Serving the Great Lakes Bay Region · based in Bay City, MI
Licensed and Insured · Free Estimates (501) 520-1783
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Our Services

Deck and Fence Building in Bay City, MI

Decks and Fences · Bay City, MI

Decks and fences set deep enough for Michigan winters

Contracting Pros builds decks and fences across the Bay City area. Homeowners call us as deck builders for a new deck or a rebuild. Others want fence installation along a back yard or a property line. We build in pressure treated wood and in composite.

Michigan winters set the rules for post holes. The state code puts exterior footings 42 inches below grade, and that is where deck posts go. Fence posts go deep for the same reason, since water in shallow ground freezes and lifts them. Decks and fences often follow a room addition, and we are licensed and insured with free estimates.

What We Handle

  • New decks built in pressure treated wood or composite
  • Rebuilds of decks with rotted boards, loose railings or sagging framing
  • Privacy, picket and rail fences for yards and property lines
  • Fence replacement, with the old fence pulled and cleared as part of the job
  • Deck posts and footings set 42 inches below grade, the Michigan code depth
  • Ledger boards bolted and flashed where a deck ties into the house
  • Guards and stairs on decks that sit more than 30 inches above grade
  • MISS DIG 811 locates called in before any post hole gets dug

Free Decks and Fences Quote

Tell us about the job. We will get right back to you.

Deck builders for new decks and rebuilds

A new deck starts at the footings. We lay out the posts, call in locates, and dig to 42 inches so the concrete sits under the frost. Then the frame goes up and the ledger gets bolted and flashed where it meets the house. Boards, stairs and guards finish it.

Most rebuild calls sound alike. A board flexes underfoot, a railing wobbles, or the deck has pulled away from the siding. Usually that starts at the ledger or at posts that were never set deep enough. When a deck is past saving, tearing it out is demolition work, our main trade.

Fence installation from the property line to the last post

Fence installation starts at the line. We want to know where your property line runs before anything gets dug. A survey pin, a corner stake or a recent survey drawing settles it. A surveyor or the county records can fill the gap.

Then the locates. Michigan law requires notice to MISS DIG 811 before digging, typically at least three business days ahead. When you hire us, that call is ours to place. Utility crews mark gas, electric, water and cable lines, and the marks stay good for 21 days.

Posts carry the whole fence, so they go deep. Water in shallow ground freezes, expands and lifts a post each winter. After a few seasons those posts lean and the fence follows. Michigan's 42 inch footing rule is written for buildings, and we bring the same idea to a fence line.

Deck installation, permits and local fence rules

Rules change from town to town, so we check yours before the build. In Bay City a fence up to seven feet is typically exempt from a building permit. The zoning office may still want a zoning permit on file.

A deck typically needs a building permit once it attaches to the house. The same goes for a deck over 30 inches above grade or over 200 square feet. Bay City also asks that the finished side of a fence face the surrounding properties. Front yard fences there are held to four feet, and side and rear yards go to six.

Outside the city each township writes its own numbers, so we look up yours. Gates get sized for a mower, a truck or a trailer. A deck that ties into work inside the house can pick up framing and drywall on the same job. Call or text (501) 520-1783 for a free estimate.

New deck frame of joists, beams and posts built off the back of a house Newly installed wood privacy fence running along the side of a house

Ready to get started?

Free, no-obligation estimates across the Great Lakes Bay Region.

(501) 520-1783
How We Work

How a Job With Contracting Pros Runs

From the first call or text to the final walkthrough of the finished work, here is how it goes.

1

Call or text

Tell us what needs to come down and where the property sits. Call or text (501) 520-1783 and we will set a time to look.

2

Site visit and estimate

We look at the structure, the access and what sits around it. Then you get a free estimate for the demolition.

3

Permits and prep

Utilities get shut off and capped, and a MISS DIG 811 dig notice typically goes in. We pull the demolition permit and the historic district approval where Bay City calls for one. An asbestos survey and state notification get ordered when the rules cover the building.

4

The teardown

The structure comes down with our equipment, in pieces where the site is tight. Debris gets loaded out as the work goes.

5

Cleanup and walkthrough

The hole gets filled, compacted and topped with soil and seed. Then we go over the finished site with you before we leave.

FAQ

Decks and Fences Questions, Answered

Common questions about decks and fences across the Great Lakes Bay Region. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.

Call (501) 520-1783

What changes the price of a deck or a fence?
Size and height do most of it. A deck that sits high needs taller posts, more framing and guards than a low one. For a fence, the post count and the material set the range. Estimates are free, and a bigger build can run under one contractor on the whole project.
Do I need a permit for a deck or a fence in Bay City?
In Bay City a deck typically needs a building permit once it attaches to the house. So does a deck more than 30 inches above grade. A fence up to seven feet is usually exempt, though a zoning permit can still apply. We pull what the job needs and set up the inspections.
How deep do deck footings and fence posts go here?
Michigan code puts exterior footings 42 inches below grade, so that is where deck posts go. Fence posts are not held to that code line, but we set them deep anyway. Shallow ground freezes and lifts a post each winter. Depth is what stops the lean.
Who calls MISS DIG 811 before the post holes get dug?
We do. Michigan law requires notice to MISS DIG 811 before digging, typically at least three business days ahead. That call belongs to the contractor doing the work, and the marks hold for 21 days.
Should I build the deck in wood or composite?
Both work in this climate, and the choice comes down to upkeep. Pressure treated wood costs less to build and wants a clean and a seal every year or two. Composite skips that yearly seal, and we quote the same deck both ways.
Do I need separate deck contractors and fence companies?
No. We build both, often on the same job. If a dead or leaning tree sits on the fence line, it comes down first as hazardous tree removal. The old fence and the brush along the line get cleared with it.
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Why Choose Contracting Pros

Built Tough. Built Right. Built to Work.

Licensed and insured

Contracting Pros is licensed and insured for the work we take on. The paperwork is available before a job starts.

Residential and commercial

We tear down houses, garages, barns and sheds for homeowners. We also handle small commercial buildings and interior demo for businesses.

Demolition through rebuild

One demolition contractor takes the structure down and puts the new one up. That keeps the schedule and the site under a single plan.

Free estimates across the region

Estimates are free anywhere in our working radius around Bay City. That covers the Great Lakes Bay Region and the counties around it.

Free Estimates

Get In Touch With Contracting Pros

Tell us what needs to come down and where the property is. Call or text (501) 520-1783, or send the details through the form and we will get back to you.

Get a Free Quote

Tell us about the job. We will get right back to you.