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With summer soon approaching us, now is the perfect time to install some decking in your garden, ready to sit out and lap up the sunshine or socialise with friends with a glass of Pimms. Before you do, though, it is important to find the right kind of decking for your needs, as well as do your research on the different decking companies out there so that you choose the right one to install yours.
In this guide, we’ve listed the key things you should look out for and consider when looking for decking installers, so that you know you’re getting the best service for the best price. Read on below to learn more.
Before choosing a company to install your decking, you should first think about the kind of decking that you want. If you’re adamant on having natural wooden decking in your garden, then a company that specialises in modern uPVC plastic decking won’t be for you. In saying that, however, we recommend that you strongly consider either uPVC or composite decking.
Not only does composite decking give the same aesthetic appeal as timber, but it is much more durable and long-lasting, requiring minimal maintenance on your end since they don’t require water protection, restaining or repainting! They’re also an environmentally friendly option, since they are predominantly made from recycled or scrap materials, rather than requiring fresh lumber.
Regardless of which type of decking is your preference, finding a company that not only sells but specialises in this type means that they are likely to be much more knowledgeable on this type of decking. As such, they will be better equipped to offer you advice and assistance regarding any queries you may have, and will know how to properly install the decking to a good standard. They will likely have a wider range of colours and styles for you to choose from, also, so there’s no need for you to compromise on aesthetic!
Similar to the last point, you’ll want reassurance that the company you are intending to choose has a range of decking sizes and can fit the decking according to your size requirement, whether that be covering a large or small area.
Often, reliable and professional companies will invite you to enquire about their decking services as an initial form of contact, so that you can discuss your requirements with them then they will be able to let you know if they can meet all of these.
If you go to someone asking about their decking services and say that they’ll be able to do the job without discussing it thoroughly with you first, then this is more likely to be a cause for concern, since they may be trying to earn some quick money off you without reflecting this in their work. On the other hand, a reputable company will be transparent regarding what they can do for you, how realistic your requirements are and offer solutions to anything that is not feasible and will provide a quote based on these factors before completing any work.
Speaking of reputable companies, these are exactly what you should be looking for. Look at a range of local decking installers and do your research to see what their reputation is like. Do they have a professional website? Are they well-known in the area? Ask around to see if anyone you know has used their services or knows anyone who has – what are their thoughts? What do reviews say?
Finding the answer to all these questions will give you a good idea on the reliability of a company and offer you reassurance regarding their capabilities.
Remember, when looking for reviews, ensure that you are looking on trustworthy websites (such as Google Reviews) so you know that you are reading reviews from real customers, rather than those that have been faked or a select few positive ones that have been chosen to be shown, whilst any negative reviews may have been hidden (as can occasionally happen when looking on a company’s own website due to bias).
Whether a company has been trading for multiple years or only a few, you’ll want reassurance that they still have experience in the trade. There are a few ways in which you can find this out.
Firstly, you can simply ask decking installers what their credentials are and about their experience in the trade. Most will be happy to oblige to this and answer you substantially whilst providing evidence to support this, since they will be more than happy to reassure a potential customer (especially if they have nothing to hide).
In addition to this, you can also look to see if they have a gallery on their website to showcase their previous work. This will allow you to see the types of projects that they have completed, the perceived quality of their work and how well these seem to align with the requirements you have for your own decking.
Most decking installers like to show off their previous experience and their skills to prospective customers, since many people are convinced by visual aid in allowing them to see what kind of results they could expect to see, so this shouldn’t be an issue to find out if the company does have the ample experience they say they do.
As with any service provided by an individual or company, pricing is important. You want to ensure that you are receiving fair, transparent prices for the service that’s being provided. Most decking installers will offer you a free, no obligation quote before completing any work for you.
All you need to do is tell them what sort of decking you would like, the general size of the area you are looking to cover, how raised you would like it to be, if you would like any rails/fencing to surround it etc., then they will use this information to generate an initial quote for you so that you aren’t faced with any unexpected costs later down the line.
It may also be a good idea to compare prices with multiple companies, even if you already intend to go with a particular one, as this will allow you to check that you aren’t being significantly overcharged before it’s otherwise too late. Similarly, it will allow you to check that you aren’t been significantly undercharged, as paying a cheaper price than the work seems to be worth can be seen to be suspicious and may reflect the quality of the end result or suggest that some steps will be skipped.
Although when you’re looking to choose a decking installer you’ll be predominantly looking at, well, decking, it is still recommended to see what other services they offer. For example, some decking installers, such as Fitrite, also offer fencing or balustrades in addition to decking, which can be useful if you decide that you’d additionally like to have these in your garden as you wouldn’t have to find a separate company to do this.
Furthermore, by offering other, additional garden-related services such as these, it suggests that a company is knowledgeable and well-versed in how these different aspects of garden design work both individually and together, enabling them to help you find the best solutions to your needs with expertise and precision.
If you’re in the market for high-quality residential decking for your garden, then Fitrite has what you need. Our decking supplies are unmatched in quality and reliability, being low maintenance, durable and health and safety accredited, being made to British Standards.
Are you environmentally-conscious? Then our decking works excellently for you, too. Our eco-friendly decking boards are made from 100% recycled materials, making them sustainably sourced whilst allowing them to be reused in the future, so you can ensure that you are spending your money ethically with us.
For more information about our products and services, or to obtain your free quote, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team today and we’ll get back to you promptly.
