Freedom Fence and Deck specializes in affordable top quality maintenance free decks and fences. We are an owner operated company with zero complaints. We also have earned a A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We offer a limited Lifetime Warranty on all our work. Angie's List has awarded us the Super Service Award three years in a row.
"They installed my fence in 2019 and it was fantastic!! Now, we had a great sales rep who did a fantastic job for our repair due storm damage. But there's no customer service (3rd party contractor site, hard to navigate), no onsite supervisor walk through at the end, no email, no call. We did get an email 3 hours later, balance paid, how nice. I wouldn't recommend this company now at all."
Diane P on July 2025
Freedom Fence and Deck specializes in affordable top quality maintenance free decks and fences. We are an owner operated company with zero complaints. We also have earned a A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We offer a limited Lifetime Warranty on all our work. Angie's List has awarded us the Super Service Award three years in a row.
"They installed my fence in 2019 and it was fantastic!! Now, we had a great sales rep who did a fantastic job for our repair due storm damage. But there's no customer service (3rd party contractor site, hard to navigate), no onsite supervisor walk through at the end, no email, no call. We did get an email 3 hours later, balance paid, how nice. I wouldn't recommend this company now at all."
Diane P on July 2025
I started Straka Contracting over a decade ago in Howard County after having gained considerable experience in all areas of home improvement. Much of that know-how came from working with my father who has been in the trade since the 1960s. Today we serve the central Maryland area with a full array of services including remodeling, additions, decks, fencing, roofing, skylights, siding, windows, doors, gutters and gutter guards. Straka Contracting is dedicated to quality work and we offer a guarantee to back it up on every job. What’s more, when I take on work I am personally involved from beginning to end, making sure things are done properly. Karel Straka, Owner Straka Contracting
"Karel Straka has helped me on and off with construction items on my townhouse for almost twenty years, making major changes to my deck and patio among other things. I find him easy to work with, very thorough, trusty-worthy, reliable and affordable. Sometimes I submit my own design, and he always does it better."
Ken M on January 2025
I started Straka Contracting over a decade ago in Howard County after having gained considerable experience in all areas of home improvement. Much of that know-how came from working with my father who has been in the trade since the 1960s. Today we serve the central Maryland area with a full array of services including remodeling, additions, decks, fencing, roofing, skylights, siding, windows, doors, gutters and gutter guards. Straka Contracting is dedicated to quality work and we offer a guarantee to back it up on every job. What’s more, when I take on work I am personally involved from beginning to end, making sure things are done properly. Karel Straka, Owner Straka Contracting
"Karel Straka has helped me on and off with construction items on my townhouse for almost twenty years, making major changes to my deck and patio among other things. I find him easy to work with, very thorough, trusty-worthy, reliable and affordable. Sometimes I submit my own design, and he always does it better."
Ken M on January 2025
OVER 100 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE AS YOU PATIO AND HARDSCAPE EXPERTS! SBC Outdoor Services was founded in 2015 by Brad Crist. Brad had over 15 years of experience in the industry and wanted to create a landscaping company that could hold true to the concept of “quality landscaping.” Ever since then we've been constantly growing as a high-end hardscape, landscape design, and commercial maintenance business. Over the course of our existence, we've earned a great reputation for quality service and we aim to not just maintain our reputation for excellence but to constantly improve it. That's why we only hire the best of the best. Our management team alone has over 30 years of experience in the industry and members of management used to maintain the White House. The rest of our team is similarly qualified and has over 100 years of combined experience. At SBC Outdoor Services we believe that landscaping is an art, not just a skill. We not only teach our employees proper installation methods but also encourage them to take initiative and to completely pour their imagination and skill into their work. Our design and installation divisions make sure that the product will be very functional as well as attractive while our maintenance division employees take great pride in the ongoing beauty of your property.
"I hired them to do landscaping and a driveway, my drive way is crumbling and have holes in it."
