you will need a couple of million worth of "Errors and Omissions Insurance" to design decks. I design hundreds of permit plans for decks everywhere else in the world... but I only design concepts in Ontario. We have a couple of BCIN designers that we have do the working drawings if the homeowner can't handle it.

They did this in Ontario primarily for budgetary reasons. If they dumb down the design--it will take the examiners and inspectors less time to approve and inspect. If you put anything on their desk that they don't understand they will tell you to have an engineer stamp the drawing. You will then be astonished to find out that there seems to be less than 10 engineers in Canada that specialize in wood details... which makes it a little difficult to do anything not in their specifications, not to mention being exorbitant in price.

Don't give up--learn the rules and build what you want, it just may take you a few attempts to get it through. If you can make it seem like common sense, stay friendly and kind they will get used to--or tired of you and eventually acquiesce. Please don't build their standard details if you can help it--they are ugly and uninspired, outdated and I personally despise looking at them.

In Florida because they have to deal with hurricanes even a garden shed needs engineers stamp. This is purely a safety issue. Garden sheds flying around in 120 mph wind can be akin to a bomb. There are thousands of engineers and they are reasonably priced.

In California most projects also need engineering, but it is the possibility of earthquake or landslide that is the issue. Again, they seem to be reasonably priced and they are very used to it.

In many rural areas in the US you may be surprised to find that you won't even need permits or inspections for a deck or pergola. Some areas simply don't have a building department.

Now, you need to remember that not everyone is sane or kind or competent. There are bad building inspectors just like there are bad politicians, lawyers and priests. Every 100 clients we meet up with someone that is truly disturbed. There are some building inspectors that are looking for kickbacks also. I have had building inspectors nitpick everything about simple projects and cause delays for no good reason. I have personally had examiners put 5 red marks on a plan that by OBC (Ontario Building Code) should not have been there. When I argued they finally agreed but later in the project they caused other problems. Imagine a 4x8 deck and having them demand that I put in 12" sonotubes and triple 2x8 beams to support it.

Sometimes it is just not worth the fight--

If spending an extra couple of hundred dollars for extra materials or to tip the inspector is what it takes to stay on schedule, then that is the prudent thing to do.

The thing that building inspectors need to remember is that we are just regular guys, building decks and trying to make a living-- We are not the enemy. We are all just doing our job.

L

Market for Decks and Fences Fall 2010

The Market for Decks and Fences in North America 2010

We have had people asking how things are going in the deck and fence business of late. Some have said they closed their deck and fence business, sort of dipping their toe into the water to test the temps. As I told him it really depends where you are.

If you are based in Ontario or BC you have certainly seen things screech to a halt after they brought in an 8% tax on everything, part of the HST blending. It's not just decks and fences, but renovations, lawyers, accountants, architects and any trade. It takes a disabled government to introduce a tax grab like that in the middle of an economic downturn. That said our people have stayed busy throughout and as far as I know are all out finishing jobs from this season.

What it has done is drive low end work, (which we don't do much of), under the table. Lumber yards are telling me that most of the pressure treated jobs are being done half cash. It sure makes it rough on legitimate business to be competing with that. I expect our people will be fine though--we are in a different market.


The States, California and Florida are making a comeback-- we are seeing considerable uptick in the number of leads.

We have a new builder starting in South Florida and another in New York.. so stay tuned. New York has stayed strong throughout the economic downturn, so we know he will do well.

It looks like the US is pulling out of this economic funk... once jobs start getting created things will be back to normal in no time. It is a good time to start up if you are anywhere in the Southern States or Alberta.

You need to look at your local market before deciding to pull the trigger on a new business. So long as you have a source of high end homes locally and people are secure in their jobs--that is a good place to start up. If you are thinking to compete for low end work using flyers and the lettering on your truck for marketing--you might want to hold off for a while.

Exclusive work always has a market--someone is always making money in every area.

Connect--Design--Sell--Thrive

L

The Market for Decks and Fences 2010

It has been a fairly busy year for GardenStructure.com all things considered. Our builders seem to be ticking along nicely in most areas. It may have something to do with the level of skill and creativity among our group. Ontario's market for decks and fences slowed to a snail's pace on July first with the HST increasing the tax charged by 8% on all decks and fences.

