Having an outdoor living area is a fantastic way to enjoy time with family and friends outside. Being outside in the fresh air is also beneficial for your body and mind. Your serotonin levels increase when you get sunlight, which can help you sleep better at night and helps your body's circadian rhythm. Serotonin is considered your body's natural "happy hormone". 

If you don't have an outdoor living area, hire a deck builder to build a custom deck for you. Here's what that process entails. 

Keeping Within Regulations

The first thing you'll need to do is to check with your local building code authorities to ensure that the deck you have built will be in compliance with the regulations of your area. Therefore, you'll want to get a list of what you can and cannot have done when it comes to building your deck. The information that will be given to you will be a list of measurements and materials that can be used for the deck. 

Designing the Deck

You'll sit down with a custom deck designer who will take those regulations into consideration as you describe how you want to utilize the deck and what features you would like to have for your entertainment and relaxation purposes. When going through this step, you'll need to imagine the various ways you'll use the deck, such as for grilling, dining, and lounging. You will be asked if you would like to have features built into the deck, such as a fire pit or an outdoor kitchen. You'll also need to select the decking materials. 

Preparing the Ground

Before a deck can be built, the ground beneath the area will need to be prepared. This involves installing deck footings, which are typically concrete pilings on which the base or legs of the deck will sit. This is important in keeping the deck level and safe for use in case the ground beneath ever floods. 

Building the Custom Deck

After the ground has been prepared and the concrete has had a chance to cure, the deck construction will begin. If a large portion of the deck will be adjacent to the exterior wall of your home, you can expect to hear some noise in your home's interior. This is because a ledger board will be attached to the house. The rest of the construction of the deck will involve the installation of posts, joists, and boards.