Why book deck & patio installation with OCD

Investing in deck and patio installation is a smart choice for anyone looking to enhance their outdoor living space. These additions not only provide a perfect setting for gatherings and relaxation but also significantly boost the value of your home. A well-designed deck or patio creates an inviting atmosphere that can be enjoyed year-round, offering a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor entertainment.

Professional installation ensures that every aspect, from materials to layout, is thoughtfully executed. This attention to detail promotes durability and safety, allowing you to enjoy your new space without worry. Imagine hosting friends for summer barbecues or enjoying quiet evenings under the stars — all made possible through expert craftsmanship.

Moreover, customized designs allow you to reflect your personal style while maximizing available space. Book this service today and take the first step towards creating an outdoor oasis that complements your lifestyle and enhances your property’s appeal.

Frost depth decides the footings

West Michigan runs a long freeze-thaw season, and that single fact decides more about a deck than the decking material does. Footings have to reach below the local frost line. A footing that stops short will heave when the ground freezes and settle when it thaws, and it will do that every year.

On an attached deck, heaving is not just a deck problem. The ledger board is bolted to the house, so a deck that moves pulls on the rim joist of the structure it is attached to. That is how a deck detail becomes a water intrusion problem inside the wall.

The ledger connection is where attached decks fail

Most catastrophic deck failures are ledger failures, not decking or joist failures. The ledger has to be fastened into solid structure with the right fasteners at the right spacing, and it has to be flashed so that water running down the siding goes over the flashing and out, not behind the ledger and into the rim joist.

Nails are not an acceptable ledger fastener. Neither is a ledger lagged into brick veneer or into the sheathing alone. On an older Grand Rapids home the rim joist may be exactly what the ledger needs, or the balloon framing common in pre-war construction may mean there is no continuous rim joist to fasten to, which changes the detail entirely. We check it before quoting it.

Deck, patio, or both

A deck is a framed structure above grade, so it needs footings, a permit and in most cases a railing. A patio is a surface on grade, so it needs a prepared and compacted base and drainage away from the foundation, and usually no permit.

The choice is mostly driven by the grade behind your house. Where the yard drops away, a deck gets you a usable flat surface at door height without hauling in fill. Where the yard is close to level with the door, a patio is cheaper, lasts longer and needs almost no maintenance.

The failure mode on a patio in this climate is base preparation, not surface material. A patio built on insufficiently compacted base will settle unevenly through the first few freeze-thaw cycles, and the only real fix is to lift it and redo the base. Drainage away from the foundation matters just as much: a patio that pitches back toward the house is sending water at the basement you may be planning to finish.

Permits and railings

A deck above a set height requires a permit and a railing meeting code for height, baluster spacing and load. Inside the Grand Rapids city limits this runs through the city's Development Center. East Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Wyoming, Walker, Grandville and Cascade Township each run their own building department, and the triggering height and the inspection sequence are not identical across them.

We pull the permits. A homeowner who pulls their own permit in Michigan becomes the responsible party for the work, which removes the contractor's accountability and can affect insurance and the later sale of the house.

See what clients say about our work, or read more about deck and patio work in Grand Rapids.

Where we work

We handle deck & patio installation projects across West Michigan, including Cedar Springs, Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Forest Hills, Walker and 11 more nearby communities. Based in Cedar Springs, MI.

What homeowners say

We recently hired this crew for a full bathroom remodel in Grand Rapids, and the results blew us away. From the first walkthrough to the final cleanup, everything was handled professionally and with serious attention to detail. We’ve worked with other contractors before, but this team made the process smooth and even enjoyable. We also had them take a look at our outdoor space, and now they’re our go-to deck builder near me for sure. Their…
Taylor Ann Hancock

Alex with OCD Building and Remodeling did an awesome job on the framing work in my basement. Alex also acted as a General Contractor and helped to secure electrical work to help finish my basement remodel. Only regret I have is not continuing to utilize his GC skills in finding and securing drywall and mechanical work to finish my job! The craftsmanship in the framing work was excellent and his step-by-step leadership…
Jamie Liebler

OCD Building & Remodeling did an amazing job on our completely renovated deck. They were fantastic with walking us through the projects timeline, from the demo, all the way through the very end. The crew working day in and day out where respectful, courteous, and diligent in getting the job completed in a timely manner. It was a big project, and I’m extremely impressed with the craftsmanship and finished product. We couldn’t be happier…
Kevin Swisher

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Deck & Patio Installation in Cedar Springs & Grand Rapids, MI