Carrying Out Building Work Around Your Home

If you have a young family and want to hire a contractor to build a deck on your property, it's important to make sure that the structure is family-friendly. Here are two ways to do this.

Build it at ground level

Many people prefer raised decks which are a metre or two above the ground, as the elevated position of the structure provides better views of the surrounding area.

However, if you have young children, it would be far more sensible to opt for a ground-level deck. The reason for this is as follows; if a child is playing unsupervised on a raised deck and they climb onto the railings, they could end up falling over the edge of the structure onto the ground. A fall like this could result in them breaking a bone or developing a major concussion.

Similarly, any items which are accidentally knocked over the railings of a raised deck could land on and injure your children if they are playing on the ground directly below the structure. Even something as small as a drinking glass could strike and badly hurt someone if it is dropped from a height.

As such, whilst it may not provide spectacular views, a ground-level deck is a far better choice if you want to ensure that your children can spend time on or near the deck without sustaining injuries.

Add integrated storage

It's worth asking your contractor to add integrated storage compartments to the deck during the construction process.

This integrated storage will serve two purposes. Firstly, it will provide you with a space for all of your barbecue equipment, gardening tools and children's outdoor toys. This, in turn, will ensure that the deck does not end up covered with clutter to such an extent that it becomes untidy looking or unusable.

Secondly, it will help to keep your outdoor items in good condition. These types of products tend to deteriorate rapidly when they are left outdoors for long periods of time; the constant exposure to rain, wind and UV rays can cause metal garden tools to corrode and lead to the discolouration and warping of plastic items (such as paddling pools and toys, for example).

Being able to safely stow these goods away when you're finished using them will keep them in good working order for longer, which will, in turn, spare you the cost and hassle of having to replace them prematurely.