Cynthia R on December 2023
OVER 100 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE AS YOU PATIO AND HARDSCAPE EXPERTS! SBC Outdoor Services was founded in 2015 by Brad Crist. Brad had over 15 years of experience in the industry and wanted to create a landscaping company that could hold true to the concept of “quality landscaping.” Ever since then we've been constantly growing as a high-end hardscape, landscape design, and commercial maintenance business. Over the course of our existence, we've earned a great reputation for quality service and we aim to not just maintain our reputation for excellence but to constantly improve it. That's why we only hire the best of the best. Our management team alone has over 30 years of experience in the industry and members of management used to maintain the White House. The rest of our team is similarly qualified and has over 100 years of combined experience. At SBC Outdoor Services we believe that landscaping is an art, not just a skill. We not only teach our employees proper installation methods but also encourage them to take initiative and to completely pour their imagination and skill into their work. Our design and installation divisions make sure that the product will be very functional as well as attractive while our maintenance division employees take great pride in the ongoing beauty of your property.
"I hired them to do landscaping and a driveway, my drive way is crumbling and have holes in it."
Cynthia R on December 2023
Homecraft is a 2nd generation, family-owned remodeler specializing in decks, roofing, siding, windows, and finished basements. We handle all steps of a project from planning, to permits, to building. When you partner with Homecraft you receive the finest materials - custom cut on site. This provides flexibility in design and perfection in construction. Since '96, homeowners have thanked us for establishing a company that cares. We take your ideas, add our building experience and together create a custom project that extends your living space and adds value to your home. Award Winning.
"Had an excellent experience working with Jeff on my deck project. The work is top notch and exactly what I wanted for a fair price. No BS up sales or any of that. Will definitely look to rehired for any future work."
Gregory B on January 2025
Homecraft is a 2nd generation, family-owned remodeler specializing in decks, roofing, siding, windows, and finished basements. We handle all steps of a project from planning, to permits, to building. When you partner with Homecraft you receive the finest materials - custom cut on site. This provides flexibility in design and perfection in construction. Since '96, homeowners have thanked us for establishing a company that cares. We take your ideas, add our building experience and together create a custom project that extends your living space and adds value to your home. Award Winning.
"Had an excellent experience working with Jeff on my deck project. The work is top notch and exactly what I wanted for a fair price. No BS up sales or any of that. Will definitely look to rehired for any future work."
Gregory B on January 2025
We are a company with more than 10 of experience in the construction industry. We provide a quality work to all our clients. We've built an excellent reputation for customer satisfaction by providing quick estimates, a great attention to detail, and competitive pricing.
"The work was done in the highest heat of the summer, and all the workers always had a smile. They were skilled professionals, courteous and neat. Geo (the owner) was on site daily and responded to my texts. He was able to explained the work in a manner that educated us and helped us with our decision-making. It was Great dealing with the man in charge !"
Annette M on October 2024
We are a company with more than 10 of experience in the construction industry. We provide a quality work to all our clients. We've built an excellent reputation for customer satisfaction by providing quick estimates, a great attention to detail, and competitive pricing.
"The work was done in the highest heat of the summer, and all the workers always had a smile. They were skilled professionals, courteous and neat. Geo (the owner) was on site daily and responded to my texts. He was able to explained the work in a manner that educated us and helped us with our decision-making. It was Great dealing with the man in charge !"
Annette M on October 2024
Over 12 years in business! All home improvement work, concrete, brick, decks, garage, bathrooms, kitchen, basements
"Project was a new deck, started last year 2024, should have been completed before the end of that summer, here it is Jun 2025 and still not complete, talk to owner several times said still no movement forward, board cracking all over the place due to screws not normal wood cracking, even thought the wood is cracking more and more day by day since the deck is not complete it has not been sealed. Boards do not line up, come home one day during the build to to 3’ wide steps, we ordered 5’ wide steps, no communication between the project manager and the builder. They walked in one day and said we are done except for the sanding and staining, we asked where the post lights were, they said we didn’t order them, I said check the contract, there response after checking was oh our bad, they did a makeshift attempt to add post lights and not the ones we wanted. Talked to the owner (Bill) several times, each time I have to re-explain the issues, each time he says he will come out and make it right, still no appointment and no visit. These guys claim to be a Vet Owned Business, they give it a bad name. I have given him 5 days to respond or we seek legal assistance/action. With they way this project has gone I don’t understand how they stayed in business or received any good reviews. I would give no stars if I could."
