Home Improvement Centers at the Closing Bell Part 2: How this could work for you

So in my last blog post - regarding The Home Depot closing some of their stores - I made the comment, " ...it wouldn't surprise me if Lowe's announced something similar."

I hoped not. But today they did.

Now if you just look at the numbers, and think of nothing else, it indeed seems scary. Lowe's reported an 18% drop in fiscal first quarter profit... ouch... net sales dropped 1.3% despite adding 150 new stores in the last twelve months... ouch again.

"Many consumers remain hesitant to begin big-ticket projects," said the Lowe's Chairman and CEO Robert Niblock.

Which brings to mind a question to those of you thinking of building a deck around your above ground swimming pool.

Just how "big ticket" is planning and building your own pool deck?

Now, I'm not there to look at your backyard and I won't guess as to what design you're considering. So I'm not going to give you a definite cost analysis. But as to what your deck budget could be, ask yourself some questions.

• How much does it cost to plan your pool deck?
  

The answer is not much, if you plan it yourself. For this, your biggest expense will be time. That said, this can be done relatively quickly... like on a Saturday afternoon lets say... and it can be fun, something you do with friends or family or by yourself with a pencil and sketch paper.

Several of our opt-in newsletters offer tips on how to plan effectively and efficiently. And we posted a basic step-by-step guide regarding above ground pool deck blueprints.

But, if you want deck planning software this can be had for up to only $40 USD. Some are less than that. This is certainly reasonable if you're serious about building a pool deck.

• How much are the tools and supplies?
  

How much do you already have? Look through your garage or tool shed. I bet you'll be surprised by how much you already have available. And I bet you'll be very pleased to learn that you won't need an arsenal of tools to complete the project.

If you're not sure of what tools are really necessary and you visit a home improvement center admitting your lack of knowledge, you're immediately at the mercy of a salesperson.

Do you really need to buy that super deluxe power saw? Can you just rent one? Or do you already have an older one that works just fine, or is there one you can borrow?

Yes, your salesperson could be a good guy or gal who won't insist on loading you up with tools or supplies you really don't need. Then again, wouldn't it be better to know some things before hand?

As for supplies, like fasteners for instance, you'll know what's necessary once you plan and you can budget accordingly. I don't recommend being too much of a bargain shopper here, since I'll assume you'll want your pool deck to be safe and hold together.

• How much will lumber run me?
  

Well, Lowe's also reported they were having difficulty passing along price increases to consumers... for things like lumber. But that may only last for so long. As the economy starts to improve they will eventually pass along prices.

So the contrarian in me thinks now may be a good time for you to find high quality lumber at good prices. There may even be some sales.

Also, if you learn how to spot defects in lumber you'll only get the best quality lumber available.

Knowing this ahead of time will save you money, and time, because your lumber will be strong enough to last and you won't need to discard weak lumber you've already acquired while you're building your deck.

With that all said, let me just remind you of something important...

Since home values are declining in many areas, now is actually a very good time for you to build an above ground pool deck. As I'm sure you know, anything that is up to code and adds value to your home is always a good thing... especially during times like this.

Also, according to the National Association of Home Builders you can recover up to 75% of the cost of your deck construction when you sell your home.

So if you're seriously thinking of building a pool deck... and if you already have the resources, plus you discover ways to build it efficiently so you don't have to make a huge investment... then my suggestion is you ignore the latest reports from places like Lowe's and just build it.

As always, enjoy your pool!

Best regards,

Paul Ottaviano
Createyourdeck.com

P.S. - Learn more about how to build a pool deck efficiently.