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Decks & Outdoor Living

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★ 5.0 · 55 Google reviewsLicensed & insured1-year workmanship warranty
Project profiles

See how a deck actually goes

The full story of a build — what was there before, what we found once the boards came off, and how it finished.

Custom cascading composite entry stairs in Glen Rock NJ with dark Trex treads and white railings
Glen Rock, NJ · Redeck & new railings

A Glen Rock redeck, and what the old frame was really doing

Loose railing posts, missing blocking, stairs sitting on dirt and no joist tape — none of it visible until the old decking came up. Plus a custom cascading entry stair.

Read the project
Outdoor living

Your backyard, made for spending time in

A good deck adds real living space — somewhere to grill, gather, and unwind a few steps from the kitchen door. We design yours to suit how your yard sits and how you'll use it, whether that's a simple platform or a multi-level space with railings, lighting, and built-in seating. Most of our outdoor projects do not stop at the deck: paver patios under and around it, retaining walls to hold a sloped yard, and pool surrounds are the same job and the same crew.

Everything is built on proper footings set below the frost line, with framing and fasteners chosen to take New Jersey's freeze-thaw seasons year after year.

  • ✓ Composite & natural wood decking
  • ✓ Paver patios, walkways & pool surrounds
  • ✓ Segmental retaining walls for sloped yards
  • ✓ Railings, stairs, lighting & built-in seating
  • ✓ Footings set below frost line, built for NJ seasons
  • ✓ Permits handled, built by our own crew, fully insured
Choosing your decking

Composite, pressure-treated, or hardwood?

The board you walk on drives both the look and the upkeep. Here's the honest trade-off between the three we build with most.

Composite low upkeep

Capped composite boards (lines like Trex and TimberTech) resist fading, staining, and rot. More up front, but no sanding or sealing — an occasional wash and it's done.

Best for: homeowners who want the longest life and the least maintenance.
Pressure-treated budget-friendly

The most affordable and widely available option. Strong and proven, but it needs periodic cleaning and sealing to keep its color and fight the weather.

Best for: tighter budgets and a classic wood look you don't mind maintaining.
Hardwood / cedar natural beauty

Cedar, mahogany, and similar species bring warm, real-wood character and good natural durability. Periodic finishing keeps the tone rich.

Best for: a premium, natural look where the grain is the point.
Investment

What outdoor work actually runs

  • Deck on its own$25k–$50k
  • Full outdoor living$50k–$150k
Design-build totals — drawings, permits, footings, materials and construction.

The difference is what happens off the deck. A deck on its own is framing, decking, railings and stairs. A full outdoor living project adds the paver patio underneath and around it, the retaining walls that make a sloped yard usable, and the pool surround — the same crew, the same schedule, one number.

What drives the number
  • Square footage, and how far off the ground it sitsBiggest factor
  • Decking material: pressure-treated, composite or hardwoodMaterial
  • Railings — wood, composite, aluminium or cableAdds up fast
  • Paver area, and whether walls are needed to hold the gradeHardscape
  • Footings, soil conditions and what the yard turns upNot your choice
  • Permits and inspectionsPriced in

Most of those are choices you make. We price the job line by line against the approved drawings, so you can see which choice is moving the total rather than guessing at it.

Beyond the boards

The details that make an outdoor space

A deck is more than a platform — the features are what you'll live with every day.

Railings & lighting

Cable, composite, or wood railings, with stair and post lights for evenings out.

Stairs & multi-level

Steps, landings, and tiered layouts that work with a sloped or split yard.

Built-in seating & storage

Benches, planters, and hidden storage that keep the space open and tidy.

Pergolas & shade

Pergolas and shade structures to make the deck usable through the afternoon.

Privacy screens

Screens and lattice to carve out a quieter, more private corner.

Skirting & finishing

Clean skirting and trim details that finish the look top to bottom.

Paver patios & walkways

Patios under and around the deck, plus walkways and pool surrounds, laid on a proper compacted base.

Retaining walls

Segmental block walls that hold a sloped yard and turn it into level, usable ground.

Before & after

From bare yard to backyard

Deck after build Yard before deck build BeforeAfter Deck · North Haledon, NJ
Recent decks

Outdoor spaces near you

Decks and outdoor living built for local homeowners.

Custom deck in Hawthorne, NJ
Hawthorne, NJ
Custom deck in Morristown, NJ
Morristown, NJ
Custom deck in Westwood, NJ
Westwood, NJ
Start to finish

How a deck gets built

1

Consultation

We walk the yard and talk through size, levels, railings and material. No charge, 60–90 minutes.

2

Drawings & renderings

Measured drawings, layout and railing options, decking material selections, and photorealistic renderings — included, at no charge, before you commit to anything.

3

Build

Permits pulled and footings set below the frost line, then framing, decking, railings and stairs by our own crew. Site kept clean.

4

Warranty

We walk the finished deck together, backed by our 1-year workmanship warranty.