Stuart B on June 2025
Over 12 years in business! All home improvement work, concrete, brick, decks, garage, bathrooms, kitchen, basements
"Project was a new deck, started last year 2024, should have been completed before the end of that summer, here it is Jun 2025 and still not complete, talk to owner several times said still no movement forward, board cracking all over the place due to screws not normal wood cracking, even thought the wood is cracking more and more day by day since the deck is not complete it has not been sealed. Boards do not line up, come home one day during the build to to 3’ wide steps, we ordered 5’ wide steps, no communication between the project manager and the builder. They walked in one day and said we are done except for the sanding and staining, we asked where the post lights were, they said we didn’t order them, I said check the contract, there response after checking was oh our bad, they did a makeshift attempt to add post lights and not the ones we wanted. Talked to the owner (Bill) several times, each time I have to re-explain the issues, each time he says he will come out and make it right, still no appointment and no visit. These guys claim to be a Vet Owned Business, they give it a bad name. I have given him 5 days to respond or we seek legal assistance/action. With they way this project has gone I don’t understand how they stayed in business or received any good reviews. I would give no stars if I could."
Stuart B on June 2025
FA Outdoor Spaces is a large exterior home improvement company servicing Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland. With roots in Design and Build having serviced our clients at our sister company FA Design Build, we bring 45+ years of professionalism to every project we undertake. We have teams dedicated to each region ready to serve you. We specialize in all things Outdoors, like Trex & Timber Tech composite decking for new builds, deck reflooring/rerailing, deck enclosures, three season rooms, sunrooms, patios and fencing — all backed with a lifetime installation warranty you won’t find anywhere else.
"I’m so happy with how easy it was to work my project manager, Veronica. She clearly explained how the project would proceed and followed up to make sure the work proceeded on time and with attention to every detail. Now my porch is exactly what I wanted. It makes me happy just to sit there on my porch swing and enjoy the detail and care brought to every aspect of the project."
Sharon D on June 2025
FA Outdoor Spaces is a large exterior home improvement company servicing Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland. With roots in Design and Build having serviced our clients at our sister company FA Design Build, we bring 45+ years of professionalism to every project we undertake. We have teams dedicated to each region ready to serve you. We specialize in all things Outdoors, like Trex & Timber Tech composite decking for new builds, deck reflooring/rerailing, deck enclosures, three season rooms, sunrooms, patios and fencing — all backed with a lifetime installation warranty you won’t find anywhere else.
"I’m so happy with how easy it was to work my project manager, Veronica. She clearly explained how the project would proceed and followed up to make sure the work proceeded on time and with attention to every detail. Now my porch is exactly what I wanted. It makes me happy just to sit there on my porch swing and enjoy the detail and care brought to every aspect of the project."
Sharon D on June 2025
At River View our renovations stands out for its comprehensive services, expert team, customized solutions, quality assurance, proactive communication, attention to detail, timely completion, and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. Let us turn your renovation dreams into reality request a quote today!
"We write this review as a sigh of relief now that our renovation project with River View is finally complete. The quality of the final work is excellent, and the construction crew, architect, and county inspector were all great to work with. The original crew we worked with, led by Edwin, were so hardworking, friendly, thorough, and fast. That's what really pushed us from 2 to 3 stars. However, the process getting here was frustrating and unnecessarily chaotic. Timeline & Communication Issues: Initial promise: We were clear that the renovation had to allow us to live in our home during construction and be completed before Christmas. Early communication: Our original project manager, Cris, was personable, and early communication seemed fine, if a bit informal and sometimes inappropriately personal. Major miscommunication: Near the holidays, we discovered that the plans submitted included cutting into the roof — something we explicitly said we didn’t want. This contradicted verbal assurances and caused major last-minute changes. Project Management Failures: Poor planning and oversight: Cris and the architect’s plan didn’t align with the construction work. We had to get involved directly with the county to fix errors. Paperwork errors: Incorrect submissions to the county added delays and confusion, which we had to monitor ourselves. Last-minute scramble: We were cleaning up dust on Christmas Eve due to these planning failures. Personnel Turnover & Lack of Handoff: Cris leaves the company: No proper handover to James, the new PM, who was unfamiliar with our project. Crew replaced: The original crew, who were great, were gone; new crew had no context or direction. James leaves: Another handoff with no context — the third PM had no idea about our project or its outstanding items. Escalation mishandled: When we raised our concerns with Kyle, the CEO, the response felt dismissive, with no accountability for the previous missteps. In summary, it's a beautiful end result... but we’re glad it’s over. The process left us frustrated, confused, and frankly, exhausted."
