About 1^ST DECK - About The Owner - Community Involvement

Facts You Should Know About 1^ST DECK:

We are proudly members of NARI (the National Association of the Remodeling Industry). We have also received various remodeling awards.

We will contact the appropriate locator service to mark underground utilities that might be buried in your yard.

When required by municipality, we obtain a building permit for your project. This assures you that we are constructing according to the current building code requirements.

All projects are designed and structured in our construction and drafting department. All projects are built by trained and skilled carpenters from a blueprint with detailed drawings that are developed for every project. By using blueprints we control the quality, structural integrity, and design of your project. This insures that what you purchased is what is built in your backyard.

We incorporate diagonal decking not only for visual interest but also for the structural integrity that it provides (it prevents a side-by-side rocking motion.) This can also cut down on or totally eliminate butt-splices in the decking boards.

We use galvanized screws to attach all decking boards to the substructure and galvanized bolts at all structural connections.

We incorporate metal flashing to provide a barrier between the deck substructure (constructed of lumber that will not rot) and your house (lumber and siding that can rot.) We then use 1/2" galvanized lag bolts, which are spaced 16", to attach the deck to the house.

All structural posts bear on minimum 8" thick concrete piers at the appropriate diameter and depth to support the weight-bearing capacity of the deck. Spas may require additional supports and/or oversized foundations for piers.

1^ST DECK has a strong written warranty on all of our projects: a one-year material and workmanship warranty and a five-year structural warranty. The wood in the substructure comes with a manufactures' 50-year warranty against rot, decay and termite damage.

Benjamin "Benjie" Kent
Alice, Mae & Stephanie

About the Owner:

1^ST DECK is owned by Benjamin "Benjie" Kent. Benjie received a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Georgia in Athens, GA, and a degree in construction from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA.

Benjie has been in the construction industry for 15 years and has worked in remodeling, home building, and has also performed historical restorations. He has been in the deck building business in Kansas City since 1994. Benjie's educational background and personal experience combine to create an expertise in construction.

Benjie also runs a small scale farm in Kansas City north. He raises and sells Angus beef that is hormone and antibiotic-free. He also maintains a large flock of free-range chickens and offers eggs for sale. Also living on the farm are Chick, an African Gray Parrot; Mae, a Chocolate Lab; Lane, a Great Pyrenees; Rex, an Australian Shepherd and we are awaiting the arrival of an Entle Bucher mountain dog.

In the pasture, we have Fiddler, a Tennessee walker; Jack, a Bethlehem Donkey and three Belgian draft horses, Stephanie (mother of Alice), Alice (daughter of Stephanie and Mother to Sam) and Sam (grandson of Stephanie and son of Alice).

Community Involvement

1^ST DECK supports various youth organizations and is involved in Vocational Training and Mentoring.

1^ST DECK annually donates hay rides to benefit the Parkville Animal Shelter.

1^ST DECK donated a Rose Arbor Swing to the Kansas City Alzheimers Associations annuall charity auction. The Swing was setup outside Rose Hill Assisted Living.