I recently purchased a new home and along with it came an arbor covered with grey stuff and lichen. I consulted with the Summit Deck Doctor and Rupert counseled me that the situation was not good. The grey stuff doesn't add character...its fungus! This arbor needed attention and fast! It was attached to another structure that had a pre-existing stain color on it already. Rupert matched it exactly! After a good pressure washing and staining, the arbor looks like new! I am just delighted with the outcome. Even better was how well Rupert communicated with me about the project; I knew what was happening every step of the way. His follow up was terrific. I will definitely call on Rupert again when I need this kind of work done, and I recommend him highly to others. He is one of the most conscientious contractors I've ever worked with. He really cares! read more

Summit Deck Doctor - My awesomely refinished arbor - Decks & Railing Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

Looking for a fencing company and this company came up that sounded familiar but I had a negative reaction to. Then I remember, we hired them years back for a deck job! Don't fall for the sales pitch, the work was poor and the experience terrible. My dad was an unscrupulous (to be kind) used car salesman and Rupert reminded me so much of him I really should have known better. Would not recommend for any job. read more

We worked with Rupert and Michael on a pretty extensive and complicated staining project that included three decks and about 150 feet of fencing. Both Rupert and Michael were responsive and really pleasant to work with and it all came out fantastic. It's important to note that I originally called Rupert because I thought I might need a new deck. Rupert was the only one who came out to look at it who pointed out that with a few small repairs, our deck had many years of life left in it. It's great to see such integrity. Based on my experience, I'd trust him completely. read more

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Rupert was on point w assessment of our deck issues and how to address them, what impressed me most was that he wasn't trying to get me to do work that didn't need to be done in order to make a buck, like so many others, he honed in on the problems quickly and how to best address them in an affordable way. I highly recommend, the end result was outstanding craftsmanship, and he even went the extra mile for us. A+++++ 5 read more

Rupert had the tricky job of determining a stain color we liked that would work simultaneously for our previously stained deck and a brand new connected fence. We love how it turned out! We like the color itself, which was custom, much better than previous stains, and at the same time it beautifully shows off the wood grain. The price was very reasonable, and Rupert was fun and friendly, making it easy to navigate scheduling and other details despite this year's unusual October weather. read more

Rupert did a great job rebuilding the deck around our hot tub. . It turned out beautifully. There were some structural issues that were resolved and new deck boards installed to replace the old worn ones. A nice border railing also built. He paid attention to detail and good workmanship. Work was completed in the projected time frame read more

I've added three more photos to show the deck from different angles. It has now been about six weeks since it was finished, and the quality of the work has held up perfectly read more

Overall a very positive experience. Rupert recently completed a major deck project on our property. His bid and cost were competitive and came in on budget. He completed the work during intermittent rain. Rupert was amiable and personable. The completed project more than met our expectations. We would recommend. read more

We are so glad we took Rupert's advice. Got the deck stained before it started raining. It looks great, and is sturdy as well. Rupert helped us avoid unnecessary work and increase the life of our current deck, and we appreciate the eco-friendly outcome. Attaching some photos of before and after to give an idea. Summit Deck Doctor also helped paint a smaller upstairs deck. read more

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We needed our deck repainted and Rupert was great to work with. He was very knowledgeable and wanted to do the job right. The price was good for the space and they did a great job! Thanks Rupert! We love our deck! read more

Our 5 year old ipe deck was badly in need of staining. After getting few quotes, we decided to work with Summit Deck Doctor. His bid was reasonable and within our budget. Mostly, very straight forward, and no hidden costs in the fine print. No need to say any thing about the outcome, my photos show the beautiful results!!!As for their customers service, Rupert was very responsive and easy to communicate. I had a specific color in mind, and Rupert provided an array of stained samples for me to choose from. He was super patient and accommodating! I really enjoyed working with him, because he had a great knowledge of color and its possibilities. Michael was the person who did the staining. Can't say enough about his skill, dedication and attention to detail! Superb! I would highly recommend this company and will happily be a repeating client. read more

