How Deck Builders Honolulu Works

Deck Builders Honolulu designs, builds, repairs and refinishes decks across Honolulu and the rest of Oahu: composite and wood decks, covered decks and lanai roofs, railings and stairs, and staining and sealing for wood that has gone gray.

Oahu is hard on outdoor wood and metal. Formosan subterranean termites are, in the words of the University of Hawaii's termite project, the most economically important insect pest in the state. Salt air corrodes ordinary steel hardware. The sun is strong all year, and the trade winds push on anything with a roof. So we plan each deck around those four things before we talk about board colors: what the frame is made of and how it stays off the soil, what the fasteners and connectors are made of, how the surface will hold up to UV, and how a cover or tall railing is tied down.

Most decks on Oahu need a City and County of Honolulu building permit. The Department of Planning and Permitting's own FAQ says a deck needs one under Chapter 18 of the Revised Ordinances. We help prepare the drawings the application needs, walk you through the city's HNL Build portal and plan the work around the inspections. DPP's FAQ notes that drawings must come from a Hawaii-licensed architect or engineer when a project goes beyond certain limits, and we tell you early if yours does. We also tell you up front that permit time is the part of the schedule nobody controls.

After the site visit you get a written quote that lists the frame, the decking, the railing, the hardware, the permit work and the price. Work starts only after you approve it, and any change is written down and agreed before it is built.

How we work

• Every frame starts with a look at the soil, the slope and the posts already there.
• Wood is kept off the ground, and soil-contact lumber is rated for it.
• Hardware is chosen for salt air, including stainless steel where the exposure calls for it.
• Covers and roofs are drawn with their tie-downs, not added as an afterthought.
• Permit drawings and help with the DPP application are listed on the quote.
• Nothing is billed unless it was on the quote you signed.

To book a free on-site visit, call (808) 509-2733.