Layout and levels
Zones, traffic, stairs and level changes planned around how the deck will actually be used.
- Site measure and grade check
- Zone and traffic planning
- Stair and landing placement
Licensed & Insured Deck Contractor
Deck Design in Bergen & Passaic County
The layout, levels and materials decided on paper — where changes cost nothing — by the crew that will build it.
500+
Decks designed & built
11+
Years designing decks
25
Towns we build in
Free
In-home consultations
How We Approach Deck Design
Our deck design service plans Bergen and Passaic County decks on paper before anyone orders lumber. Most deck regrets are design regrets: stairs that land in the wrong place, a grill zone that blocks the door, a deck sized to the house instead of to the people using it.
Design starts with how you live. Morning coffee or evening crowds, dining for four or hosting twenty, sun you want or sun you hide from — those answers set levels, orientation and square footage far better than the shape of the lot does.
The drawings then have to survive contact with reality: setbacks, frost footings, guard heights and the span tables that decide what is buildable. Because the same company builds what it draws — through Deck Installation — nothing gets designed that cannot be built on your budget, and features like a Pergola Construction addition are planned into the structure instead of bolted on later.
11+Years Experience
500+Projects Completed
How It Works
Our proven process from first call to final walkthrough.
1
1
Free in-home consultation
We walk the yard, measure, and talk about how the space should be used — meals, crowds, quiet, sun. The brief comes from that, not from a catalogue.
2
2
Site and zoning reality
Setbacks, easements, grade and drainage get checked before sketching, so the design is legal on your lot from the first line.
3
3
Concept and layout
Levels, stair positions, traffic flow and zones for cooking, dining and sitting. This is where moving a staircase costs nothing.
4
4
Materials and detail
Boards, railings, lighting and skirting chosen against budget, with the structure sized to span tables rather than optimism.
5
5
Buildable drawings and quote
You end with drawings a township accepts and a written build quote from the same company — no gap between designed and priced.
What Deck Design Covers
Typically 1–2 weeks to buildable drawings.
Material and railing selection
Boards, railings and finishes priced against your footprint, not defaults.
- Wood vs composite comparison
- Railing system options
- Lighting and skirting plan
Permit-ready drawings
Drawings prepared to your township's filing requirements, from the company that will build them.
- Structural sizing to span tables
- Setback and height compliance
- Filing-ready documentation
What we plan
What Good Deck Design Decides
Every one of these is cheap to change on paper and expensive to change after framing.
Where the stairs land
Stairs decide traffic through the yard and across the deck. Landing them at the wrong corner puts every trip through the dining zone.
Levels and zones
A change of level separates cooking from sitting better than any furniture arrangement — and suits sloped Bergen County yards.
Sun and shade hours
The deck is oriented to when you use it. An evening deck faces the sunset side; a breakfast deck does not.
Door and traffic alignment
The path from kitchen to grill to table is walked hundreds of times a season. It should cross nothing.
Sight lines and privacy
What you see from the deck — and what neighbours see of it — is planned with railings, screens and orientation.
Structure that fits the future
If a pergola, hot tub or roof might come later, the framing carries it from day one for a fraction of a retrofit.
Design-build
Why Design and Build Belong Together
A drawing without a builder is an opinion. Ours come with the crew attached.
Priced as it is drawn
Every choice lands in the quote immediately, so the design never wanders past the budget without you knowing.
Buildable by definition
Span tables, footing positions and code heights are respected in the drawing, not discovered during framing.
One accountable company
No gap between the designer's intent and the builder's interpretation — they are the same people.
Permits drawn for
Townships want drawings; ours are prepared to be filed, which shortens the permit step of the build.
Material honesty
We price wood against composite on your actual footprint rather than defaulting to either.
The estimate is still free
Design conversations start inside the same free in-home visit as any other project.
What Design Decisions Do to the Budget
Design is where cost is created — the build just pays the bill. These choices matter most.
- Levels multiply framing
- Each level adds beams, posts and stairs. Two levels cost meaningfully more than one larger platform.
- Height is structural
- Walk-out height needs different posts, bracing and footings than grade-level. Design sets it; the structure follows.
