Start with the site, then the material
Around Columbia, that means accounting for the clay-to-sandhills soil transition, drainage on a rolling lot, footing depth, ledger attachment, guard and stair code, and how material gets moved through a historic in-town yard or a newer suburban one.
Build a complete scope
- Soil type and drainage pattern for the specific lot
- Protection of landscaping and existing structures
- Material grade and hardware compatibility
- Permit filing, inspection scheduling, and site cleanup
- Warranty terms and how any change order is priced
Columbia context
Three local conditions shape how long a deck lasts here, and none of them is the framing plan. Mature pines are the first: they shade a deck surface so it dries slowly after the region's heavy summer storms, and they drop needles that pack into board gaps and hold moisture against the wood all season. Humid Midlands heat is the second, and it is why material choice carries more weight in South Carolina than in a drier climate -- along with termite pressure, which is high across the state and makes ground clearance details worth getting right the first time. The third is what the footings sit in. Near the fall line a lot can be clay, sand, or both, and the two demand different footing decisions -- clay heaves and holds water, sand offers less lateral resistance -- so the soil should be established before the post layout is set.