(our North York Builders--Brian D'Sousa and crew)

BC also brought in the HST this summer, and that province was already in the doldrums for luxury items like decks and fences so until something changes out there we are not looking for a builder in that area. To be candid, I considered just leaving this paragraph out in an effort to keep things positive--however I really want to be honest and open about business posts.

South of the border things are still slower in many areas than usual--that's just a bi-product of near 20% real unemployment.  We had many calls from the New York City area as well as Washington and Boston this year, so it sounds like New England is a fairly healthy economy on the whole. We finally have a builder setting up in the New York City-Connecticut-New Jersey (Tri State Area) and I expect him to be very busy.

Plenty of calls from Florida and Texas this summer-- and both those areas are available. Boston had a few calls as well this year, and that area is also open. I expect the prosperity to spread to the Boston area in the next few months.

GardenStructure has focused efforts on capturing a larger part of the high end residential and commercial market and it seems to be paying dividends for our builders. We are happy to say that in the Ontario market Post Mid-Recession Tax Increase, our builders are busy while many fence companies, small lumber mills and other discretionary business are shutting down.

The present market for decks and fences in North America is highly competitive at the middle and low end of the market. More people with smaller budgets are shopping dozens of companies for low prices--however the high end still wants a dependable quality builder with inspired details. Sales ratios seem to have increased dramatically for our builders--and we have seen many more large job consultations than in 2009.

If you want more information about our builder group you can call 888 293 8938 and ask for Lawrence, or go here. Deck, Fence and Pergola Un- Franchise.

L

Planning Decks Fences and Pergolas for Spring 2010

This looks to be the Busiest Spring Season in Many Years.

Most people that could afford to build a deck or pergola last year held off. This is turning into a glut of work and the phones are lit up with designs for spring projects. I have personally not seen so many calls this early in the season ever.

Our deck designers and builders are busy, as are our landscape designers. The ground is open in many areas that is often covered in deep snow, and after last year we are happy to see it.

For spring service you would be well served to get in touch with your local builder before they are booked well into summer. I would expect that most of our people will be booking mid summer by some time in early March.

If it is a complicated pergola or deck with curves and multiple levels you need to at least get on the design aspect within the next couple of weeks or you may be waiting for the fall in many areas.

To Develop plans for decks and pergolas often takes a week or two

To find your local Deck Builders (click)

To speak to a Representative Call (888) 293-8938

Outlook for the Deck and Fence Business 2010

To learn about Starting a Deck Company click here

A better year for Quality Deck and Fence Builders

I hope everyone had a great Christmas season.

Are you ready for the next challenging year? Last year I am sure you noticed things were a little slower for most deck builders. People were holding off on those big purchases due to uncertainty. In the US house prices were falling and folks just didn't want to take the risk in many cases. Locally our trade association saw a 20% decrease in landscape trades, though consensus from our builders was that they were par with 2008 for 2009. The government stimulus had little to no positive effect in Canada that we witnessed.

Since then the stock market has recovered substantially, and some people even made large profits from the rebound. These are all high end clients that may be doing outdoor woodwork.

Underemployment;

10% unemployment in the US, 9% Unemployment in Canada,(these numbers don't include those that have given up on looking or whose unemployment benefits have finished.)

What does this mean to deck builders? That all depends where you live. Local unemployment can range between 6-15%, so some areas are better than others.

It means that the less expensive the project--the more competition there will be for every job. Under $5k decks will see deck builders competing heavily for every job.
Fences will be built for low wages typically. I've seen $18/lf in the Toronto area, where the average 2 years ago was $25/lf. When people lose their jobs there are always hundreds of little deck and fence companies starting up--though they rarely last more than a season.

As the job scope increases in complexity and budget you will find more
savvy customers that will insist on paying a little more for talent and
design. There is a glut of work in the high end that didn't get done last year.

Builders expecting to transition into the "high end deck market" will need to bring their "A Game".

Composite Decking

Composite Decking Producers still have not created an honorable warranty that will
include labor and disposal as part of their product warranties, so GardenStructure.com is on a strict "Signed Waiver" policy. A waiver is signed acknowledging that should the product be defective they will have to pursue the composite company to recoup their labor and disposal
costs, and that presently their composite decking warranty excludes that.

