Let me give you the bottom line up front: Working with John of Distintive Decks was a real pleasure and we couldn't be happier with the end result. If you are looking to work with a professional to get quality construction at a good value, then look no further. When I first started looking for deck contractors, I couldn't believe how hard it was to get a call back in a timely fashion. John responded to emails and phone calls quickly to set up our first appointment. He was the third estimate we got and we're sure glad we called him. John came to our home on time and ready for our appointment. He patiently listened to our concerns and the things that we were interested in before he educated us on various aspects of deck construction to include materials, manufacturers, warranties, design, permitting and labor. After getting an understanding of our budget and family needs, John guided us in selecting the best deck option for us. Throughout the process I felt like John was treating us like he would treat his friends and family. He was brutally honest with the facts and would not allow us to choose a product he felt would end up disappointing us, even if that were to happen years down the road. John's approach to estimating and billing was as transparent and easy to understand as possible. There was no ambiguity to his estimating as we narrowed down our selection of materials and extras. He was never wishy washy about anything. His electronic billing approach was a breath of fresh air, allowing us to easily see the costs involved in the project along with having electronic documentation for our records. We had no cost overruns or surprises whatsoever. John knows his craft well and it shows. John's knowledge of construction code along with material idiosyncrasies allowed him to guide our project smoothly while maximizing material use to our benefit. In other words, he took care of us and did the best he could to stretch out our materials given the design. I believe he did a few things extra without additional costs just because he could. John and his crew worked diligently and maintained their work area as neatly and orderly as you would expect for this kind of project. The deck was complete in a couple of days (not including the time for the concrete footings to cure) John knows the value that he and his company brings to the table. He gave me a discount for being a military veteran, but otherwise was solid on his price once we made our selection. To me that meant that he runs his business in a consistent manner, not looking to change margins up and down depending on the situation he sees. Also, I appreciate that the confidence he has in knowing the quality of his company's work and the value at which you can get it. Let me clear here, we spent much more than we anticipated originally and his price was the highest of our three estimates, but we knew we were getting a superior product, with excellent construction, and the peace of mind that came with industry leading warranties. read more

After taking three estimates, John Byrnes of Distinctive Decks, Inc. came in substantially lower than the other two contractors we spoke with, even basing his estimate on Trex Transcend, which I'm given to understand is the industry-leading material for this purpose. He had some very good design ideas and suggestions, and was honest and helpful when it came to making judgements about such things as where to place the stairs, etc. He requested a relatively modest deposit, and advised that he did the jobs in order of deposit receipt date. Work began Tuesday, 5/22/18, with demolition of the old deck and the sinking of the concrete footings; Wednesday was a "down day", for personal reasons John was up-front about and explained to me on Tuesday. John and his crew worked from roughly 7:30 am to about 8:00 or 9:00 pm on Thursday and Friday, and the job was done Friday evening. Work was done cleanly; they left behind no debris or litter in my yard (important to me, as I have both a toddler and a dog that play there) and above-all quickly. John was a consummate professional, answering most questions by quoting the relevant code requirement and then telling me how the deck he was building me exceeded that standard. John and his crew also moved everything out of the area and then back up onto the deck when done, including a set of outdoor furniture, grill, and a particularly heavy and cumbersome offset umbrella, a courtesy I greatly appreciated. In the end, we are delighted with our new deck and looking forward to entertaining on it during the season. As far as business practices go, John was entirely above-board and honest about everything. His payment schedule was very reasonable, and left plenty for completion of the job to reassure that it would be done without delay. He got the job done by the time he said he would. If I had to offer a complaint, it would simply be that he's too busy and the work is too weather-dependent to give hard and fast start-dates. Considering how reasonable his pricing is and the quality of his work, its easy to understand why he's so busy. I don't anticipate needing another deck for 30 years or so, but if I did, I'd most definitely hire Distinctive Decks again without hesitation. read more

