# New Look Deck Co > Deck builder in Lakeland, FL. We build, repair, and resurface decks across Lakeland and the surrounding Polk County area, using materials sized for Florida heat and rain. ## Contact - Phone: (863) 264-0363 - Quote request: https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/contact - Hours: Open 7 days, 8am to 8pm ## Service area - Lakeland, FL - Kissimmee, FL - Winter Haven, FL - Plant City, FL - Bartow, FL - Haines City, FL - Zephyrhills, FL - Lake Wales, FL - Auburndale, FL - Davenport, FL - Mulberry, FL ## Services - **Deck Installation**: We frame new decks with pressure-treated joists set 16 inches on center, sized to the span and load the design calls for. - **Deck Repair**: Rotted joists, sagging beams, and loose ledger boards are the three things that show up most on deck repair calls in this area. - **Deck Staining & Sealing**: Florida sun breaks down wood fiber and UV inhibitors faster than most climates, so a deck that isn't sealed every couple of years will gray and split. - **Custom Deck Design**: We'll draw up a layout with the levels, stairs, and railing style you want, and size the framing to match before submitting for permit. - **Composite Decking Installation**: Composite boards like Trex and TimberTech don't rot or splinter, and they hold up better than wood against Central Florida humidity. - **Deck Railing Installation & Repair**: Florida code calls for guardrails at 36 inches minimum on most residential decks, with balusters spaced so a 4-inch sphere can't pass through. - **Deck Resurfacing**: If your frame is still solid but the boards are cupped, splintering, or gray, we can strip off the old decking and lay new boards on the existing structure. - **Deck Framing & Structural Repair**: We handle the structural side, joist hangers, beams, posts, and footings, when a deck feels bouncy or a corner has started to sag. - **Screened-In Deck & Porch Additions**: A lot of homeowners want their deck screened in to cut down on mosquitoes and afternoon sun without losing the outdoor feel. - **Pool Deck Installation**: Pool decks take more water and pool chemical exposure than a standard deck, so we use materials and fasteners rated for that. ## Pages - [Home](https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/): overview of the business and the work it does - [Services](https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/services): every service, with what each job involves - [About](https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/about): who runs it and how it works - [Contact](https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/contact): quote form and service area - [Our Work](https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/gallery): photographs of completed jobs - [Blog](https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/blog): practical guides on deck builder work - [10 Things to Check Before a Deck Build in Lakeland](https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/blog/10-things-to-check-before-a-deck-build-in-lakeland) - [What a New Deck Actually Costs in Lakeland, FL](https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/blog/what-a-new-deck-actually-costs-in-lakeland-fl) - [How to Choose a Deck Builder in Lakeland, FL](https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-deck-builder-in-lakeland-fl) - [Best Time of Year to Build a Deck in Lakeland](https://lakelanddeckbuilder.com/blog/best-time-of-year-to-build-a-deck-in-lakeland) ## Common questions ### How much does a new deck cost? A basic pressure-treated deck around 200 to 300 square feet typically costs less than composite decking of the same size, with price driven mostly by material choice, deck height, and railing style. Multi-level designs, built-in stairs, and screened enclosures add to that number, so an exact figure comes from a site visit and a written quote. ### Are you licensed and insured? Deck construction work is covered by general liability insurance and the contractor licensing Florida requires for this type of build. Certificates of insurance are available on request before work starts. ### How soon can you start my deck project? Start dates depend on permit approval time through the local building department and current job backlog, but most deck projects can begin within a few weeks of a signed quote. Smaller repair jobs usually move faster since they don't require a full permit review. ### Do you build decks outside Lakeland? Deck construction and repair covers Lakeland and the surrounding Polk County towns within about a 50-mile radius, including Winter Haven, Auburndale, and Bartow. Jobs further out are handled case by case depending on travel time. ### Do you build on mobile homes or only site-built houses? Decks get built on single-family homes, mobile and manufactured homes, and rental properties, though manufactured homes sometimes require extra engineering on the ledger attachment since there's no traditional wall framing to bolt into. ### Can you handle a small deck repair, not just full builds? Small repairs like a rotted board, a loose stair stringer, or a wobbly railing post get handled without a minimum job size. A lot of repair calls end up quicker and cheaper than the homeowner expected once the damage is isolated to one area. ### How do I get a quote for my deck project? Getting a quote starts with a call or a site visit to look at the yard, measure the space, and talk through decking material and layout. A written estimate follows within a few days, broken down by material and labor. ### What's included in the price on a deck quote? A deck quote breaks out lumber or composite decking cost, footings and framing hardware, railing, and labor as separate line items. Permit fees, when required, are usually listed separately since they're set by the county, not by the contractor. ### Do you require a deposit before starting? A deposit is standard on deck jobs to cover material ordering, typically a percentage of the total due before lumber or composite decking is purchased. The remaining balance is due on completion, not before. ### What happens if it rains during the build? Florida's summer storms can push a deck build back a day or two, mainly around pouring concrete footings and staining or sealing, since both require dry conditions to cure and