Home Decks Add Value and Style to Your Life

by Mary Butler

It's easy to envision yourself barbequing and relaxing on a new home deck. But like so many other home improvement projects you dream about, you're not going to do it unless building a deck is a good investment. In this case it's hard to go wrong: home decks garner a return of between 85 and 100 percent, depending on where you live, according to the North American Deck and Railing Association.

For about $11,000 on average--a fraction of the cost of building new rooms-- you can add ample living space where your family and friends will gather for years to come. By installing a new deck, you gain an outdoor room perfect for entertaining and unwinding while adding value and style to your home.

Enjoy Your Outdoor Space
Decks provide a great way to spend more time outdoors, whether you live in a big city or on acres of land in the country. Just step outside onto your new deck, and you have a wonderful place grow herbs in containers, view your garden, watch your kids play, or just sit with a mug of tea and the morning paper. A home deck is an oasis right outside your door.
The next time you throw a party, consider how wonderful it'd be to have guests flowing in and out of the house. Home decks provide the perfect place for a barbeque. People love to socialize in the fresh air, especially on a lovely afternoon or warm evening.

Decks Suit Every Lifestyle
Perhaps you'd like an expansive deck made of gleaming cedar or a no frills, easy-to-care for deck made of recycled plastic and wood. Maybe you've got an especially challenging space in which to build or you have a very specific use in mind for your new deck. Whatever your needs are, they can easily be met. The first step in building your ideal deck is to outline your expectations and determine whether this is a project you can undertake yourself or if you'd like to hire someone to do the job for you. A licensed contractor can guide you from concept through creation and help you determine a realistic budget, choose the best materials for your climate, and create a workable design for your lifestyle and space so you can begin enjoying and benefitting from your new deck as soon as possible.

Source:
North American Deck and Railing Association
Remodeling Cost Vs Value 2007