Deck, Porch & Remodeling FAQs

A useful price starts with the size, height, materials, and work included. Demolition, footings, stairs, railings, site access, and repairs can change the total as much as the walking surface. Ask for an estimate for your property rather than applying a general price range to a different design.

Our Minnesota deck cost guide explains the main cost drivers. For ways to simplify the scope, see deck ideas for a smaller budget.

Yes. Share your address, photos, approximate dimensions, and whether you want a new build, replacement, or repair. Describe how you want to use the space, the features you consider essential, and any preferred completion window. Photos of the underside and house connection are useful for an existing deck.

Use the free project estimate form to start the conversation. Site conditions and final selections still need to be reviewed before the scope is settled.

Compare the work included, not just the final number. Check demolition and disposal, structural work, exact decking and railing products, stairs, permit responsibilities, and allowances. Ask which items are excluded and how a change to the scope would be priced before agreeing to the work.

Use our deck estimate comparison checklist to organize the questions you want answered.

We start by discussing what you want to build and reviewing the property and existing conditions. The next steps are defining the scope, reviewing selections and the estimate, and planning the work. Confirm access, material storage, pets, and any areas of the yard or home you need to keep available before construction.

Our project process explains the stages in more detail. Raise questions about responsibilities or changes while the scope is being developed.

Separate the planning period from the time spent building on site. Design decisions, permit review, material availability, and the construction schedule come before or alongside site work. During the build, weather, inspections, and hidden damage can affect progress. A porch with a roof, enclosure, and interior work has a different scope from replacing deck boards.

Ask for a proposed start window, expected construction duration, and the steps that must happen first. Confirm the current schedule for your project rather than treating a general estimate as a guaranteed completion date.

Some work can be planned or completed in colder months, but the task and site conditions matter. Frozen ground, snow access, footing work, and the temperature requirements of products can limit outdoor construction. Ask which parts of your project are suitable for the season and which should wait.

For an existing deck, our winter preparation guide covers cleaning, drainage, and material-specific care. Interior remodeling may also be worth discussing during colder months; availability must be confirmed.

Brewer Built is based in Minnetonka and serves the southwest Twin Cities metro. Share the project address so we can confirm whether the location and work fit the current service area.

Browse our cities and local projects, including Minnetonka, Wayzata, Carver, and Eden Prairie. Each city page shows the services and project information currently available for that area.

Wood offers natural grain and can have a lower initial material cost, but needs ongoing care and periodic finishing. Composite and PVC reduce the need for staining; they still need cleaning and installation suited to the product. Compare the exact boards for appearance, maintenance, sun exposure, and warranty conditions.

Explore our decking material options and deck surface comparison guide. Ask to review samples outdoors before finalizing color and texture.

No. Composite still needs cleaning, clear drainage gaps, and care that follows the manufacturer’s instructions. Leaves, spills, and trapped moisture should not be left in place. Surface temperature and traction vary with the product, color, weather, and sun exposure.

Use the selected product’s cleaning and snow-removal instructions. A low-maintenance surface does not remove the need to check the framing, stairs, and railings underneath and around it.

Yes, if the supporting structure is suitable for reuse. The footings, posts, beams, joists, ledger connection, and flashing need to be evaluated before new boards are installed. Replacing the surface will not correct rot, movement, weak connections, or framing that is incompatible with the new decking.

Read when resurfacing or replacement makes sense. Our Edina extension and resurfacing project shows one documented approach; it is not evidence that another deck’s framing can be retained.

Movement, soft or deteriorated wood, loose railings, damaged stairs, leaning posts, and separation where the deck meets the house all deserve attention. The cause matters: a new board or railing may hide a connection or water-management problem without correcting it. Avoid using an area that feels unstable until it has been assessed.

We evaluate repair and rebuild options as part of our deck construction and replacement work. Photos help start the discussion, but cannot establish structural condition on their own.

Sometimes. The deck edge, posts, blocking, and connections must be able to support the proposed railing system. A sound-looking surface alone does not establish that the attachment points are suitable. Stairs may also need separate graspable handrails and appropriate transitions.

See our deck railing services and wood, aluminum, cable, and glass railing comparisons. The final layout and attachments must meet the applicable requirements.