I had the pleasure of working with Distinctive Decks for the second time, and just like my previous experience, I was blown away by their exceptional service and craftsmanship. Many years ago, John, the owner, built a multilevel deck at our home, and the results were fantastic. When I needed a front porch and bedroom balcony deck replaced, there was no doubt in my mind that I would call John and his team once again. From the very beginning, Distinctive Decks stood out from the competition. The estimate they provided was not only competitive but extremely fair, which immediately gave me confidence in their pricing and integrity. Unlike other contractors, John's estimate was transparent and detailed, showing his commitment to providing an honest and accurate assessment of the project. When the work began, I was once again impressed by the professionalism and care demonstrated by John and his crew. They took great care in removing the old decking, ensuring the process was smooth and thorough. Then, the transformation began as they installed the new Trex decking. The level of precision and attention to detail they exhibited was truly remarkable. Throughout the project, John's personality and dedication to his work shone through. He is not only a skilled craftsman but also a personable individual who takes pride in his work. It's clear that he genuinely cares about his customers' satisfaction and strives to deliver a final product that exceeds expectations. The finished product was nothing short of outstanding. The front porch and bedroom balcony deck looked brand new and were built to last. The quality of the materials and the workmanship were top-notch, and it's evident that Distinctive Decks takes great pride in their projects. In conclusion, if you are looking for a company that embodies quality, craftsmanship, honesty, and integrity, look no further than Distinctive Decks. John and his team have once again proven their excellence in delivering remarkable outdoor spaces. I highly recommend them to anyone seeking a reliable and skilled contractor for their decking needs. I'm thrilled with the outcome, and I know you will be too. read more

Excellent! I could not be happier with the outcome. From the initial interview through to completion, John Byrnes exceeded all expectations. Having endured many construction projects over the years, including a gut renovations of a Brooklyn Brownstone, John set the standard for how a construction project should go. He war prompt in returning all calls and answering inquiries. When we first met, he thoroughly explained and gave insightful options for how he would approach the project. His estimate was very reasonable in comparison to others I had received. What he also told me during that first meeting was music to my ears, and quelled all my fears from prior construction projects; 1) He gave me an estimate of his start date and duration of project, which proved to be spot on, 2) He said he would be present each and every day of the project, and 3) He said that once he started, his team would remain on the job until completed and not start other jobs, which is the most infuriating thing that many contractors do. He and his helper Harrison was punctual every day, and even worked in the rain. They were courteous, pleasant and a pleasure to have around. When the demolition was complete, he identified that the structure of the lower deck was also rotting and he thoroughly explained this to me, even showing me the condition and why it needed to be replaced. He immediately gave a very reasonable price for the additional work. The job was completed in a week's time and is absolutely beautiful!!!! John Byrnes and Distinctive Decks is the gold standard for construction projects and should be an example for all others! I will definitely call him back without hesitation for any future deck related projects. read more

As always with any project I am having done around the house I got three estimates. All three people who showed up were very nice and knowledgeable about Trex and Timber Tech products. But only one picked up on the fact that the roof was shifting downwards on my front porch and that the columns that were supporting the roof were NOT under any deck support or concrete footings. John told us what was needed to be done to correct the problem and was still priced closely to the other two estimates with the work of jacking up the roof and resetting it being included. John and his guys were professional, polite, always on time and a pleasure to deal with, so much so that I hired him again later this year to do our back deck which was over 60 feet long, had two levels, a hot tub inserted in it, railings, bench, in the deck lighting and multiple styles of steps. All were done to perfection. I hired him for his honesty and keen eye on picking up on the sloping roof but ended up getting so much more. Not only did he fix the roof and redo the front porch to perfection, he transformed our back yard far beyond our expectations. He gave us great ideas on how to do the back deck and thankfully convinced us to amend our plans and we are so so grateful we listened to him. Honesty, reliability, master planner and consultant, professional, pleasure to deal with and reasonable priced, what more can you ask from someone and their company. FYI: This is my first company review I have EVER done; John was just that good. read more