New Taxes for Ontario- Additional 8% PST on
Decks and Fences

In Ontario, with an unemployment rate of near 9% we are heading for a tax
increase May 1/2010. While most governments are thinking stimulus, our
provincial government is afflicting us with an extra 8% to the cost of
what deck and fence builders do. This means that the majority of our
work in the province will likely be booked before May 1, and finished
by July 1 to avoid the tax. After that a large percentage of that
business will be driven underground. Look for more old minivans
building bad fences for $20.00 cash! Obviously there will be more
pressure on the low end, with the high end projects happening as usual.
Like many other places in North America, there is a large glut of high
end work poised to be done in the coming year that people held off on last year.

Marketing

The internet is getting busier as all businesses try to capitalize on the benefits of traffic, which in turn makes it more difficult to get traffic. Your average 1 year old small
company website will see 30-100 visitors a month if you do everything
right. Make mistakes and you may get no visits. GardenStructure.com
gets well over 100,000 unique visits a month to our sites most months.

Traffic to our sites increased 20% during 2009. We are forecasting an increase
of 20-30% in 2010 as well.

Phone book advertising and home shows are getting less effective leaving internet and direct
mail as the dominant methods for lead generation.

The phone book crowd is getting a little older, they have nested and
beautified their residences many years ago and their view of the value
of decks and fences is all about price. 30-50 year olds are more likely
to walk to the computer and type what they are looking for into Google.
Google is improving their game as well, penalizing directories and
cheaters using SEO to manipulate their results.

This is one of the GardenStructure.com advantages. We can cut through the
directories, pay for lead services, and spammy sites and get you into
the listings with your local phone number right on the page.

In Summary

Semi skilled deck builders building for the lowest price will have a very tough time in 2010 with increased competition for fewer dollars. A glut of high end work will help companies like GardenStructure.com increase total sales and increase pricing slightly because many of our competitors are weakened or out of the business. In Ontario we have never seen so many leads so early in the year from any area, let alone a frozen solid, snow covered Ontario. After July there may be a drought for a couple of months while people grow to accept the new PST tax on decks and fences. All in all it looks like a promising year for GardenStructure.com Builders.

To find out more about the GardenStructure.com Builder Group by calling
888 293 8938 or visit this page first. Builder Group

Hiatus - Summer 2009

Vacation? Break? No, just the usual too busy to keep up with the blog. Sorry folks.


I did a couple of jobs, pergolas, curved gates, laminated gates and even finished up a fence in Brampton when a builder walked off the job. (not something I make a habit of). Too much desk work is not good for the disposition--so site time was much needed. I also did plenty of photography during, so our training materials will improve.

I spent about 3 weeks working with Jamie Elliott on a large waterproof deck in south Barrie Ontario this fall--he was under the gun for time so it was all hands on deck. He shared a new detail for waterproofing decks from above--to allow for finishing with wood below.

This is one gorgeous deck--and we'll show you some shots as soon as it is posted to the portfolio.

I promise not to be truant in the next few months--no promises next summer though.

LW

The New GardenStructure.com Website is Up!

This is simply the best display of high end decks and pergolas worldwide.

The navigation issues that plagued us on the last site have been reworked. When you want to see Decks, curser over decks, gallery or diy plans to see the different sections for decks.

When you enter the gallery you will find many decks, pergolas, wood fences, landscape designers, arbours, outdoor kitchens... you should see stellar examples of whatever you seek.




Now, when you get into the gallery and click on a thumbnail, an entire page opens to show you more angles and examples of the design or plans in use with designer credits.
Only about half the content we plan to include is up... so bookmark it and come back often.
L

Lifestyle Ads

Here's the puzzle of the day:

What do you think these folks are selling using this photo?

Being Rich, White and happy with perfect teeth?

Their investments are paying off well enough that they can sit on this deck being shiny and happy all day long without a care in the world?

Doubt it.

Look at that grimy deck--betcha that's where the barbecue was--before the photo shoot I mean.

It is an ad for the largest deck and lighting company in the United States.

If you sell decks, but you don't build the most beautiful decks, then show happy smiling people. Who is smarter... them with their happy perfect people or the folks putting so much effort into design.