Brian M on April 2025
At River View our renovations stands out for its comprehensive services, expert team, customized solutions, quality assurance, proactive communication, attention to detail, timely completion, and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. Let us turn your renovation dreams into reality request a quote today!
"We write this review as a sigh of relief now that our renovation project with River View is finally complete. The quality of the final work is excellent, and the construction crew, architect, and county inspector were all great to work with. The original crew we worked with, led by Edwin, were so hardworking, friendly, thorough, and fast. That's what really pushed us from 2 to 3 stars. However, the process getting here was frustrating and unnecessarily chaotic. Timeline & Communication Issues: Initial promise: We were clear that the renovation had to allow us to live in our home during construction and be completed before Christmas. Early communication: Our original project manager, Cris, was personable, and early communication seemed fine, if a bit informal and sometimes inappropriately personal. Major miscommunication: Near the holidays, we discovered that the plans submitted included cutting into the roof — something we explicitly said we didn’t want. This contradicted verbal assurances and caused major last-minute changes. Project Management Failures: Poor planning and oversight: Cris and the architect’s plan didn’t align with the construction work. We had to get involved directly with the county to fix errors. Paperwork errors: Incorrect submissions to the county added delays and confusion, which we had to monitor ourselves. Last-minute scramble: We were cleaning up dust on Christmas Eve due to these planning failures. Personnel Turnover & Lack of Handoff: Cris leaves the company: No proper handover to James, the new PM, who was unfamiliar with our project. Crew replaced: The original crew, who were great, were gone; new crew had no context or direction. James leaves: Another handoff with no context — the third PM had no idea about our project or its outstanding items. Escalation mishandled: When we raised our concerns with Kyle, the CEO, the response felt dismissive, with no accountability for the previous missteps. In summary, it's a beautiful end result... but we’re glad it’s over. The process left us frustrated, confused, and frankly, exhausted."
Brian M on April 2025
We are a small, family owned and operated, deck building company based in Westminster, MD. We’ve been in business since 1992 having started in the Russett community in Laurel. We do NOT use subcontractors for building our decks. When you hire Russett Deck Professionals for your project, that’s who will be doing the designing, obtaining building permits, and the actual construction. We are specialized deck builders and only build using the best of materials on the market. When using composite materials, we will give you the best advice we can to help you make the right choice for your deck. We do not push any particular brand of material on you just to help us. It’s your deck, it’s your choice! We will obtain any and all building permits and supply you with drawings for your HOA approvals. We are Angies List Super Service award winners for multiple years 2012-2013-2014-2015-2017-2018-2019-2020-2021-2023
"This is the 2nd job we've hired Russett Deck Professionals for. We had 2 decks up 1 story falling apart. Tom worked with us on new design to maximize the space, and provided quotes for a few materials options. We ended up going with trex decking and keylink for the rail system. Could not be more pleased with the result. Tom and his son worked diligently to install the new decks and build them into the space like they were designed with the house. Their skill and craftsmanship are 2nd to none. They pay close attention to the details, from rounding the edges of the drink rail, to tightening every vertical cable on the railing by hand. All the finishes look clean, straight, and plum. But most important of all, the new decks are foundationally solid and sturdy, and done right. I would encourage you to consider Russett Deck Pros for your next job."
