Deck Contractors in Geneva, IL

Hiring deck contractors in Geneva often starts with a question about the house itself. Close to the Fox River, the city's original settlement is covered by two National Register districts, and many of those homes are frame houses from the 1800s. Farther out, the streets are newer and the questions are more about size, material and budget. We build for both, and we start every job by figuring out which kind of house we are working with.

Central and North Geneva

The Central Geneva Historic District covers about 67 acres between the Fox River, South Street, 6th Street and West State Street, and most of its homes are two-story frame houses built between 1840 and 1900. Just north, the North Geneva Historic District covers 72 acres and includes 150 contributing buildings in Greek Revival, Italianate and Prairie School styles. A National Register listing by itself does not usually stop a homeowner from adding a rear deck, but local review rules are separate from the federal listing. Before we design anything for a home in either district, we ask the city what review applies and build that step into the schedule.

Design choices for older houses

On a 19th-century house, a deck that looks bolted on can spoil the back of the home. A few approaches tend to work better:

• Keeping the deck low and set to the rear, so it is not visible from the street.
• Painted or stained wood railings with square balusters instead of glass or cable.
• Skirting with vertical boards or lattice that matches the house trim.
• Freestanding framing where the old siding or foundation cannot take a ledger safely.

We can still use composite decking on the walking surface if you want less upkeep; the parts people see from a distance are mostly railings, posts and skirting.

Newer Geneva neighborhoods

Outside the historic core, many Geneva homes have builder decks that are now old enough to need work. Owner-occupancy here is high, at 85.1% according to Census estimates, and 91.2% of residents were in the same house a year earlier, so most of the people we talk to plan to stay and want a deck that will last. That usually points toward composite or PVC decking, hidden fasteners, aluminum or composite railings and a properly flashed ledger. If you have a homeowners association, check your covenants for color, railing style and setback rules before we finalize drawings; we can supply plans and material samples for the architectural committee.

Built for wet springs and frozen winters

Geneva sees the same weather as the rest of the Chicago area. O'Hare, the nearest long-term record, averages roughly 38 inches of precipitation a year and July dew points near 62 degrees, and winters freeze the ground hard. Wood that stays damp rots at the joist tops and around fasteners, so we tape joists, leave drainage gaps and keep the frame off the soil. Footings go below the depth your permit requires so frost cannot lift them.

Porches and covered space

A lot of Geneva homes, old and new, are better served by a covered porch or a pergola than an open deck. We build roofed porches with tongue-and-groove ceilings, screened sections and pergolas that shade a deck without closing it in. On historic homes, the roof pitch and trim details can be matched to the house.

Start with a site visit

Call (847) 380-8109 to set up a visit. We look at the house, the yard and any existing deck, then give you a written quote that spells out materials, framing and railing details. If your home needs extra review, we include the drawings for it in the scope.

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