Time will tell.

L

Plagiarism

Plagiarism–noun

1. The unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work.
2. Something used and represented in this manner.

Thanks to dictionary.com for the definition.

The next word should be Infuriation--

I had to strip numerous pages of photos since someone that signed up with me, (that had good referances btw).

If you didn't design things you have photos of you can't claim to be the designer.

If you didn't build something you can't claim that you did.

If you are not a landscape Architect, or you don't have the right to call yourself a landscape Architect, or a Certified Landscape Designer, or Master Builder...

Don't misrepresent your credentials.

I don't claim to have an MBA from Harvard Law, (not that it is as much of a positive these days), but if I did have one, I'd be furious if someone that didn't claimed they did.

Anyhow, I just got off the phone with yet another deck company website displaying photos from our website, renamed and loaded into their site as their own project. That's what google image search is for... they are easy to find.

I am tempted to keep going on this bent and do a nice rant post about deck builders manipulating web rankings, and the same one manipulating their web counter, (listing page views as visits), and automatically giving themselves extra hits so that they can claim 4 million hits per year and sell advertisers their wonderful manipulated traffic--but I will save that for another day. I am so tired of waiting for Google to create an algo to subvert these cheats.

It has been very difficult to keep all the posts positive so lets end this dry, boring negative burst of posts with this one.

L

Happy 2009 Everyone!

2009 will be a better year for people in the Woodworking Trades.
.
We saw our first annual decrease in traffic (less than 10% decrease year over year). By our analysis it looks like most of our competitors were down nearly 50% for the year.
.
Prices of homes have dropped nearly 40% in the US, 10% in Canada, many homes are in dire need of repair--(banks make terrible property management companies), and values are now near the bottom. Stimulous will be coming through mid spring and infrastructure projects will be putting millions back to work.
.
People will soon realize that the stock market is not likely to recover for many years to come. Double digit returns will not come from the equity markets. Even Kramer is counting down the hundred or so days that he expects the housing market to recover.
.

House flipping will once again be possible and profitable. Adding inspired details like our pergolas, fences, decks or trelliswork will add value to the investment and increase the flippers profit and the speed at which the houses sell.
.

Repairs put off on forclosed homes will have to be done by the new owners which means less competition for our more decorative type of woodwork.
.
The glut of decorative woodwork and projects planned but never initiated will start to come back into focus.
.
Here's an exerpt of an email from yesterday to our Tampa Location.
.
"I don't know if you remember us or not but you came out to our house a year ago and we talked to you about building a pergola. We put our project on hold because we ended up going to China and adopting a little girl. We are ready to get it going again and wondered if you would be interested in coming back out and seeing if it would be something you would be interested in doing."
.
I personally designed about 1.5 million in the Toronto area last summer that just didn't happen because of jitters due to the stock market.
.
Fund Manager connections imparted that they are still sitting on cash--they estimate TRILLIONS of dollars on the sidelines waiting for something to invest in.
.

Nobody knows exactly what will happen precisely in the new year, but what we do know is that the event has happened. The North American Economy is in the depths of recession.
.
A new President taking power in a couple of weeks time with fresh ideas and optomism, and New Leadership on the horizon here in Canada, it looks to be positive from here.
.
Empires have been built in tumultuous times like these.
.

You can react in two different ways. Curl up in a ball and weap--or Pick Yourself Up and Start Looking for Opportunities.
.
Personally, I am in an upbeat mood. For the first time in about 4 years we will be participating in the Spring National Home Show (Normally We Don't have Time), and we have been able to arrange joint marketing with much larger companies that will put our builders in a much stronger position starting this spring.
.

Watch for many other changes, new products and new builder profiles in the coming weeks.
.

We Wish You and your Families All The Best for 2009.
.
L

Decks, Builders in Toronto - When do we quit for the season?

Our Builders of Decks and Fences in the Toronto area will likely be outside until some time in January.

Terry Grosjean (photo above), our builder in the Oshawa Whitby area is putting in footings for a 350 square foot deck today. He is drilling the holes, setting the sonotubes while it is near zero this afternoon, then insulating the sonotubes and putting down straw as insulation. So long as the concrete doesn't freeze in the first day or two, the footings will be good to go next week.