Questions, answered

Deck building FAQ

Do you provide 3D renderings?
Yes, at no charge. Before you commit to anything we render your deck in photorealistic 3D and refine it with you, so you can see and shape every detail before we build.
Do you do patios and retaining walls, or only decks?
Both, and usually together. A deck on a sloped yard normally needs a retaining wall to make the ground below it usable, and a paver patio underneath turns that space into a second room rather than storage. We build the deck, the patio, the walkways, the walls and the pool surround as one job with one crew, so there is no second contractor to schedule around and no argument about whose grade the water is running off.
How much does a new deck cost in NJ?
Most decks in our area run between $25k–$50k for a deck on its own and $50k–$150k with patio, retaining walls and pool surround, and several factors decide where yours lands. Size is the obvious one, but material choice matters just as much: pressure-treated wood is the most budget-friendly, composite and PVC cost more up front but dramatically cut maintenance, and hardwoods sit in between. Railings are a bigger line than most people expect — a basic wood rail is inexpensive, while aluminum, cable, or glass railing systems add up quickly across a long perimeter. Then come the extras that make a deck feel finished: integrated lighting, built-in benches or planters, a pergola, multiple levels, or stairs down to a yard on a slope. Height off the ground and soil conditions also affect the framing and footings underneath. After we measure the space and talk through how you'll actually use it, we give you an itemized quote so you can see exactly what drives your number.
Composite or wood — which should I pick?
It comes down to how much up-front budget you have and how much maintenance you're willing to do. Composite decking costs more initially but lasts for decades with almost no upkeep — no staining or sealing, just an occasional wash — which often makes it the better value over the life of the deck, especially for busy homeowners. Pressure-treated wood is the most affordable choice and perfectly solid, but it needs periodic cleaning and a fresh coat of sealer or stain every couple of years to resist our North Jersey freeze-thaw weather and hold its color. Hardwoods like cedar split the difference: a beautiful, natural look at a mid-range price, though they too benefit from periodic maintenance to stay their best. There's no wrong answer — it's about matching the material to your budget, your look, and how you want to spend your weekends. We'll walk you through real samples and real-world costs so you can weigh the trade-offs before deciding.
How long does it take to build a deck?
Most decks take about one to three weeks of on-site work, once the permits are approved and the materials have arrived. The build itself moves through a clear sequence: laying out and digging the footings, passing the footing inspection, setting posts and framing the structure, then installing the decking, railings, stairs, and any extras like lighting or built-in seating. A simple rectangular deck close to the ground goes up quickly; a larger multi-level deck, one set high off the ground on a sloped yard, or one with custom railing and features takes longer. The bigger variable is usually what happens before we start swinging hammers — permit approval times vary by town, and special-order composite colors or railing systems can carry lead times. We line those up in advance so that once we break ground, the on-site work runs efficiently without stalling. You'll get a realistic schedule with your quote and know which inspections fall where.
Do I need a permit for a deck?
Most new decks and major rebuilds do require a permit, and we handle the whole process for you. In New Jersey, a deck attached to the house — or any deck above a certain height or size — needs a permit and inspections, because a deck is a structure people gather on, and its footings, framing, ledger connection, and railings all have to meet code for safety. This is not a place to cut corners: improperly attached or under-built decks are a genuine collapse risk, which is exactly what the permit and inspection process exists to prevent. We pull the permits, schedule the footing inspection before anything is poured or framed over, and get the final sign-off when the build is complete, so your deck is documented as safe and to code. That paper trail also protects you at resale, when a buyer's inspector or the town may ask whether the deck was permitted. Small ground-level platforms sometimes don't require one, and we'll tell you either way.
How much maintenance will it need?
It depends on the material you choose. Composite decking is essentially wash-and-go: an occasional rinse or a wash with mild soap and water is usually all it needs to look good year after year, with no staining or sealing required, which is a big part of why so many homeowners choose it. Wood decks ask for more. Pressure-treated and cedar decks need periodic cleaning and a fresh coat of sealer or stain roughly every couple of years to hold their color, resist moisture, and stand up to our North Jersey seasons — the freeze-thaw cycles, summer sun, and damp are hard on unprotected wood, and a neglected wood deck grays, cracks, and ages fast. None of it is difficult, but it's real work and a recurring cost worth factoring in when you pick a material. We'll be upfront about the maintenance each option carries so you can choose based on how you actually want to spend your time and money down the road.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Hamlett Renovations is a licensed New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor, NJ HIC #13VH12093400, and fully insured, and every deck we build is backed by a 1-year workmanship warranty. A deck is a structure that your family and guests will stand on, so its safety depends on proper footings, framing, and a correct ledger connection to the house — which is exactly why hiring a licensed, insured contractor who builds to code matters. New Jersey requires home improvement contractors to register with the state, and we're happy to provide proof of insurance before you sign. Because we pull permits and pass the footing and final inspections, you also get an independent record that the deck was built correctly. The workmanship warranty then stands behind our build for a full year, so if anything we constructed isn't performing the way it should, we come back and make it right — because a deck should be somewhere you relax, not something you worry about.
Where we work

Deck building near you

Based in Wayne, building across Bergen, Passaic, Morris & Essex County.

WayneFranklin LakesWyckoffOaklandRidgewoodHo-Ho-KusGlen RockMidland ParkAllendaleSaddle RiverMahwahParamusNorth HaledonWoodland ParkTotowaLittle Falls
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