Six-Figure Decking

WHEN IT'S BETTER than good enough, it is exactly the way it’s supposed to be. Photos provided by Gordon South.

Six-Figure Decking Tips

Gordon South’s Wood Bully videos have become a favorite among builders on Instagram and Tik Tok with each video starting off with his iconic “Pay Attention, Brian.”

As a six-figure deck builder who averages six projects a year, South has set himself apart on social media by offering his tips on everything from how to achieve a fastener-free look with CAMO Marksman Pro tool edge screws to avoiding screwing down on the face of decking boards.

Recently, he shared with our readers how he approaches his projects.

1.Do Your Research

I know it seems obvious that you need to do some research, but you’d be surprised how big of a difference it makes when you do the research in terms of the actual product so you have a good understanding, and you have the ability to make a responsible choice for whether you are going to use something like PVC, composite, or natural wood, hardwood, or cedar so you don’t regret your purchase. Just make sure that if you are going to invest the money into materials, you’re doing something that you won’t regret.

To do the research, you have to build connections and network. I use social media and other people who I’ve known in the industry for a long time. I ask around. And every year something new comes around, so it’s important to be on top of and searching for new products, tools, methods, and ideas for your designs.

I put countless hours into research. I’m constantly thinking about it.

2. Plan the Project

If you are running the business, write everything down, every idea, everything that you know will make a difference time-wise that you need to know.

Take notes, something as simple as when the electrician is coming and how much money you are going to have to pay him. You’re going to need to write that down because you won’t remember in three months when the day comes.

I imagine myself as a conductor and I need to plan every phase of the build and every subcontractor to be able to work harmoniously together like a symphony where each different instrument starts playing when it’s supposed to so they can all play one song. You can’t do one thing before another, or you will find yourself doing the same thing twice and it will cost you a

fortune, especially on a large project where you are doing a project that is six figures or more. You have to define your strategy and stick to it. 3.“Good enough isn’t good enough.”

That was something I used to say a lot in my first year as a foreman when I was really ambitious, looking to impress, and the pressure was on for me to make sure that I had the greatest numbers in my company. I found out my crew didn’t exactly have the same passion.

So, I found myself looking at the work and asking, “What do you think about this?” and they would reply, “I think it’s good enough.” Then I would yell, “Well, good enough isn’t good enough!”

Today, when I do something, I ask myself, “Is this the best I can do?” and the answer is “no” 99.9% of the time.

When you are on a jobsite and there are problems to be fixed, a lot of people will try to dodge around the obvious solution because it is the most painful solution, but it is usually the best solution.

Do the obvious fix that you know is right. Don’t avoid it. You won’t regret it. When it’s better than good enough, it is exactly the way it’s supposed to be.

Don’t be afraid to take risks when you are building something if you know an idea is going to look amazing even though you’ve never seen it before. Just try it. And if you are confident, it’s going to be easier to sell the idea to the client. The worst-case scenario is it might take you a little longer than expected, you lose a little money, but now you know what to charge next time.

5.Take Your Time

If you are providing a premier or a luxury construction service, time does not become the main factor anymore—quality does. If something is taking too long, it doesn’t matter, you still have to take your time and see it through until you achieve what you intended to achieve. A rush job looks like a rush job.

A lot of guys who are building mid-range decks who want to get up to the six-figure deck have to realize how long these decks take in terms of man hours. If you have a lot of skilled guys, it could calendar-wise take the same amount of time, but it’s going to cost you. Quote carefully.

The number one thing is experience. As a foreman, you come in optimistic about time. But you need to quote pessimistically because the

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reality is there will be unforeseen circumstances that will cost you time.

I’m meticulous. I break it down all the way to delivery, how long it takes to run a wheelbarrow from the street to the site. It’s these little things that add up really fast.

You’ve got to break it down into phases. If there’s something in the job that is going to require two guys, you can’t quote it as a one-guy job because that’s double the hours.

I try to give myself as much time as I need to make sure that I’m handling everything. The average project is $110,000 to $120,000 but the budgets usually grow.

Leave yourself space in your schedule because larger clients have a larger wish list that keeps growing as you’re building.

For example, in a job that we completed in July 2021 that we signed in September of 2020, the original budget was $45,000 to build a new deck and fence and add some grass. By the time we had finished the job, after a couple of revisions, and after a whole year of waiting, the budget grew to $135,000. There was a hot tub, feature walls, a lighting plan, artificial turf, new landscaping, drainage, gardens, and a PVC fence.

You’ll find that the customer’s wish list exceeds what their budget expectations are, and their budget grows to meet their wish list.

Give yourself at least a three-week buffer between every job you book. Let your clients know that there’s a chance that you might be starting early or late, and you’ll keep them posted as you go. If your client decides not to add any extras and you’re three weeks ahead, you can call your next client and put them in.

GORDON SOUTH demos a CAMO Marksman Pro tool.