John B. of Distinctive Decks is the "ACE OF DECKS". John is the business owner and was promptly on site each day as promised and is hands on personally building the deck alongside his crew. John was extremely helpful in every way possible from the initial estimate to the completed deck. He listened to all of our needs and concerns, gave us options and ideas and explained the process and timeline. John told us what needed to be done and why. He was always available to answer any question or concern we had at all stages of the build. The cost of the project was right where the numbers needed to be. For our project we requested a specific composite deck board color that is exclusive to the "BIG ORANGE CORPORATE STORE". Distinctive Decks had to work around the unpredictable delivery schedule of the Depot to obtain the materials to complete the job. (FYI- I would suggest purchasing the materials from a local lumber yard with in stock products and early morning delivery so the project can be completed in a timely manner) John and his crew were always professional and careful not to damage any items in my yard and they cleaned up the job site upon completion of their work. Distinctive Decks overachieved as the final product looks better than I imagined. John is very customer service friendly and exceeds expectations with quality craftsmanship . I highly recommend Distinctive Decks and will use them again for future projects. read more

We had John redo our front porch and back deck. The front porch was shortened, with new steps, railings, and deck boards. The back deck was expanded; all new joists, additional support columns, new staircase, railings, and boards were installed. Throughout each stage of the project, from design, to picking materials and color, to the actual construction, John has worked diligently to make sure all our requests were met. He was always courteous and quick to address our concerns. His crew was also pleasant and we liked that the site was always kept in clean condition. As is always the case, there were some unforeseen issues that came up and John made sure to explain the various options of dealing with them. For example, it turned out that our old deck framing was not level. John went through extra effort to level it at no cost to us. We are very happy with the end result. John and his crew did a great job making sure everything fit together perfectly as though it was part of our house from the beginning. We love the LED lights on the steps and the railings that add a great modern touch to our deck. Overall, it was a pleasure having John work on this project and we're very glad we chose him for the job. read more

Can't say enough good things about the team of guys with Distinctive Decks. The owner, John, is a straight up good guy. He does right by his clients and goes above and beyond to give you the best possible job. My wife and I couldn't be happier with our new Trex deck. It is exactly how we wanted it and thats thanks to John and his team. They work all day to get the job done as soon as they can (even worked through the rain a bit) and stick with you from start to finish- not like a lot of other contractors who leave you waiting for a call on when they're coming back to finish. John and his guys are also very nice and polite and clean up after themselves. When the lumber yard dropped off the materials, they messed up a section of our grass- John got in touch with them and was able to re-seed the area- like I said- above and beyond and not like most other contractors that I've dealt with. We are very happy that we chose John. Not only did did I feel that I was working with someone I could trust, but he did an excellent job and his price was the best of the estimates we got. Keep up the great work John and team! read more

I recently hired distinctive decks to build a new deck on the rear of my house in Southold. I had plans drawn by someone Else and those plans were uninspired. After spending a few minutes with John and his team we redesigned the deck to include innovative elements that were absent in the original plans. John then quoted me a very reasonable price and he began construction within two weeks. His work is professional and up to the highest standards. I couldn't be happier. He is trustworthy to the point where I gave him the keys to my house and his crew was very respectful of the property. If you are looking for a deck that will be the envy of the neighborhood, this is the guy for you. In addition, if your in the design stage, and are looking for ideas, he can be a great source. We bounced quite a few ideas back and forth until we finally arrived at a final plan. I really appreciated the input and in the end it made all the difference. read more

In the three years we've owned our house we've undertaken lots of work with a range on contractors. I can unequivocally say that working with John and his team at Distinctive Decks has been the best experience we've had. The were very professional, neat and the final product looks fantastic. They arrived early every day over Memorial Day weekend to get it done. The organization from drop off of materials to collection of the trash was seamless. There were at least 5 or 6 guys working which meant they were able to take down the old deck and build the new one in about 4 days - which i found very impressive. The deck itself is a great looking Trex deck with white vinyl railings. They took the initative to make little changes themselves like changing the lock on the gate to one that my one and half year old wouldnt bump into. All in all, A++. read more

We had john byrnes from distinctive decks install a second story deck on our house.I knew right away he was the guy for the job. He came by showed him what we were thinking, I knew right away he was making a plan .He wasn't some salesman looking to throw numbers at you. He does the job so you know what he says will be how it gets done.The price was right about what we were planning to spend.We went with timbertech products and couldn't be happier with them. There were issues with the way my house is set up and john just figured a way to work around them with no stress, his experience truly showed.I have to say it came out nicer then we ever imagined.A neighbor came by recently and said I looked for any thing I could find that didn't look right, couldn't find one.I would tell any one looking to add a deck to there home to use them. read more