A designed drainage system can direct water away from the area below an elevated deck. An ordinary deck surface is not a waterproof roof. System selection depends on access to the framing, water discharge, maintenance access, and any lighting or other equipment planned below.

Our under-deck drainage guide compares approaches. Discuss this early: some systems are installed above the joists before the deck boards go down.

Ask for the written coverage for both the selected products and the construction work. Confirm what each covers, exclusions, maintenance requirements, and whom to contact with a concern. Product warranties and a builder’s workmanship or structural commitments are different.

Keep the agreed scope, product information, and care instructions together. Confirm the applicable written terms for your project rather than assuming a general warranty statement covers every component.

A screen porch provides an open-air space with insect protection, but does not maintain indoor temperatures. A three-season enclosure offers more weather protection without necessarily providing year-round comfort. A four-season room needs an appropriate insulated enclosure and a plan for heating, cooling, and its connection to the house.

Compare three-season rooms and screened porches, or explore four-season porch design considerations. The name alone does not tell you how a proposed room will perform.

Possibly, after the structure and connection to the house are evaluated. A roof, walls, and enclosure add requirements that the original deck may not have been designed to support. Footings, framing, roof drainage, and the relationship to existing windows and doors all need review.

Read our deck-to-screen-porch planning guide and see our screen porch services. Do not assume that adding screens and a roof is only a finish change.

That may be possible if the future use is considered in the original design. Enclosing an open porch can change foundation, structural, energy, and mechanical requirements. A screen porch should not be assumed ready for year-round use simply because windows can fit between its posts.

Tell us about the long-term plan before the initial scope is set. Compare the work needed now with what would have to be replaced or upgraded later.

Start with the connection to the home and the intended use: dining, quiet seating, or daily family space. Check door swings, furniture clearances, daylight, rooflines, and how people will move between the house, porch, and yard. These decisions are easier to resolve before selecting finishes.

Our porch construction services cover three- and four-season options. Bring photos and a short list of the activities the room needs to support.

Many new decks, attached structures, porch additions, and structural changes require permits. The requirements depend on the proposed work and the local jurisdiction; a small project is not automatically exempt. Replacement work can also require review.

Start with our building permit resources and confirm the scope with the local building department. The Minnesota residential deck guidance describes common permit triggers, but does not replace review of your site.

Brewer Built handles the permit process for its projects when permits are required. Plans and supporting information are reviewed, and the city identifies the inspections needed for the approved work. Discuss any documents you need to provide before construction is scheduled.

Inspections may need to happen before parts of the structure are covered. Permit review and inspections are separate stages, so allow for both in the project plan.

Do not assume the existing location automatically allows the proposed project. Setbacks, easements, lot coverage, and the design of the new work can affect what is permitted. An extension or enclosure may be reviewed differently from a surface replacement.

Share any survey, site plan, association requirements, or known easements early. Confirm restrictions with the city and any applicable association before finalizing the layout.

You can explore financing through Hearth using Brewer Built’s financing link. Review the options and current terms directly with the provider; availability and approval are not guaranteed. Decide on the project scope and compare the total borrowing cost as well as any payment amount.

Visit Hearth financing information (opens in a new tab). Questions about eligibility, rates, fees, credit checks, or financing only part of a project should go to the provider.

Review the written payment schedule and change process for your project before signing. Ask what is due, when payments are due, and how changes to selections or unexpected repair work will be documented and priced. The agreed scope should make included work and exclusions clear.

Ask which payment methods are accepted and how payments are tied to project milestones. Keep a copy of the agreed terms with your estimate.

Yes. Brewer Built offers window and door replacement, including entry and patio door projects. The opening needs to be evaluated for water damage, fit, and the finish work around it. A replacement can involve more than the unit itself, especially where existing trim or framing needs attention.

See our window and door replacement services. Share photos and the number and type of openings when describing the project.

Yes, Brewer Built takes on select kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects. Describe the rooms, layout changes, finishes, and whether plumbing or electrical work is involved so the scope and current availability can be discussed. A targeted update and a full remodel need different planning.

Explore our kitchen and bath remodeling services and contact us about the work you have in mind.