Kevin G on October 2023
We are a small, family owned and operated, deck building company based in Westminster, MD. We’ve been in business since 1992 having started in the Russett community in Laurel. We do NOT use subcontractors for building our decks. When you hire Russett Deck Professionals for your project, that’s who will be doing the designing, obtaining building permits, and the actual construction. We are specialized deck builders and only build using the best of materials on the market. When using composite materials, we will give you the best advice we can to help you make the right choice for your deck. We do not push any particular brand of material on you just to help us. It’s your deck, it’s your choice! We will obtain any and all building permits and supply you with drawings for your HOA approvals. We are Angies List Super Service award winners for multiple years 2012-2013-2014-2015-2017-2018-2019-2020-2021-2023
"This is the 2nd job we've hired Russett Deck Professionals for. We had 2 decks up 1 story falling apart. Tom worked with us on new design to maximize the space, and provided quotes for a few materials options. We ended up going with trex decking and keylink for the rail system. Could not be more pleased with the result. Tom and his son worked diligently to install the new decks and build them into the space like they were designed with the house. Their skill and craftsmanship are 2nd to none. They pay close attention to the details, from rounding the edges of the drink rail, to tightening every vertical cable on the railing by hand. All the finishes look clean, straight, and plum. But most important of all, the new decks are foundationally solid and sturdy, and done right. I would encourage you to consider Russett Deck Pros for your next job."
Kevin G on October 2023
Abbey Fence & Deck Co., Inc., boasting one of the area’s largest and most versatile facilities, has been serving metropolitan Baltimore with pride for over 70 years. Family owned and operated, our guaranteed workmanship has added distinction – privacy – and security to thousands of homes, businesses, government and industrial sites. Prior to 1985, Abbey Fence Co., Inc. concentrated predominately on residential fencing. In October 1985, Fritz Fence, a well known and respected company in the commercial and industrial market, was acquired. It was a perfect fit and today, Abbey Fence & Deck Co., Inc. remains dedicated to providing quality materials, labor and professional service at competitive prices. Abbey Fence & Deck Co., Inc. is a member in good standing of the American Fence Association and the Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. We are extremely proud of our charitable endeavors as well. Materials have been donated to Grant-A-Wish Foundation at Johns Hopkins, the Ronald McDonald House and the Compassion Center in College Park, MD.
"We contracted Winkler Deck and Fence to replace 4 gates and perform minor repairs on our existing fence after receiving a referral. The initial engagement with the owner Curt was pleasant, the quote we received was reasonable, and the job started 8 weeks after we signed the contract. Unfortunately, that’s where the good ended… On the day of the job, the crew didn’t let us know they were onsite, which wasn’t a good start. Then after the work was completed they left without notifying us that the job was done nor doing a walkthrough with us. The next day we looked over the work and noticed that two of the installed gates were not level and were substantially tilted to one side. We contacted their office manager, Tammy, who stated that the owner Curt would stop by the following day to review the issues. Curt was a no-show and after following up with Tammy she stated he would stop by the next day instead. He was again a no-show. We once again followed up and asked for a specific day and time that they would come out so that we didn’t have to miss work again and never received a response… The following weekend Curt finally showed up unannounced and without notice and never apologized for the no-shows. He then immediately asked in a defensive tone “What’s your problem with the gates?”. We explained the issue and he tried to blame it on the previous fence builder. We stated that the previous gates were level and installed correctly and he replied “Well then what do you expect, this was a repair job”. Uh ok… I expect properly built and installed gates, per our contract. He finally agreed that one of the gates should be rebuilt after initially denying it had issues and said he would try to reposition the other gate to reduce the slant, but he clearly was not happy about doing the work. Also, after providing feedback on the crew’s disappearing act he stated “We have bigger jobs than this that are more important”. When I stated I couldn’t recommend them to others due to their lack of customer service, he walked off and barked “We have plenty of other work in this area so I’m not worried about it”. Wow… A simple apology would have gone a long way… Ultimately they did fix the gates and followed up to see if we were satisfied. However, based on our overall experience I would not recommend this company due to their lack of basic customer service, lack of basic respect for their customers, and shoddy workmanship. Also, they clearly don’t value smaller jobs, which is a bad move on their part because they lost future business with me as well as my neighbors who asked about my experience."
