Questions to Ask and Information to Get From Every Contractor
Bidding on Your Decks
As Developed By Bill Leys
We have provided here on this page a list of questions we suggest that you ask every contractor bidding your work. These questions are designed to help ferret out the pro's and cons of any deck coating you are considering and to winnow out contractors who may not be "playing ball". Need help in deciphering the answers you get? Click here to request our services in this important matter or see our Bid Analysis Services page for further information.
GET THE CONTRACTOR'S INFORMATION
Insurance Information-Liability/Workers Compensation/Automobile This information, except for auto coverage, can be verified at the above web address.
Can you name us an additional insured on your policy? If they can’t, they may not be insured on your type of job. Ask for a copy of their policy and make a point of looking at the exclusions portion of their policy. Many insurance companies won’t insure their client on HOA work.
Please provide at least 3-5 references on jobs that are 2 years or older that you have performed. This is important, as work recently completed isn’t likely to have any problems yet. Ask them if you can look at the jobs. Ask the references if they would have the company you are considering using work for them again.
DECK COATING QUESTIONS TO ASKWhat deck coating system are you proposing to install? They should provide you with a brand name.
Who is the contact person/sales representative who I would speak with at the manufacturer? Call that person and ask them for information using the questions below. Don’t be embarrassed to ask, there is no such thing as a stupid question.
Will that person come and inspect the job, write the specifications specific for the conditions and write the manufacturer’s warranty and inspect the job at it’s various stages?What other items may or will need to be replaced? Flashings, plywood substrate, drains and scuppers often need work too. Are these items addressed in the estimate to do the work?
Is there a need to slope the deck or minimize ponding issues? Decks need a ¼" per foot of fall to shed water. Some manufacturers do not allow any standing water on their coating. Sloping can be very costly, especially if door thresholds need to be raised.
INSTALLATION and CARE QUESTIONS TO ASKWhat restrictions are there on the product that you are proposing to install? Request a copy of the maintenance instructions and warranty. Ask the sales representative for this information. For example, some coatings restrict the use of clay or concrete pots. Do your residents have clay pots? One particular manufacturer even tells you that 2" caster cups need to be put under table and chair legs to protect their deck coating from being cut or indented!
Are there any odors that might be objectionable? Ask for the MSDS sheets that every manufacturer is required to maintain. These will tell you what hazards are associated with the material the contractor is proposing to install. Some of your residents might be susceptible to strong odors that result while material is curing. Some coating materials contain carcinogens, or agents that may or have been proven to cause cancer. These are issues you want to deal with ahead of time, not after when a major problem erupts because a resident is overcome by fumes.
Is the deck available to walk on before or after your normal work hours? You may have to relocate residents while the installation is being performed.
Is the proposed coating vulnerable to damage from tables and chair legs, grills, heavy items etc.? Most deck coatings carry a Class A fire rating. However, that doesn’t tell you that many are still very vulnerable to damage and high repair costs from something as simple as a hot coal that burns the coating.
Is the deck coating you are proposing breathable? Some coatings can trap water that gets underneath it, which, if the deck is not vented properly, can cause dryrot, mold and mildew or attract termites.
Does the old coating need to be removed first before applying the new coating? Additional and often significant costs will be incurred if the old coating needs to be removed.
Is the substrate in place now compatible with the new coating proposed? Pretty much every manufacturing company requires plywood as the substrate. Address this with the manufacturers sales representative, especially if you have OSB-Oriented Strand Board, make sure there will be a manufacturers warranty if you have OSB. Very significant costs will be incurred in the removal and replacement of substrate. This work may also affect the adjacent areas, stucco and wood siding, railings etc.WARRANTY and MAINTENANCE QUESTIONS TO ASKWhat is the warranty on your product and how long is it for? Typical warranties are for 3-5 years or more.
What am I required to do for maintenance under the terms of the warranty? Just like your car, in order to maintain your warranty certain maintenance must be done periodically.
How often do I need to reseal the topcoat? How much does that cost? These questions are important to ask because some deck coatings need much more frequent maintenance than others do, which will add additional costs to the overall cost of ownership. For example, some coatings need to be resealed every 2-3 years and some need resealing every 3-5 years. If one coating needs to be resealed every 3 years and the other coating every 5 years, there is a 40% difference in the maintenance cycle. This will help you compare the true overall costs of ownership.
Can I reseal the decks myself or is it required to have an authorized installer do it under the terms of the warranty? Some manufacturers require that the installer do the maintenance in order for your warranty to remain in effect. Others may not have that requirement. Significant costs can be incurred for normal maintenance if the installer must do it so you can maintain your warranty.
What could damage the deck coating? You may find that the deck coating you are considering can be burned, cut, damaged by heavy items, rot can occur if water is trapped against the surface by indoor-outdoor carpets/mats etc., all of these will probably require repairs by the contractor at extra cost.
This concludes our suggested questions you should ask every contractor you are considering using. We are sure that you’ll find more of your own questions to ask when you are interviewing your prospective contractors. Please feel free to call us and ask us the same questions, we gladly answer them all.
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