Regal Ideas

Many homeowners have spent the past year-plus looking around their properties and creating home improvement wish lists. Outdoor living spaces have been particularly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic as people around the world have searched for ways to spend time outside. According to a new report, 90% of North Americans agree that their outdoor living spaces are more valuable now than ever, and 78% made outdoor living upgrades during COVID-19.​

Why are decks among the most popular outdoor living spaces? Because they deliver strong return on investment at resale — and because they are versatile. Decks can serve as:

• Places to relax
• Al fresco dining rooms
• Venues for entertaining
• Outdoor office spaces
• Plus more
  

Many consumers have spent the last few months pondering home improvement opportunities, particularly outdoors. But, those who consider a new deck as one of their best opportunities, one likely asked this question: Where can you find the best deck builders — local deck installers who can help turn a vision of an outdoor living space into a reality to be enjoyed.

At DeckStars, that’s our specialty — connecting homeowners with the best deck contractors for their projects. See below to learn more about the popularity and many benefits of outdoor living spaces.​

Decks were popular home improvement projects even before a pandemic forced us to stay home for extended periods of time. But why? Because a quality deck unlocks 3 amazing benefits for homeowners:​

If a homeowner chooses to expand their home by adding square footage, the project cost is going to be high — and so too will their taxes. Most property tax calculations weigh square footage heavily — the more you have, the more you pay. A new deck is like expanding a home, but a deck installation doesn’t lead to a higher tax obligation year after year. It’s an investment that has significant return on investment, year over year.  Let your clients know that, and you may get them to invest more!

• More Vitamin D: Getting a little bit of sun helps your body absorb more Vitamin D, which strengthens your bones, blood cells and immune system. Sunlight also helps your body absorb additional calcium and phosphorus — important minerals for health.
• Enhanced Relaxation: Sunlight keeps the body’s serotonin levels high, which lifts your energy levels while suppressing anxiety. The outdoors are known to promote calmness, focus and positivity.
• Better Sleep: Your body’s internal clock thrives on sunlight and darkness. When you spend time outside, your body’s clock optimizes — leaving you better prepared for sleep when bedtime rolls around. The more time you spend outdoors, the higher your quality of sleep when you hit the pillow.
  

The points above are just a small sample of the many ways that spending time outdoors is healthy for us. When you can talk more about the health and wellness benefits, the discussions around cost become less problematic.​​

As noted above, outdoor living spaces like decks are known to increase resale value. They photograph well, and they make wonderful first impressions when prospective buyers are touring a property. A home is the largest single investment that most individuals and families ever make — and outdoor living spaces help them maximize that sizable investment. This is something not to overlook during your presentation!​

Choosing the right materials for your deck can pay dividends in the long run.  Although many consumers gravitate toward lumber for their deck boards and railings, due to a generally assumed lower expense, deck builders of Regal ideas’ DeckStars program have noticed a significant change within the industry.  “We’ve seen our customers shift to composites and aluminum railings”, says DeckStar John Salisbury of Jother Contracting in Saskatoon. “With the recent DeckStars training we received, we were able to confidently promote the benefits of the no maintenance and warranties that lumber just can’t provide.  Throw in the increased lumber cost the past couple of years, it’s been an easy sell!”

HGTV’s and fellow DeckStars, Dave Kenney and Joey Fletcher of the Brolaws concur. “We got to the point in our business where we don’t even offer wood railings”, explains Joey. “We explain to our clients that by installing a Regal Railing system, it will cut our labour time of installing wooden pickets by about 80%, so at the end of the day - it’s a wash.   What client wouldn’t want a beautiful, no maintenance railing with a warranty?”

“It’s also the piece of mind and relaxation part that we try to emphasize” comments Dave. “Your backyard should be your oasis, your refuge…not a place where you see warped pickets or splitting boards or knowing that you have to spend a weekend staining, when all you want to do is relax!”​

Montreal-based DeckStar Eric Theroux has noticed that clients are becoming ever increasingly knowledgeable on the products available. “My clients are coming to me looking for a higher end deck. They realize that the resale value of a professionally done, visually stunning deck, can significantly increase the value of the home.” With clients investing more into the outdoors, he has been able to sell large scale projects he had not normally done in years past. “I found that using the DeckStar training tools, I was able to sell large scale projects like Regal Railing with LED and even Crystal Rail, where I just didn’t get those jobs before!”

The DeckStars Certification program has been beneficial for deck builders across North America since its inception in 2019.  To find out how you can become a part of this fast growing family of certified Deck builders, visit deckstars.com​

For more inspiration and ideas visit regalideas.com