Composite vs pressure-treated in Georgia heat
Pressure-treated pine costs less up front and needs regular sealing in Georgia sun. Composite costs more, stays cooler-looking with less maintenance, and premium boards handle bare feet better in July. Both sit on the same non-negotiables: proper footings, ledger flashing done right, and termite-aware detailing — Georgia is high termite-pressure country, and deck-to-house connections are where water and insects both get in.
Deck repair: honest triage
Surface boards can be replaced; a rotted ledger, undersized footings or a bouncy frame cannot be patched into safety. We inspect structure first and tell you plainly whether yours is a repair, a re-deck on a sound frame, or a rebuild.
Permits
New and replacement decks are permitted work in the City of Marietta (the City's own FAQ lists decks) and in unincorporated Cobb County. Footing inspections happen before the pour — another reason the permit is pulled before work, not after.
Stairs, railings and footings: where deck budgets really go
Homeowners compare decks by the square foot, but the parts you touch daily are not the flat boards. Stairs with proper treads and a graspable handrail, railings meeting current guard rules, and footings dug to undisturbed soil decide both safety and much of the price — especially on Marietta's sloped lots, where a deck leaves the house at kitchen level yet stands a storey above the garden.
That slope is also why two same-size decks on the same street can price thousands apart.