John is the best. We were fortunate enough to find him through the Fiberon website after a "handyman" had incorrectly planked our 2-level deck. John replied to us right away and knew exactly what needed to be done. His pricing was reasonable, he was very upfront about his schedule and scope, and the work exceeded our expectations. After he demoed the work that had been done previously, he found that the upper and lower levels were not up to code and were quite dangerous. He showed us what needed to be done and explained why. He took pictures for our records and kept us updated every step of the way. Even when the work was finished and the last payment was made, he followed-up to make sure that everything was to our satisfaction. We HIGHLY recommend him without hesitation and are so thankful for everything he has done for us. read more

John Byrnes came to the house and spent a fair amount of time with my wife and I, in helping us decide what we wanted our new deck to look like. At first we really didn't have much of a vision except for what we already had with our existing deck. He provided some ideas to us The work consisted of tearing out and removing existing deck and existing framing below. The entire frame was reconstructed to the new frame design, and the Azec decking material selected along with the lighting and railings was installed. John Byrnes is extremely meticulous with his work and makes sure everything is as the customer wanted it. Distinctive Decks did a fantastic job building our deck and John Byrnes was always professional as well as, The deck is fabulous. read more

The best contractor I've ever used. We hired John Byrnes and his company Distinctive Decks to take down our 1000 sq ft plus wood deck and replace it with a new Trex deck. From the of beginning of the project to the end John was responsive to our every need, returned calls and showed up on time. John is on site and watches that every detail is done correctly. His recommendations were spot on and he left the work site cleaner than it was when he arrived. I will highly recommend John and his company Distinctive Decks to friends and family. The results have exceeded our expectations and the deck is absolutely beautiful. Needless to say we are very happy that we selected John for the job. read more

After being fooled by a prior builder John came to the rescue and built the most beautiful deck for us. He was very honest and worked in a very professional manner. He made some suggestions throughout the project and I could not be happier that I took his suggestions. I get so many compliments from friends and family when they come to the house because the deck is beautiful and very enjoyable during any season. John's work was so well done that when the inspector came to the house he did not find anything wrong with it. I highly recommend John and his crew to those that want a professional and honest job done. read more

John Byrnes of Distinctive Decks recently completed a new composite deck, of Trex on our property. From start to finish John was very professional & attentive to our needs. His design & material suggestions were right on point. He demolished our old deck which he cleaned up after & carted away. John worked in a timely manner despite weather conditions; it was February. He communicated well throughout the process answering any questions & dealing with any issues that occurred. The end result is a beautiful deck that we will use for many years to come. I highly recommend John or your next deck. read more

I was very concerned about having an upper level deck and staircase constructed as safely as possible. John's profuse knowledge of deck building was apparent immediately upon speaking with him. I was completely confident that he was the guy for the job - and he did not disappoint! My deck is sturdy, built strictly to code and beautiful! John was able to solve every problem that arose while sticking to schedule and offering unique ideas to make my deck more space effective and appealing. When we are ready to have our lower deck rebuilt, without a doubt, John will get the call. read more

I can't say enough good things about this company. The job was scheduled when I requested and it was completed on time. After getting a few estimates, I was very satisfied with the price. John provided the estimate and did the work. When he came for our initial meeting, he was professional and helpful. He is kind and was patient with my HOA during the application for approval process. His craftsmanship is of superior quality. I was very happy with the end result. He even provided something extra with the fencing to protect my dog. I highly recommend Distinctive Decks. read more

John and his crew did an amazing job on a 16x32 Trex deck with Trex railings. I got quotes and went to see work from over 10 companies, we felt he was the most knowledgeable, honest and extremely competitive. John does not try to push certain companies and their materials on you. He truly is a master deck builder. John will talk to you throughout the entire process, he also had great knowledge of town codes and the permit / variance process. I have recommended Distinctive Decks to anybody looking for a quality deck built by an honest hard working company. read more