Deck Contractors in Sleepy Hollow, IL

Sleepy Hollow is unlike the subdivisions around it, and that makes our work as deck contractors in Sleepy Hollow, IL different too. The village was laid out on the former Sleepy Hollow Farm in the 1950s. Developer Floyd T. Falese hired planner Raymond W. Hazekamp, who designed meandering roads with no curbs or sidewalks, curved cul-de-sacs and a layout that kept the land's natural contours and avoided cutting existing trees. Falese dug lakes from the springs on the property, among them Lake Paula, Lake Sharon, Lake Ichabod in 1962 and Lake Legend and Lake Jacqueline in 1967. Decks here are often about views into the woods or over the water.

Mid-century homes, older decks

The village grew from 311 residents in 1960 to 1,729 in 1970, and many houses from that period were prefabricated Scholz Design Homes. Later subdivisions followed, including Saddle Club Estates and Surrey Ridge in the late 1980s and The Bluffs, the newest, with semi-custom and custom homes. On older houses, a deck may have been added, extended or rebuilt several times. Older decks often have ledgers fastened in ways that would not pass inspection today, mixed lumber from different decades and footings of unknown depth. Our estimate starts with a close look at the structure so you know what you have.

Building around mature trees

Wooded lots bring shade and privacy, along with a few challenges:

• Roots: we position footings to avoid cutting large roots near trees you want to keep
• Trunks through the deck: an opening can be framed around a tree with room for it to grow and sway
• Moisture and mildew: shaded decks stay damp longer, so ventilation underneath and drainage gaps matter, and composite or a good sealer helps
• Leaf and needle litter: hidden-fastener decking and wider gaps make cleanup easier
• Falling limbs: we will point out large dead branches over the deck area worth having an arborist look at

Sealing and staining under shade

Wood decks under heavy canopy can turn green and gray quickly. Nearby Elgin averages almost 40 inches of precipitation a year, and wood that stays wet under leaves wears faster than wood in full sun. Cleaning and sealing every couple of years, depending on exposure, slows that down. If you are tired of the cycle, resurfacing with composite on a sound frame is another route.

Village permit requirements

The village requires a permit for patios, decks and outdoor kitchens. It contracts building services to Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick, Inc., and applications are emailed to the village with the property address in the subject line. Exterior work needs a plat of survey, and some projects also call for a signed hold harmless agreement and, on properties with a septic system, a septic plan. That last one matters here: we need to know where your tank and field are before placing footings. The village also allows a deck fence no more than four feet above the deck, made of nonmetallic, nonplastic material, and a deck railing may stand in its place without a separate permit.

Getting started

Call (847) 380-8109 or email photos of the deck area and the trees around it. We visit, measure and give you a written quote covering materials, layout, any tree openings and the permit paperwork. Estimates are free.

Call (847) 380-8109