At Last

At last (insert Etta James singing "At Last" or Cyndi Lauper) the deck/screened in porch is done.  The company did a very good job.  The only exposed wood is the framing.  The decking, screening and railing are all composites.  The doors are aluminum.  The builder even  put screen underneath the deck so the bugs couldn't sneak in.  There is a screened in area, an open area for the barbeque (on the right) and there are lights on all the steps as well as lights over the doors.  The down side is we signed a contract in April and it was 15 weeks before they even started.  I thought we were in a slow down.  You'd think that they could provide a dozen people to do the work.  We had one or two.  I'll admit they had a task because they had to build it over a sunroom.  I don't think it should have taken 3+ months to get started and 3+ months to build it.  What I should have done is included a performance clause.  My hindsight is perfect.   A performance clause wouldn't have gotten the deck done earlier, but I could have financially punished them.   Each of the doors have dog doors.  There is a fan in the screened in area. There are motion activated lights everywhere.  The step lights are on a timer.  This deck should last at least another 20 years.  The last deck lasted just over 22 years.  The deck wasn't done for summer, so we'll have to enjoy the fall and barbeque until the first snow.