Finished my biggest deck and ramp project yet, how does it look?

Lifting heavy beams solo at that height is a nightmare without **temporary support blocks**. I ussually screw a scrap 2x4 onto the post about an inch and a half below where the bottom of the beam needs to sit. This gives you a shelf to rest one end of the beam on while you work the other side. It saves your back and prevents the beam from kicking out or slipping while you're 10 feet up a ladder trying to hold a level. On a 12-foot tall structure, lateral sway is your biggest enemy. You mentioned using lattice to hide the bottom, but make sure your actual structural bracing isn't just on the corners. If you've got five or six posts in a line, you realy want **knee braces** or Y-bracing on every single one of them, not just the ends. It keeps the deck from walking or developing a shimmy over time, especally with 600 square feet of weight moving around up there. Even if code doesn't strictly require it on every post, it makes the whole thing feel way more solid underfoot. Regarding the picket spacing, code is almost always a 4-inch sphere, but for a high deck like that, I usually tighten it up to 3.5 inches. It makes the railing feel more substantial and less like a flimsy cage. If the transition feels off to you, it might be the height-to-width ratio. Vertical siding is hard to match, but running your skirting boards vertically instead of using those flimsy pre-made lattice panels usually blends the deck into the house profile much better. The pricing issue is a classic lesson. For solo work, you have to charge a premium becasue every task takes three times longer when you’re constantly climbing up and down ladders to fetch tools or check alignment. Always include a **contingency clause** for unforeseen site conditions. As soon as you saw that asbestos or the foundation issues, the clock should have stopped on the original quote. You got lucky the customer was understanding, but getting a signed change order the moment the scope shifts is the only way to protect your margins.

Man, 12 feet up is no joke. I’m just starting out and honestly, the thougth of being up that high alone makes my stomach drop. Is there a specific tool rig you guys use to keep your gear organized when you're solo? I feel like I'd spend half the day just climbing up and down for screws or a tape measure.

Also, that asbestos redesign sounds like a total nightmare. Did that change how you had to anchor the deck to the house? I’m always confused about when you can use a ledger board versus just making the whole thing free-standing to avoid the house siding mess.

If you’re doing that much framing solo at 12 feet, get some adjustable post bases like the Simpson ABW series. They’re a lifesaver when you’re trying to plumb things up alone beacuse you can nudge the post position slightly after the concrete is set. For the high beams, I ussually rig up a simple manual winch or a block and tackle. It beats wrestling a wet 2x12 while balancing on a ladder. Since you had those hardware delays, I’ve started keeping a "job box" in my truck with extra carriage bolts and structural screws. Having a stash of common sizes on hand stops a shipping delay from killing your entire week's progress.

Since you're dealing with PT wood and alot of rain, did you use any joist tape on top of those beams? At 12 feet, you really don't want to be replacing rotted framing in ten years becuase water sat in the screw holes. For that concrete transition, I ussually leave a small gap or use composite shims so the ramp stringers aren't sitting directly in a puddle. If you're worried about the vibe, look into black round balusters next time. They disappear into the background way better than wood pickets when you're looking out from that high up.

Since you're 12 feet up, did you add any mid-span blocking between your joists? On a 600-square-foot footprint, those long spans tend to bounce or cup over time as the PT wood dries out. If you're working alone, you can pre-cut all your blocks and snap a chalk line across the tops of the joists to keep them aligned.

It really stiffens up the walking surface and stops that annoying "drum" sound. I usually stagger the blocks slightly so I can end-nail thru the joist, wich is way faster than toe-nailing when you're trying to balance on a ladder and hold an impact driver with one hand.