- Corners and curves
- Every corner adds framing and cuts. A rectangle is the cheapest shape per square foot; curves are the dearest.
- Railing footage
- Design determines how many feet of railing exist — often the second-largest line in the build quote.
- Built-ins
- Benches, planters and storage look effortless and price like furniture, because structurally they are.
- Lighting runs
- Wiring planned into the structure is cheap; the same wiring surface-mounted afterwards is not.
Before you build
Questions Worth Answering on Paper
An hour on these saves change orders later.
How many people, honestly?
The deck for four every night and twenty twice a summer is a different deck than either number alone suggests.
Dining, lounging or both?
A table needs clear space and chairs pushed back; a lounge corner wants depth. Both need zoning, not just area.
Grill placement
Near the kitchen door, off the traffic path, never under a window. It is the most-argued square metre of any deck.
What happens underneath?
On raised decks the space below is storage, shade or wasted. Skirting and drainage decide which.
Privacy from where?
Stand in the yard and look back at the house. The neighbour's second-storey window decides more than the fence line does.
Winter view
The deck is seen from inside all winter. It should look intentional from the kitchen window, not just from the lawn.
Portfolio
Recent Deck Design Projects
See examples of our deck design work across New Jersey.
Deck Design
Township of Washington Deck Design for Backyard Living
Deck design in Township of Washington, NJ by House of Decks LLC. Custom composite layout, railings, and stairs for a functional backyard.
Township of Washington, NJ
Deck Design
Custom Deck Design for a Paterson Backyard
Deck design in Paterson, NJ by House of Decks LLC. Custom layout, composite materials, railings, and stair planning for your backyard.
Paterson, NJ
Deck Design
Franklin Lakes Custom Deck Design for Backyard Living
Deck design in Franklin Lakes, NJ by House of Decks LLC. Custom composite layout, railings, and stair planning for a functional backyard.
Franklin Lakes, NJ
Where We Serve
Deck Design Near You
We provide deck design services across these communities in New Jersey.
Paramus, NJHawthorne, NJWayne, NJFair Lawn, NJRidgewood, NJFranklin Lakes, NJGlen Rock, NJHackensack, NJWyckoff, NJMahwah, NJElmwood Park, NJGarfield, NJHo-Ho-Kus, NJMidland Park, NJOakland, NJPark Ridge, NJRochelle Park, NJSaddle River, NJTownship of Washington, NJWoodcliff Lake, NJHaledon, NJNorth Haledon, NJPaterson, NJTotowa, NJWoodland Park, NJ
What Our Customers Say
Real reviews from homeowners in your area.
Aug 2026
“House of Decks LLC has done a wonderful job with our new deck installation. The team was relaxed, on time, and worked really well to leave little clean up at all. The end result is a sturdy and beautiful deck that I am truly happy with”
Orlando Valdez
Deck Design
Aug 2026
“The job that was done by House of Decks LLC for our new deck was really good. They started by removing the old deck and then assisted us in choosing a layout and material options, explaining everything before beginning the process. Their workers arrived on schedule, were fast at working and kept our backyard clean. The end result is a very solid deck with straight boards and railings, which has greatly improved the backyard area. We are really pleased with their work and would recommend them for any deck installation. Thank you guys!”
Devonte King
Deck Design
Mar 2026
“Great communication, fast install, and fair price. 10/10 overall great experience thank you guys”
Abbas Salem
Deck Design
Mar 2026
“Did a great job from start to finish extremely professional and worth every dollar. The best craftsmanship and professionalism would highly recommend”
Noor Eljdid
Deck Design
Mar 2026
“The absolute best decking company in the area hard workers and honest pricing. Agreed on a price and they went straight to work the crew was extremely pleasant and work oriented and the results were out of this world thank you guys”
Hunter The Game God
Deck Design
Mar 2026
“House of Decks was friendly, efficient, extremely professional and had excellent craftsman. I was very pleased with their work and highly recommended them. They went above and beyond by helping move my mahogany wood nightstands when it was shipped my place. Thank for the help, 5 stars!”
