Deck the Halls

We're building a deck on the back door, so that we can let the dogs out in the backyard instead of the front. We still don't have a fence yet, but hopefully that will be coming in the next month or so. So, back to this deck business. It's a little over 5x7, and we have been working on it for over a month, with Danny's ridiculous work schedule, my ineptitude with tools, and the fact that I WILL NOT work outside near dusk because the mosquitoes eat my ass alive.

It's bee a few hours a day, here and there, just to get the framing and the posts up. There has been a ton of frustration over not having the correct tool, or bolts being stripped, or hitting a screw with the spade bit, or effing up the calculations. But I think we finally got most everything figured out.

Here's were we were a few days ago:

Just a little frame

Lola and Bozz urging us on so they can play in the backyard

 And here's where we are today...There's even more done because the boy was outside with the skeeters (after dark...GASP!!) adding steps.

Ta daaaa! Let there be railing! And posts with covers!

The view from inside. Don't mind that pile of concrete. That will be the patio soon!

Today's work was completely opposite of yesterday. We actually had the correct tools to work with, it wasn't damn monsooning, it was less than the temperature of hell outside and we had more than 2 hours before being eaten to death. We also got the decking for FREE from Danny's brother, which is AWESOME, because that stuff is around 8 bucks per foot. And the spindles in the railing came from the Habitat For Humanity Restore It store, and were the same color and brand as the decking. We got 3 boxes (57 spindles) for $30 total. When we went to Lowes after, the spindles were $3.56 each. Say whaaaaaaaat? What up $173 savings!

When it comes down to it, this project has not been cheap (At least to me. I'm always on the look-out for the sales), but in perspective, it has cost way less than if we a) hired someone to construct it or b) bought all the materials at full price. It will be cool to see how it all turns out :-)