Deck building and repair in Traverse City, Michigan

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your township or neighborhood and what you want built, or what's wrong with the deck you have.

2. We connect you

   Your call goes to an independent deck builder that works around Traverse City and Grand Traverse Bay.

3. They call you back

   The builder visits, measures, and quotes the job with you directly.

Who is this site for?

Homeowners in Traverse City, Garfield Township, the Old Mission Peninsula, Acme and the townships around them who want a new deck, need an old one repaired or rebuilt, want stairs and railings they can trust, or want a roof or screens so the deck works on rainy and buggy evenings. Traverse City had 15,678 residents at the 2020 census and sits at the head of the two arms of Grand Traverse Bay, with Garfield Township, the most populous municipality in northern Lower Michigan, wrapped around much of it. Houses here run from Victorian-era homes in the older neighborhoods near downtown to cottages on the water and new subdivisions out on the township roads, and each brings its own deck questions.

What can a deck builder do for you?

• Build a new deck. Treated framing on footings set below frost, with wood or composite boards on top, from a small landing at a slider to a two-level deck stepping down a slope toward the water. More on new decks.
• Install composite or PVC decking. Boards that skip the staining routine, on a new frame or a sound existing one. More on composite decking.
• Repair or rebuild a worn deck. Replace soft boards, fix a sagging beam or a ledger that's pulling away, or tear off the old deck and start fresh. More on deck repair.
• Rebuild railings and stairs. Guards and stair runs that meet the Michigan Residential Code and stay solid. More on railings and stairs.
• Add a roof or screens. Cover all or part of a deck, or screen it in, with posts and footings sized for snow on the roof. More on covered and screened decks.

What does a Grand Traverse winter do to a deck?

Snow is the big one. Cherry Capital Airport's 1991–2020 normals show roughly 100 inches of snow in an average year, and January by itself normally brings more than 40 inches, much of it lake-effect snow coming off Lake Michigan. January's daily mean is about 23°F. Here's how that adds up on a deck:

• Snow that sits for weeks. A deck that never gets shoveled carries a heavy, wet load all winter. Every sunny afternoon melts a little of it into board ends, joist tops and the gap behind the ledger.
• Water behind the ledger. When a ledger isn't flashed, that meltwater runs between the deck and the house, and the rim joist of the house can rot along with the deck.
• Freeze and thaw. Water that gets into checks and screw holes freezes, opens them wider and lets more in next time. Fasteners work loose the same way.
• Frost under shallow footings. Posts set on blocks or footings that stop short of frost depth can lift and drop, so a deck tilts or a stair separates by spring.
• Damp summers near the water. Decks under trees or facing the bay can stay wet, grow mildew and turn slick.

How can you tell a deck needs attention?

• Boards that flex, feel spongy or let a screwdriver sink in
• A railing post that moves when you lean on it
• Stairs that rock or have pulled away from the deck
• A deck that slopes more than it did last fall
• A gap opening between the ledger board and the house
• Rusted joist hangers, or nails and screws backing out
• Dark, soft wood around post bases or where the deck meets the siding

Do you need a permit for a deck in Traverse City?

Usually, and often from more than one office. In the City of Traverse City, the city handles land use and zoning permits and the Grand Traverse County Construction Code office issues the building permit. Garfield Township runs its own zoning and building departments, and townships such as Peninsula and Acme require their own land use permits on top of the building permit. Work near the bay, a lake or a stream can also trigger a soil erosion permit. The Traverse City deck guide lays out who does what.

Wood or composite near the bay?

Both can last if the frame underneath is built right. Treated wood costs less to start and is easy to patch, but around here expect to clean and reseal it on a schedule. Composite and PVC cost more up front and skip the stain, though shaded decks near the water can still collect mildew on the surface. Either way the boards sit on treated lumber framing, so footings, ledger flashing and joist protection matter as much as the surface. Ask the builder how each option would do on your deck's exposure.

When should you call a deck builder?

Earlier than seems necessary. Footings can't be dug in frozen ground, and summer is short this far north, so most deck work happens between spring thaw and late fall. Permits may need sign-off from a township or city zoning office before the county reviews the building plans, and builders' calendars fill quickly once the snow is gone. Calling in winter leaves time for design, material choices and permits so the crew can start when the ground is ready.

Are you a deck company?

No. Traverse City Decks is a referral service. We pass your call to an independent builder who serves your address, and that builder designs, prices, builds and warranties the work. Read our tips for hiring a deck builder before you sign anything.

Areas we cover

• Traverse City
• Garfield Township
• Old Mission Peninsula
• Acme

Planning ahead? Read our Traverse City deck guide.