The First Deck — RRR, LLC’s Very First Project

Aug 28, 2026

This was the deck that started it all — the very first project I took on as Reformation, Revival and Renovations, LLC. The homeowner, who has limited mobility, needed his back deck rebuilt so he could actually use it and get down to his garden safely. He knew exactly what he wanted, and we designed it together: his vision, my execution. Teamwork makes the dream work.

What I found underneath was worse than expected. The deck boards, railings, and joists were rotted through. The posts had sunk without proper piers, so the whole middle of the deck sagged. A privacy fence was falling over and needed to go, and the stairs had lost a stringer's support, leaving them slanted and unsafe. It wasn't a repair — it was closer to a rebuild.

I demoed most of the deck, keeping only the joists still in good condition, and set two new diamond piers to carry fresh posts and a cross beam — no small task in a yard that was mostly rock. The trickiest part was reworking the framing to tie in the lowered section and platform stair system he wanted; the existing structure wasn't built to accommodate those changes, so I had to adapt joists and posts to make it work.

I'm proud of how this one came together — a full renovation, solo, that gave a homeowner on a fixed income safe, easy access to his garden without breaking his budget. It's the kind of project that reminds you why you do this work in the first place.

Before

Existing deck seen from the yard, cluttered with furniture and a tarp, with dead brush grown up underneath
Close-up of the deck boards and rim board where they meet the sliding door threshold, showing worn and stained wood
Wide view of the existing deck attached to the house, railings weathered and furniture and a tarp stored on the surface
Close-up of a deck post and railing joint showing a split in the wood
Existing deck surface cleared of furniture, showing worn boards next to the house with a wheelchair parked on the deck
Corner of the existing deck showing weathered decking and railing with the neighborhood visible beyond the fence
Opposite corner of the existing deck showing the full railing perimeter and worn decking surface
View underneath the existing deck showing the support framing and ground below

The Work

Old decking removed, exposing the joists and rim board along the house wall
Wider view of the exposed joist framing after the old decking was removed, with the existing railing still in place above

Finished

Finished deck with new railings, decking, and an access ramp with steps leading down to the yard
Wide view of the finished deck and ramp from the yard, with leftover lumber and sawhorses still on site
Finished ramp and steps leading up to the deck, viewed from the yard
Finished deck and ramp viewed from the house, with new decking, railings, and stairs down to the yard
Close view of the finished deck surface and railing corner with new decking boards
Finished deck surface and railing viewed toward the back of the yard

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