set properly. Framing work often continues under a light rain, but finishing work waits for a clear window. ### Do I need a permit for a new deck? Most decks in Polk County over 30 inches above grade require a building permit, along with an inspection of the footings before decking goes down and a final inspection at completion. Ground-level decks under that height sometimes skip the permit requirement, but it depends on the specific jurisdiction. ### How long does it take to build a deck? A standard single-level deck around 300 square feet usually takes one to two weeks from the first footing dug to the final board installed, weather and permit inspections allowing. Multi-level decks, screened additions, or custom railing designs can add another week or more. ### Can a deck be built to a set budget? Decking material is the biggest lever on price, so a budget conversation upfront usually means adjusting between pressure-treated lumber, mid-range composite, and premium PVC boards to land on a number. Simplifying railing style or reducing square footage are the other two places cost comes out. ### What kind of guarantee comes with deck work? Workmanship on framing, decking installation, and railing is covered under warranty for a set period after completion, and manufacturer warranties on composite or PVC decking apply separately and are usually longer. Details are spelled out in the written quote before work starts. ### Who do I deal with once the deck project starts? One point of contact handles scheduling and any changes once a deck project is underway, so questions don't get lost between a crew and an office. That same person walks the finished deck with the homeowner before calling the job done. ### What decking material should I choose? Pressure-treated pine is the cheapest option and requires re-staining every one to three years in Florida sun. Composite and PVC decking cost more upfront, resist rot and fading, and require nothing beyond an occasional wash, which usually makes them the better long-term buy in this climate. ### Can I still use my yard while a deck is being built? Most of a yard stays usable during construction since work is concentrated in the footprint of the deck itself, but the area right around the build site has to stay clear for equipment and material staging. Pets and kids are best kept away from that zone until framing is complete and nail guns are put away for the day. ### What should I do to prepare the site before work starts? Clearing furniture, grills, and potted plants off the existing deck or patio area, and moving vehicles away from the driveway if materials are being delivered by truck, speeds up the first day considerably. Nothing structural requires prep work on the homeowner's end, that part gets handled during the framing stage. ### What happens if rot or damage turns up once the old deck comes down? Hidden rot in ledger boards, support posts, or the house framing behind an old deck sometimes only becomes visible once the old structure is torn out. When that happens, it gets flagged immediately with photos and a cost estimate before any further work continues, rather than getting covered up under the new deck. ### How should a finished deck be maintained? Pressure-treated wood decks need a wash and a fresh coat of sealer every one to two years to handle Florida sun and rain. Composite decking just needs a periodic hose-down and a check that fasteners and railing connections haven't loosened, which takes a few minutes a season. ### How long have you been building decks? Deck construction and repair experience comes from years of general carpentry and framing work before specializing specifically in decks, which means the framing and structural side gets extra attention rather than just the visible decking surface. ### Do you use your own crew or subcontractors? Deck framing, decking installation, and railing work are handled by the same crew on every job rather than being split off to subcontractors, which keeps one team accountable for how the ledger, footings, and decking all fit together. ### Can I see examples of past deck work? Photos of completed deck projects, including framing shots taken before the decking went down, are available on request, since the framing stage is where the quality of a deck actually gets decided. ### Why hire a smaller deck builder instead of a large contracting company? A smaller deck-building operation means the person who quotes the job is usually the same person checking the footings and walking the finished deck, instead of a project getting handed between a sales rep, an estimator, and a rotating crew. ### Where is your deck business based? Deck construction and repair work is based in Lakeland, Florida, and covers Polk County and the surrounding towns within roughly a 50-mile radius. ### How far in advance do I need to book a deck project? Availability depends on the season, since spring and early summer are the busiest months for deck construction in Central Florida ahead of pool season. Booking a few weeks out is typical, though repair jobs often get worked in sooner. ### Do you clean up the job site when the deck work is done? Old decking, scrap lumber, sawdust, and packaging from composite boards all get hauled off the property at the end of a deck project, not left in a pile for the homeowner to deal with. ### What happens if something on my property gets damaged during the work? General liability insurance covers accidental property damage that happens during a deck construction or repair project, whether that's a sprinkler line hit while digging a footing or damage to landscaping near the work area. ### Will you finish a deck that another contractor started or abandoned? Picking up a deck project that another contractor left unfinished is common, and it starts with an inspection of what's already built, since framing done to a different standard sometimes has to come apart before new work continues safely. ### How can I tell deck work is being done correctly while it's in progress? Footing depth, joist spacing, and ledger board flashing are the three things a homeowner can ask to see before decking boards cover them up, since those are the parts of a deck that cause problems years later if done wrong and can't be checked once the surface is on. --- Last updated 2026-08-12.