Anthony C on March 2023
Abbey Fence & Deck Co., Inc., boasting one of the area’s largest and most versatile facilities, has been serving metropolitan Baltimore with pride for over 70 years. Family owned and operated, our guaranteed workmanship has added distinction – privacy – and security to thousands of homes, businesses, government and industrial sites. Prior to 1985, Abbey Fence Co., Inc. concentrated predominately on residential fencing. In October 1985, Fritz Fence, a well known and respected company in the commercial and industrial market, was acquired. It was a perfect fit and today, Abbey Fence & Deck Co., Inc. remains dedicated to providing quality materials, labor and professional service at competitive prices. Abbey Fence & Deck Co., Inc. is a member in good standing of the American Fence Association and the Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. We are extremely proud of our charitable endeavors as well. Materials have been donated to Grant-A-Wish Foundation at Johns Hopkins, the Ronald McDonald House and the Compassion Center in College Park, MD.
"We contracted Winkler Deck and Fence to replace 4 gates and perform minor repairs on our existing fence after receiving a referral. The initial engagement with the owner Curt was pleasant, the quote we received was reasonable, and the job started 8 weeks after we signed the contract. Unfortunately, that’s where the good ended… On the day of the job, the crew didn’t let us know they were onsite, which wasn’t a good start. Then after the work was completed they left without notifying us that the job was done nor doing a walkthrough with us. The next day we looked over the work and noticed that two of the installed gates were not level and were substantially tilted to one side. We contacted their office manager, Tammy, who stated that the owner Curt would stop by the following day to review the issues. Curt was a no-show and after following up with Tammy she stated he would stop by the next day instead. He was again a no-show. We once again followed up and asked for a specific day and time that they would come out so that we didn’t have to miss work again and never received a response… The following weekend Curt finally showed up unannounced and without notice and never apologized for the no-shows. He then immediately asked in a defensive tone “What’s your problem with the gates?”. We explained the issue and he tried to blame it on the previous fence builder. We stated that the previous gates were level and installed correctly and he replied “Well then what do you expect, this was a repair job”. Uh ok… I expect properly built and installed gates, per our contract. He finally agreed that one of the gates should be rebuilt after initially denying it had issues and said he would try to reposition the other gate to reduce the slant, but he clearly was not happy about doing the work. Also, after providing feedback on the crew’s disappearing act he stated “We have bigger jobs than this that are more important”. When I stated I couldn’t recommend them to others due to their lack of customer service, he walked off and barked “We have plenty of other work in this area so I’m not worried about it”. Wow… A simple apology would have gone a long way… Ultimately they did fix the gates and followed up to see if we were satisfied. However, based on our overall experience I would not recommend this company due to their lack of basic customer service, lack of basic respect for their customers, and shoddy workmanship. Also, they clearly don’t value smaller jobs, which is a bad move on their part because they lost future business with me as well as my neighbors who asked about my experience."
Anthony C on March 2023
Composite decking stands up to weather, insects, and daily wear without the yearly sanding and staining that wood needs. The boards keep their color, resist splintering, and won’t warp in the sun, so you can spend more time relaxing and less time on upkeep. Over its 25- to 50-year life span, that durability can easily offset the slightly higher upfront price.
Yes, you can install composite decking on a rooftop, but the structure must handle the added weight and have the right slope for drainage. A structural engineer or experienced deck builder will confirm load limits, recommend specialized fasteners, and design a ventilation layer that keeps moisture from collecting under the boards. Those extra steps protect both the roof and your new deck for decades.
Building a composite deck starts with permits and a solid foundation of footings and framing. Next, installers lay joists, secure hidden fasteners, and place the deck boards, followed by railings and stairs if you need them. The job wraps up with a final inspection and thorough cleanup, leaving you with a ready-to-enjoy outdoor space.
Most composite decks last 25 to 50 years—far longer than many wood options. Plastic binders shield the wood fibers from moisture, while built-in UV inhibitors keep colors from fading. Combine that durability with the absence of splinters and decay, and you get a deck that looks fresh season after season with minimal upkeep.
Timeline depends on deck size, site prep, and crew experience, but most residential projects wrap up in a few days to a couple of weeks. Simple ground-level platforms go fastest, while multi-level designs or sites that need excavation add time. A seasoned pro will give you a clear schedule and keep you informed if weather delays pop up.
Composite isn’t your only choice. For classic warmth, you can choose pressure-treated or naturally rot-resistant woods or aluminum for a lightweight, water-resistant surface. Each material has its own maintenance routine, price point, and style, so weigh the look you want against how much time you’re willing to spend on upkeep.