Ace Deck Builders builds, inspects, repairs and remodels decks in Jester Estates, Austin 78750. Our crew plans each project around the neighborhood’s hillside lots, City of Austin permit and tree rules, and the watershed limits that apply in this part of town.
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Looking for a deck builder in Jester Estates? The neighborhood sits off Jester Boulevard in Northwest Austin, near Loop 360 and RM 2222, on hilly ground in the Bull Creek watershed. Many decks here have been in place a long time, so we’ll start with an inspection of what’s already there before talking about anything new. Book a Jester Estates site visit to get started.
Ace Deck Builders is veteran-owned and fully insured, and our 1-year workmanship warranty covers every finished project. We’ve completed more than 200 deck projects.
Lots along Jester Boulevard sit in the Bull Creek watershed, which Austin classifies as a water supply watershed with tighter impervious cover limits than central neighborhoods. Decks count toward that limit in a specific way. Under Austin’s Environmental Criteria Manual, an uncovered wood deck with drainage gaps over a pervious surface counts as 50 percent impervious, while a covered deck counts fully. On a lot near its limit, that can decide whether a deck is covered or how large it can be.
Jester Estates is inside the City of Austin, so most decks need a building permit. Trees 19 inches in diameter and larger are protected, heritage trees, including oaks, from 24 inches, and the tree review goes with the building permit. Our crew lays out footings around critical root zones, and we handle permits through trusted third-party partners.
Many lots slope away from the house, so decks sit higher at the outer edge than at the back door. We’ll look at the tall posts and their footings first, along with the bracing and stairs, because those carry the most load on a slope and tend to show wear first.
Our deck inspection process tells you which path makes sense, with a written report and photos. When the frame is sound, older deck repair work on boards, railings or stairs keeps the deck in service.
A sound frame can also carry a bigger change. Deck remodeling can expand the footprint, add stairs or switch to composite boards, and a deck pergola adds shade without starting over.
When the structure has failed, full deck replacement lets us design a new deck around the house as it is today. Our composite deck options include Trex and TimberTech, with Fiberon on request.
Here’s what to expect. We’ll inspect the site and any existing deck, then check how much impervious cover your lot has left before we size anything. You’ll review the plan in 3D, and once you’ve signed off, the drawings and tree details go to the city with the permit application. Materials aren’t ordered until it’s approved, and if the reviewer comments, we’ll handle the revisions. If something unexpected turns up when old decking comes off, we’ll stop and show you before the plan changes, so there’s never a surprise at the end.
We also work in nearby River Place decks, Great Hills, Balcones Woods and along Loop 360, where many homes share the same hilly ground. For more on what we do across the city, see our Austin deck work.
Call (512) 566-7519 to book a visit. Most inspections are scheduled within the same week. We’re open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday, 9 AM to 4 PM.
Call Now
(512) 566-7519
Yes, in Austin’s rules they can. An uncovered wood deck with gaps between boards over a pervious surface counts as 50 percent impervious, and a covered deck counts fully. Lots along Jester Boulevard sit in the Bull Creek watershed, where impervious cover limits are tighter than in central Austin, so we check where your lot stands before the deck’s size and cover are set.
Most likely. Austin only exempts small, low, freestanding decks: 200 square feet or less, 30 inches or less above grade, not attached to the house, not serving an exit and not in a flood hazard area. A deck off the back of a hillside home usually misses at least one of those. Our trusted third-party partners handle the permit, including the tree review that goes with it.
Often, yes. If the inspection shows the framing is sound, we can expand the deck, change the layout, add stairs or a pergola, or switch to composite boards. If the ledger, joists, posts or footings have deteriorated, replacement is the better path, and the new deck can be designed differently from the old one. You’ll see the plan in 3D first.
Start where the deck meets the house. Staining on the wall or soft wood along the ledger points to failed flashing. Then push the railing posts, check the stairs for flex and look at the base of each post for soft wood. On sloped lots, the tall outer posts deserve the closest look. Any new bounce or sway means it’s time for an inspection.
We map the trees around a planned deck before drawing the layout. Austin protects trees from 19 inches in diameter and limits work inside their critical root zones, so we place footings outside those zones where we can, span farther between supports when needed and keep equipment and materials off root areas while our crew works.
Composite from Trex or TimberTech, with Fiberon on request, needs the least upkeep because it skips yearly staining and sealing, though leaves still need clearing from the surface and the gaps. Cedar and pressure-treated pine give you natural wood, but shade keeps them damp longer, so plan on regular cleaning, staining and sealing to keep rot away.
