Replacement deck, pressure-treated
$17,000 – $28,000
Roughly 250–350 square feet on new frost-depth footings, with a wood rail and stairs. Tear-out and disposal of the old deck included.
← Everything we build
Decks and outdoor living in Crystal Lake, IL.
Most decks in this area were built in the nineties to the minimum the code allowed, and they are now at the end of their lives. What replaces them doesn't have to be a rectangle of pressure-treated boards — it can be the room your family actually spends the summer in.
- Typical range
- $17,000 – $120,000+
- On site
- 2–5 weeks
- Booking out
- 3–10 weeks
What's included
What your deck project includes.
- Full tear-out and replacement of failing decks
- Composite, PVC, and cedar decking with hidden fastener systems
- Multi-level decks, wrap-arounds, and second-story decks with stairs
- Cable, aluminum, and composite railing systems
- Pergolas, covered porches, and roofed outdoor rooms
- Built-in benches, planters, privacy screens, and skirting
- Outdoor kitchens, fire features, and low-voltage deck lighting
- Screened porches and three-season rooms
Before you commit
What to plan for before you start.
- How the deck attaches to the house — the ledger is where old decks fail
- Frost-depth footings, which in McHenry County means 42 inches
- Whether the village requires a permit and an inspection (most do)
- Composite versus wood, which is a maintenance decision more than a cost decision
- Where the sun actually is at 6pm in July, and whether you need cover
What it costs
Deck pricing, in the open.
Composite deck
$28,000 – $50,000
The same footprint in composite or PVC decking with hidden fasteners, a picture-frame border, and an aluminum or cable railing system.
Outdoor living build
$50,000 – $120,000+
Multi-level or covered construction with a pergola or roof, built-in seating, an outdoor kitchen, a fire feature, and integrated lighting.
What moves the number
- Decking material — pressure-treated, composite, and PVC run roughly $55, $85, and $110 per square foot installed
- Railing, which on a long run can rival the cost of the deck surface
- Height off grade: anything over a story needs bigger footings, posts, and stairs
- Roof or pergola cover, which turns a deck into a structure with its own permit
- Outdoor kitchens and fire features, which need gas, electrical, and sometimes water
These are what deck projects like these run around Crystal Lake and the surrounding northwest suburbs — from the remodels Tim has paid for himself and what the crews we hire quote today.They are not a quote. Yours depends on the house, the layout, and what you pick. You'll get a fixed-scope written proposal after the consultation, at no charge and with no obligation.
Timeline
How long your deck project takes.
Build time on site
2–5 weeks
From signed proposal to start
3–10 weeks
Decks book out furthest in spring. The best time to put a summer deck under contract is the previous winter — and the best price, too.
How it works
From first call to final walkthrough.
- 0115 minutes
Tell us about the project
A phone call or a form. Fifteen minutes.
- 0260–90 minutes
In-home consultation
Tim walks the space with you. No charge, no pitch.
- 032–6 weeks
Design and selections
Layouts, materials, and allowances settled on paper.
- 04About a week
Written proposal
Fixed scope, line-item price, payment schedule, start date.
- 05Varies by project
Build
Dust walls up, floors covered, one person accountable.
- 061–2 weeks
Walkthrough
Punch list, final walk, and the paperwork on everything installed.
Decks & Outdoor Living questions, answered.
Can you repair my existing deck instead of replacing it?
We don't do deck repairs or board swaps — that's handyman work and we aren't a handyman company. If your deck's frame and ledger are sound and you only want new surface boards and rail, we'll say so at the consultation and tell you honestly whether a replacement is worth your money.
Composite or wood?
Composite costs roughly 50% more up front and gives you back every weekend you'd have spent sanding and staining. On a deck you plan to keep more than seven or eight years, composite is usually the cheaper number once you count the stain. Cedar still wins on looks if you'll maintain it.
Do I need a permit?
In nearly every village here, yes — and an inspection of the footings before they're poured. We pull it, schedule the inspection, and build to the code your village enforces, which is not the same in Crystal Lake as it is in Algonquin.
What does a deck cost?
A 300-square-foot replacement deck runs about $17,000–$28,000 in pressure-treated and $28,000–$50,000 in composite, including tearing out the old one. Covered outdoor living builds go up from there.
How deep do the footings go?
Forty-two inches, below our frost line. Decks that heave every winter were built on shallow footings — it's the single most common defect we find on 1990s decks around here.
Decks & Outdoor Living across McHenry County and nearby.
Projects worth combining into one contract.
Combining projects into one contract saves a second mobilization and a second round of dust. If something else is on the list, say so at the consultation.
Kitchen Remodeling
Full gut kitchens, layout changes, cabinetry, stone, and the structural work behind an open floor plan.
Projects from$45,000Details
Bathroom Remodeling
Gut bathroom remodels, curbless and tiled showers, primary suites, and the waterproofing nobody else shows you.
Projects from$22,000Details
Basement Finishing
Full basement build-outs: family rooms, baths, bars, gyms, and in-law suites, done dry and done to code.
Projects from$45,000Details
Free consultation
Get a free deck consultation.
Tell us what you want to change and roughly what you're hoping to spend. Tim will call you back, and if it's a fit he'll come see the space at no charge.