Most people don't realize that 3-4' down the ground is warmer. The liquid concrete draws heat from there as it sets, and also generates a little heat of it's own during the curing process--a chemical reaction.

They are busy putting footings in so that they can keep going for a while yet. So long as the ground is fairly warm we can plan footings for decks and fences.

Normally we can set footings for decks and fences in the Toronto, Barrie, Whitby and Niagara areas until about December 15.

What is a Sub-Contractor

What is a Sub-Contractor?

Carpentry Sub-Contractors are dependant upon others for their livelihood, and they are often not in a strong position to set their own pricing. They get the “Going Rate” for whatever their specialty is. Often akin to slave labor, as prices tighten up, so does their pay.

Woodwork and other types of Companies have been trending towards sub-contractors and contract positions to avoid offering benefits and the need to take deductions and remit them to the government. It allows them to offload many expenses like pension, benefits, unemployment, compensation etc.

They force the sub-contractor to get a compensation and legal clearance certificate prior to starting the job.

It is a fuzzy line to pinpoint the difference, but one thing for certain--being your average woodwork sub-contractor is not an enviable position to be in presently.

Governments have created new definitions that generally state that a sub-contractor that only works for one contractor or client is an employee.

Lets say that you have had a sub-contractor working pretty steadily for 3 years, but you really didn’t sign any contracts for each job. The sub-contractor just invoiced hourly, rather than spelling out any jobs and amount to be billed ahead of time. The sub-contractor didn’t actually work for any other contractors whether you knew it or not.

That sub-contractor is actually an employee in the eyes of the government.

They will hand you a bill for all the deductions and compensation that should have been paid on that employee.

GardenStructure.com doesn’t deal with sub-contractors and hasn’t for quite a few years.

We believe that a builder that has his name on the contract, his share of the profit and the pride of producing a work of art will always take more care and produce a better product than a sub-contract worker will.

Our builders on the whole get more referrals and produce more magazine quality work than any of our competitors do crew vs. crew.

We are presently gearing up for spring and do have areas available.

Click here for info about our Deck and Pergola Builders Group then get in touch with Lawrence Winterburn for more details at 888 293 8938.

Trends in The Deck Business 2008-2009

Deck Business Trends 2008 - 2009

2006’s Trend of using IPE for decks has crashed for the main reasons of quality and price. It doesn’t arrive kiln dried so it tends to crack and twist badly as it dries. We’ve seen some poor quality product retailed locally and it is extremely difficult to work with.

Apparently Ipe is on the list of endangered species so we have ceased using it at all.

Lighted post caps are a trend, however built in low voltage lighting seems to be a permanent part of the deck business.

When it comes to materials, Tigerdeck is the king of 2008. It is sustainably harvested from more than 40 countries and comes kiln dried with a warranty—yes, it is a hardwood and is expected to last 30 years on a typical platform.

There's a new product going by Envirowood "Heat Treated Lumber". Last time it was marketed as "SilvaWood". It is not new. They believe that by superheating pine lumber they can make it last longer out of doors. The heat treating makes it uninteresting to insects--however the glue that prevents moisture from penetrating (sap), gets burned up in the process. In effect you can successfully turn Jack Pine or Southern Yellow Pine into Poplar... which lasts only a year or two outside.

Composites are yesterday’s news in my opinion. Azek seems to be the best of the group, it used to be Pro-Cell before being bought by another company.

Brite closed it’s doors this spring due to cash flow problems, The Dexx plant burned down a couple of years back (they were making composite from recycled gas tanks), Xtendex was closed permanently last year and the in stock product was sold for pennies on the dollar. We expect a few others will do likewise due to a shrinking market for composite and increased operating costs.

Trex has issues with products made at their Arizona plant deteriorating prematurely, so they have set aside many millions for warranty replacement. “Weatherbest”—also has a serious problem with structural failure. They are proactively trying to seek out the defective product before injuries occur, so kudos to them for being so responsible.

Nevertheless composites are NO LONGER seen as “The” premium product in the business due to aging in a chalky and simulated way. Putting plastic or vinyl outside leads to deterioration—and there is just no way around that fact.

