Winner: Casey and Krista Orr - May 2009

Overview

How Long Did The Project Take?
From picking up the supplies until the last screw was drilled took a total of 4 days.  My Brother In Law and I picked up the deck piers and lumber on Thursday night and had the entire project completed (except for staining) by Sunday at 8:00pm.
 
Rate My Overall Experience... 
I would give my experience with DeckPlans.com and the Floating Foundation Deck System a 10!  I would give the Tennessee heat and red clay a 2.
 
What Did I Like Best About The Project?
Besides the quality time with my in-laws (they might read this) I would have to say I enjoyed seeing the project go from start to finish in such a small amount of time.  Working with the Floating Foundation Deck System made the work move so rapidly and seem so easy, if the deck piers didn't weigh 25 pounds a piece you could almost say the job was effortless. It seemed as if we had just began setting the deck piers and forming the foundation for the deck and the next thing I knew it was time to start laying deckboards and drilling.  It's a real sense of accomplishment to know that we were able to create something so nice and substantial and to know that we did it right.
 
What Did I Find Most Difficult About The Project?
The area of my back yard that we choose to install the deck had a decent downslope to it.  This is one of the reasons we chose to use the deck piers.  However, we had to level our deck off not with the highest point of the land but with a brick planter that is attached to the back of our car port.  We (my wife) wanted the planter to be the same height as the deck so we (my wife) could put flowers and things in there and make the deck look nice.  To do it this way and make it level with our planter, we actually had to dig down into the dirt to set our first round of deck piers.  It wouldn't have been that bad except for the rain the day before made my backyard, which is apparently all red clay, very messy and very heavy.  We had two shovels a six pack and determination.  It wasn't easy but it got done and we're real happy with the result. Also, building around our giant oak tree seemed like a cool and stylish
 
What Would I Do Different If I Had To Build Again?
Besides renting a Bobcat to do all the digging, I really don't think I would do anything different.  The only mistakes that were made during the project were minor and thanks to the Floating Foundation Deck System most of them could be easily fixed with a small re-cut or boot kick.
 
What Advice Would I Give Others Looking To Build A Floating Deck Foundation System?
Rent a bigger trailer than I did and get ready to grill on Sunday!  Fact is now that we have completed the deck at our house my Brother In Law has already decided to use the Floating Deck Foundation System for his upcoming deck project.  If you are looking for something that can make deck building easier and still make the job done right, there is no reason not to consider the Floating Deck Foundation System.
 
Comments/My Story
I've pretty much explained everything above, but I will say this.  When my wife and I came up with the idea of putting a deck in our back yard, I really liked the idea but filed it away under the "things I don't really know how to do and will never get around to" category.  When my Father In Law went to Home Depot and got the flyer/brochure from DeckPlans.com and the pricing info, our deck suddenly jumped into the realm of do-able.  The fact that I was able to grab a family member, some lumber and some deck piers and create something that will give my home value as well as tons of enjoyment is quite remarkable.  I look forward to using and recommending the Floating Deck Foundation System for years to come.