CASE STUDY · ELIZABETHTOWN, PA · 10 DAYS, IN THE SNOW
Yes, We Build Decks in February: A Cable Railing Deck Near Elizabethtown
JOB CARD
There is snow in these photos because we built this deck in it. The owners near Elizabethtown wanted to grill on new boards by the first warm Saturday of spring, and the only way to guarantee that is to build while everyone else waits for it.
The case for the off season build
Frost line footings pour fine in winter with the right precautions, composite does not care about temperature the way stain does, and township permit offices move faster when their inbox is not full of April dreams. Winter clients get faster scheduling and their deck is simply done when the season starts, instead of half built through it.
The black cable railing was the design centerpiece: it disappears against the treeline and keeps the sight line open. Cable systems must be engineered for tension so the 4 inch sphere rule holds between wires. Hardware store wire on wood posts is not that, and inspectors know the difference on sight.
Numbers and next steps
Cable rail runs at the premium end of our deck pricing, typically adding 20 to 35 percent over vinyl balusters, and it earns it on views. If a spring deck is the goal, the estimate should happen in fall or winter. Call it counterintuitive, then call us.
SHOT ON SITE BY OUR CREW. NO STOCK, NO STAGING.