Pre-finishing of wood decks is a major trend again this year. When we can pre-finish red cedar and have it age more gracefully than composites at a competitive price to premium composites… and then refinish in 5 years and make it new again, folks understand the advantage.

Curves and Brows are a trend that won’t go away. Organic looking, free flowing decks will never go out of style. The decks we are designing today look very different than 10 years ago.

Built in Garden Areas have always been popular. Outdoor kitchens need herb gardens—trelliswork screens need a place to root vines.

Pergolas for shade and privacy are becoming much more popular, and this year we have a new product that mounts within the pergola to create total shade and is fully retractable. Made of stainless steel and aluminum mechanicals with a 12 year warranty, they also offer a motorized version with a remote. Sunbrella fabric helps it age gracefully and resist fading. You can now shelter a 16 x 20 area from rain in a single retractable under pergola awning.

We have designed these into a few projects so far—and will have good photography soon. These canopies will be very popular.

It is a challenging economy in many places--generally large cities and all of Canada are doing well--smaller communities in the US are generally having a time of it.

To get involved in GardenStructure.com call 888 293 8938

L

Watching the Competitors Build a Deck

I do love the internet.

With the click of a mouse I can watch a deck get built in real time by the competition. Trying to imagine why a 600 sf deck will take 3 weeks, but it certainly has me on the edge of my seat!

Here's the blog link to indulge with me.

L

Why can’t I get my contractor to call me back?

Contractors tend to be creative types so part of the artistic personality just doesn’t jive with a rigid schedule. Combined with the majority of clients making changes and adding to the job before it is finished and you find a few days of unscheduled work on a typical project.

Good contractors will call you back eventually if you have had past dealings with them. This being mid June—this is the busiest time of the year for outdoor specialists. Everyone wants their job done this summer, and if you were prudent in your planning you would have been shopping the job in December and January.

I heard another panicked announcement by a government think-tank the other day. They say we are heading for a trades shortage. I don’t know whether that is just hot air or whether that is actually a factor. I don’t see a shortage presently… our builders are booked about 2 months on average.

When it comes to small jobs like 3 sections of fence, or a 4x8 deck you will certainly have a rough time getting a contractor to commit.

Small jobs like these are the least efficient and least profitable. Think about it. When you build any fence you need to:

Travel to Visit the Site and chat with the potential client and return. (2 hours + Fuel)
Draw up the contract and sketch the job (1 Hour)
Do the Material Take off (15 mins)
Order materials (15 mins)
Organize your tools and go to the site (1 hour)
Mark the post locations (1 hour)
Have the posts dug and set (15 mins + Charge for post installation)
Drive to the site ( 30 mins)
Set up your tools (15 mins)
“Build” (3 hours)
Clean up your tools (15 mins)
Dispose of the garbage (1 hour+ Tip Fee)
Return to the shop (15 mins)

If the job is only 3 hours on site… that leaves a half-day inactive—because it is not very often two small jobs are close enough to do 2 in a day. The builder needs to be paid for the whole day to make the job happen. (+4 hours)

Now, if the job only takes 3 hours… what should the job be priced at to make it “Worth Doing”.

To do this 3 hour job the builder has spent 15 hours and likely $100 in fuel + materials
So, if you are wondering why that 3-hour job you are trying to get done has contractors asking for more than $1000 – You now understand why!


L

Illegal Labour in the Deck and Fence Business

Our last poll asked the question--what should be done. 55% said mass deportations. 25% said make them citizens. I am noticing a trend.

About 50% of our visitors are professional builders to this site. WE have all had to deal with it for many years now. Obviously in the US it has been a migration from the south. In Canada it has been from Eastern Europe. One of our largest competitors was here on a student's visa when he started his company.

Contractors are frustrated on both sides of the border.

If they are going to have to compete the competition should be on a level playing field. When people use indentured servants to get work done and charge less due to that advantage the legitimate builders get cheated.

In a Toronto Star article they stated that there was some 38,000 illegal workers in the construction trades in the Toronto Area in 2005 -- 125,000 illegal workers in total that year.

It is NOT their Fault.

They came here from a hostile economic circumstance. They will do anything to provide for their families.

Our governments and their communal inactivity are to blame--entirely.

I joined this trade in 1987 because there was a shortage in the trade. The government helped train folks to be carpenters--then threw them under the bus by not keeping the playing field level.