Leo Acosta
Deck Design
Feb 2026
“Contacted them via phone they were very communicative decides to go ahead and pull the trigger ! Bed decision of my life My new deck is absolutely amazing the craftsmanship is outstanding and the price was very fair ! Thank you guys for your hard work”
Ilias Elhaouss
Deck Design
Feb 2026
“Choosing House of decks was the right decision !! Assessed the structural issues carefully and rebuilt my deck stronger and more attractive than before ! Couldn’t resist the affordable price and the attention to details ! Thank you guys”
Abraham Yassine
Deck Design
Feb 2026
“It was an absolute pleasure to work with stiljano and his crew ! Contacted them about a deck demolition and to build me a new deck ! They were quick to reply and gave me a fair price that I couldn’t find anywhere ! I am so impressed w the results ! Thank you guys for your hard work”
Ke Xu
Deck Design
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions homeowners ask us at almost every estimate.
Do I need a design service for a simple deck?
A rectangle off the back door can go straight to Deck Installation. Design earns its keep when there are levels, slopes, unusual lots, or a list of features competing for space and budget.
Do you charge for deck design?
The design conversation starts inside our free in-home estimate. Detailed drawings are quoted as part of the project, and design work is credited into the build when we construct it.
Can you design around a sloped yard?
Sloped lots are where design matters most — levels, walk-outs and stair runs turn a difficult grade into the best feature of the deck. Much of Bergen County lives on exactly this problem.
Will the design pass the township?
That is half the point of doing it properly. Setbacks, heights and structure are designed to your town's requirements, and the drawings are prepared to be filed with the permit.
Can you design for a future hot tub or roof?
Yes, and it should be decided now. A hot tub is a concentrated load and a roof changes the structure entirely — framing for them later costs several times framing for them today.
What if I already have a design or a Pinterest board?
Bring it. We will tell you what survives contact with your lot, your code and your budget — and usually most of the intent does, even where the details change.
Do you design pergolas and covered areas too?
Yes — shade structures are designed with the deck so posts land on framing built to carry them. See Pergola Construction for how those builds run.
How long does design take?
Typically one to two weeks from consultation to buildable drawings, depending on how many rounds of changes you want. The permit clock starts after that.
Other Work We Do
Most projects touch more than one of these. We handle them with the same crew.
Composite Decks
Composite deck installation across Bergen and Passaic County — Trex, TimberTech and AZEK put down to the spec that keeps their warranties alive.
Learn moreDeck Installation
New deck installation across Bergen and Passaic County, from footings to final railing, with the township permit filed by us.
Learn moreDeck Painting
Deck painting across Bergen and Passaic County — full prep, the right primer for the substrate, and a finish applied in the weather window it needs.
Learn moreDeck Railing Repair
Deck railing repair in Bergen and Passaic County — loose posts, wobbly sections and code fixes, done before someone leans on the problem.
Learn moreDeck Refinishing
Deck refinishing in Bergen and Passaic County — sanding, brightening and a new finish that resets a grey deck without replacing a board.
Learn moreDeck Remodeling
Deck remodeling in Bergen and Passaic County — reshape, extend or upgrade the deck you have instead of starting from zero.
Learn more
What Happens at the Free Estimate
No pressure and no deposit — just an hour, a tape measure, and a written number you can hold anyone else's quote against.
- We measure and look underneath
- Grade, drainage, access for a truck, and how the existing structure was built. That is what makes a number real rather than a guess over the phone.
- You get it in writing
- Materials, dimensions and a timeline on paper, so you can compare our quote against anyone else's on the same terms.
- About an hour, at your convenience
- Evenings and Saturdays included. We work two counties, so we are rarely more than half an hour away.
- No obligation, no deposit to quote
- The estimate is free and yours to keep. Nothing is owed if you decide not to build, or decide to build later.
Prefer to talk it through first? Call (201) 321-2990.
Free Estimate
Start With the Design
Bring the ideas; we bring the tape measure and the code book. The consultation is free.
- No obligation, completely free
- We come to you for an in-home consultation
- Get your estimate within 24 hours