Deck Builder in Augusta, ME
Kenneth Cox Construction works as a deck builder in Augusta, ME on lots where the ground falls away from the house, and we have been framing that kind of deck since 1988.
- 38 years in business, since 1988
- Over 250 projects completed
- Affordable work, two-year written warranty
Augusta yards tend to fall away toward the Kennebec, so a back door that sits two steps up at the front of the house can end up eight or ten feet above grade out back. That single fact changes the whole deck. Kenneth Cox Construction has been framing raised decks in Kennebec County since 1988.
At two feet up, a deck is a platform. At eight feet it behaves like a small building: long posts that need lateral bracing, guard rails with real load requirements, and a stair run that has to land somewhere sensible on ground that keeps dropping. Ken prices that structure in from the start, not halfway through.
A good share of our Augusta work is tearing out older raised decks that were never braced properly. Every deck we build comes with a written 2-year workmanship warranty, and the City of Augusta requires a building permit for structural work, so plan on an inspection.
Why Augusta Residents Hire Us for Their Deck Build
Ken has been building decks in Kennebec County since 1988, and a fair number of our jobs have been replacing raised decks that were never braced properly in the first place.
We are BBB accredited and every deck we build carries a written 2-year workmanship warranty.
Get a deck estimate for your Augusta home
Size, material, height off the ground. Answer those and we can price it properly.
What other contractor services do we offer in Augusta?
Where do we work besides Augusta?
Where is our shop?
Directions from Augusta, ME to our shop in Searsmont
128 New England RoadSearsmont, ME 04973
What Deck Services Do We Offer in Augusta?
Our Augusta deck work covers the complete structure, not just the boards you see when the job is done. The scope can include:
- Deck design and layout planning
- Footings and framing
- Wood deck construction and replacement
- Composite/PVC deck construction and replacement
- Railing installation
- Stairs and landings
- Freestanding decks
- Multi-level decks
What is our Augusta deck building process?
Get your free quote
Ken measures the drop from the door to grade, because that single number drives most of the design.
We bring your project to life
Footings, framing, decking, railing, stairs and inspection are all handled from one office.
Enjoy your new space
Finished on the agreed date with two years of warranty in writing.
Why are we an affordable deck builder in Augusta, ME?
We are an affordable deck builder in Augusta, ME because we build the structure the height actually calls for. At two feet off the ground a deck is essentially a platform, and at eight feet it is a building that has to be engineered like one.
Posts get longer and therefore want lateral bracing, guard rails have real requirements, and the stair run needs somewhere sensible to land on a slope that keeps moving away from you.
None of that is difficult. It is simply more structure than most people expect when they ask for a deck, and it belongs in the price from the beginning rather than appearing halfway through.
Augusta drains toward the river, which means a lot of back yards drop. A door that is two steps above grade at the front of the house can be eight or ten feet up at the back, and that changes the deck entirely.
Ken designs for the height you actually have rather than the deck you pictured, and everything we build carries a 2-year workmanship warranty from a BBB accredited company.
Most of our Augusta deck clients have a walk-out or a raised back door and a yard that slopes away from it, and no usable flat outdoor space at all.
Others are replacing something built two decades ago that has started to feel springy underfoot, which on a tall deck is worth taking seriously rather than living with.
We carry the whole build, from design and the permit through Augusta Code Enforcement to footings, framing, composite or wood decking, railing and stairs, and the final inspection.
On a raised deck it also means the lateral connection back to the house, because a tall deck that is only fastened in one direction is the classic way these structures fail.
We build decks across Augusta, from the streets climbing away from the Kennebec waterfront to the newer neighborhoods running out toward Windsor and Chelsea.
The steeper hill lots produce the tallest decks, while the flatter ground near the river brings different questions about how wet the footing holes will be.
You should book an Augusta deck for the stretch between the thaw and the freeze, because footings have to be dug and poured while the ground is open.
The good slots go early, so a deck you want to use in July is a conversation to have in February rather than in May.
Building a deck in Augusta is different because of height. A raised deck needs bracing, proper guard construction and a stair that works on a slope, and all three are structural rather than cosmetic decisions.
The second is the footings. Deck posts here go below frost depth exactly as a foundation does, and on a hillside the depth is measured from the downhill side rather than the uphill one.
The third is the attachment. The ledger board carrying a tall deck has to be fastened and flashed properly into sound framing, and on Augusta's much-altered older houses that framing is not always where you would expect it.
Get those three right and a raised deck lasts decades. Get any one wrong and it is the kind of failure that makes the news.
Ask how they intend to brace the posts and attach the ledger, and treat a vague answer as the warning it is on a deck this high.
Ask for the warranty in writing too, and look the company up yourself on the Better Business Bureau before anyone starts digging.
A deck costs in Augusta what its actual structure costs rather than a rate per square foot. A tall braced deck and a low platform of identical size are not comparable builds.
Ken measures the drop, works out the footings and the stairs, and quotes the real thing, which is why the number holds.
What do Augusta homeowners ask about deck building?
Do I need a permit for a deck in Augusta?
You generally do need a permit for a deck in Augusta, particularly for anything attached or raised. We file it and handle the inspection as part of the job.
My deck bounces. Is that dangerous?
A deck that bounces is not always dangerous and it is always worth looking at. Bounce is usually a framing span issue, and on a raised deck it can indicate something more serious.
How deep do the posts go?
The posts go deep enough to sit below the frost line, always. On a sloping lot we measure that from the low side rather than averaging it.
Can I get stairs down to the yard?
You can almost always get stairs down to the yard, though on a steep lot it may want a landing partway. That is a design decision worth making early.
Multi-Level and Raised Deck Construction
Raised decks are the right answer on Augusta lots that fall away from the back door, but only when the post bracing, ledger connection, guard system, and stair landing are treated as one structure. We do not shrink those parts to force a tall deck into a low-platform budget.
What happens when you call us about Augusta?
What happens when you call us about an Augusta deck is that we measure the drop behind the house. It decides most of what a deck will cost and it takes about ten minutes to do properly.
Ken will do that at no charge and tell you what is realistic. He is on 207-386-9235.