I guess that is why my game is so strong. I had to compete with all the new businesses--all the illegal labour and all the designers borrowing my details in the Toronto area.

Well, we now have about 8 builders in the Toronto Area that don't have to compete with illegals--(they aren't skilled enough to compete with us).

And there are also builders in Boston, Charleston, Virginia Beach, Tampa, Dallas and Los Angeles that are also setting themselves apart from the masses of builders just trying to make a living.

(get in touch with me for more info).

Just try to remember--in every economic season there are always people making money--the trick is to make sure they are your customers.

L

Final Word on Free Deck Designs

Our poll shows that nearly 50% of our visitors are homeowners looking for ideas. That means that the majority of contractors think that offering free designs is short sighted.

Who's idea was that?

When you are good at something you should get rewarded well for your efforts. When you are practicing your craft--sure, you are willing to do for the experience of doing.

In my case having my work showcased in numerous magazines, being emulated by Landscape Architects and Builders worldwide, (and shipping historical plans worldwide), being on TV, in Newspapers and having tens of thousands of websites pointing to us as the world's best means that we don't have to do design work for free.

Free deck plans?

The trouble is, if we offered free deck plans--that's all we'd have time to do.

The fact is, there are stores and companies that offer free deck designs and plans, however they normally turn out to be worth precisely what you pay.

Most of the time these "Free Deck Plans" are loaded into the cost of the materials (in the case of big box stores), and into the cost of the Deck that many companies offering free deck designs will high pressure sell you in your living room.

A Call to your local GardenStructure.com Deck Builder for a quote and for our input into how to improve your deck design ideas or to find out what options we can add to bring the deck design up to our level of detail will get you on the right track. Our Builders may have a token fee however I am confident you will find them knowledgeable and creative.

Our Deck Builders will always supply free quotations on decks or pergolas if you have deck designs already.

If you don't have plans and need design assistance and don't trust lesser builders to design your dream deck--you can contact Paul Corsetti at 416 455-5515 for complete landscape plans as well as structure and deck designs,

Or Lawrence Winterburn (Principal Designer for GardenStructure.com ) at 416 951 9998. Paul and I do charge for consultations and design work--but keep in mind we do it professionally. L

Starting A Deck, Fence or Pergola Company in 08

To view our article about "Starting a Deck Company" click

Best Places to Start a Deck or Fence Company in 2008
There are always locational factors to starting a deck, fence or pergola company. Economics have to be examined when deciding where to locate your company. Certain areas are on trend for a healthy economy going forward, Calgary Alberta, Waterloo Ontario, New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, DC, Connecticut, Washington State, Coastal Florida, San Diego, and most of California in the older cities still have strong markets for Deck and Fence Builders. There are about a thousand cities with healthy economies in the US that I have missed.

…Others may go through some economic pain yet, however we have proven that even in a slow economy we can help you sell more.

Every year there are hundreds of deck and fence companies starting businesses--they will usually sell on price because typically—that’s all they have to offer. When you are looking to compete you can either work for free (like them), or position yourself with us ( Deck Builder Group click for details )

There is another option - buy a franchise from a deck franchise company. Please don’t treat this as me telling you that you should buy a deck franchise, because some of the Deck Franchise Companies in business today may not make it through this recession. $50-100,000 is a lot to pay to have a boss.

I know of one Deck Franchise that has lost nearly 20 franchisees in the recent past. When they are fleeing in those numbers there are troubles.

Before you buy a deck franchise be aware that most countries mandate that they have to make available a list of past franchisees and their contacts so that you can contact them and get feedback.

Because of the economy more people will be fixing rather than moving. Housing prices will come back up, and everyone knows that they always have. The jobs may be a little smaller than in years of the strong economy but that doesn’t mean less profit—It will likely mean more referrals in fact!

This has been the longest winter in many years in Toronto—there’s 4 feet of snow in places and folks are calling to build fences and decks every day. There are still areas around Toronto Available, North York, Oakville, Orangeville-Caledon and Kitchener Waterloo.

Give me a call to get involved—and if you are looking for sub-contract or hourly work, get us resumes or summaries of experience soon.

Lawrence Winterburn
888 293 8938