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Rupert and Michael just completed staining and sealing our very complicated deck project and did a masterful job. Their communication was prompt, every appointment was on time and their knowledge and craftsmanship was evident from start to finish. Rupert's book "Deckology" provided the information we most needed to know in how to care for our deck and was initially responsible for selecting him as our contractor. We especially appreciated his guidance in choosing the right stain color, his and Michael's attention to detail and their care in protecting the surrounding detail of our 1906 home. Our finished deck is beautiful! read more

Rupert ad Michael are outstanding at what they do! Super knowledgeable and professional. Very communicative and reluable. Affordable and fair. Kind and thoughtful as well. They restaimed our deck and it looks fantastic! You will be in very good hands with Summit Deck Doctor! I highly recommend them! Thank you Rupert!!! read more

We had a mixed experience. We hired Rupert to treat a large redwood gazebo, curved bench, two bridges and our mailbox post, to preserve the wood. We asked for a natural look in a reddish brown. What we received is orange. The pressure washing and application of the product by Michael were excellent. The problem is the garish color. We asked multiple times, including a week after, if at least the small bridge in the front yard could be improved. While acknowledging the end result is "orangey" Rupert made no attempt to improve it. I have attached a photo for context. If you hire him, make sure he gives you a color choice that is appropriate. read more

Summit Deck Doctor - Orange varnish - Decks & Railing Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

Rupert and MIchael did an EXCELLENT job staining my deck at my home, just off Summit Road and Soquel San Jose Road. Rupert, the owner, cearly is an expert in the trade (he literally wrote the book) and knows all the ins and outs of anything related to decks. He also takes a lot of personal pride in the work he does, and in shows in the end result. I have yet to find any flaws with the work done, such as stain in unwanted spots off the deck or uneven staining. I couldn't recommend Summit Deck Doctor more and I'll be calling Rupert for any future work I need done on my deck. read more

We have an extremely large deck that is a central feature on our mountain property. It had taken a serious beating in the winter of 2016/17 and was sorely overdue for refinishing. Rupert gave me several options and was patient as I asked questions and worked through the plan. It was not an easy project due to a lot of mismatch in the existing stain. Michael got to work on the mess and did not let up until the project was done. He was very thorough, touching up the details. and the end result was fantastic! The project was completed on time and within budget I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Summit Deck Doctor to anyone looking to bring new life to a Weathered deck. read more

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Really enjoyed working with Rupert and Michael. Our deck is very large over 700 sf so I was concerned about cost. Price turned out to be right in line. The thing I appreciate the most was the open line of communication. Rupert always stayed in touch and showed up as promised. The best part is we love our deck again! Thank you! read more

First of all, a caveat: this does not pertain to refinishing work. It could be that when working inside their usual comfort zone, the Deck Doctor folks do a wonderful job. Second caveat: the bit of construction they had to work on was decidedly unfriendly and a hard problem to solve. We first contacted Rupert to look into refinishing or sanding bare our unfortunately stained ipe decking and some ipe-clad retaining walls which were really falling apart. One stretch of retaining wall had been created with a built-in non-functional "bench" top, but then the original homeowners must have run out of wood and cut costs, because they topped the "bench" surface with Trex plastic, poorly installed. We wanted to do SOMETHING about this eyesore. Rupert tested some strippers and gave us the verdict that the decking was too deeply stained to sand down to its natural color, but my husband went ahead and asked him to do some of the other repairs. The price was fairly exorbitant, even more so after I observed the quality of work done. The bench surface was replaced by redwood common, which was haphazardly whacked off at approximate lengths in order to deal with the curving bench/wall. There was basically no skill employed at all; the wood was screwed into and glued onto the (admittedly badly built) wall structure beneath, however and wherever, to make it stick. Once this was done, with the wildly irregular edge composed of assorted boards, Rupert took a jigsaw in hand and strolled along this edge to trim it. After the job was done, I picked up about 2c or so of plastic glue caps, deck screws, and other litter. I understand that Rupert was in communication with my husband throughout this process, and not myself--I know that, for example, it was an accepted fact that the redwood would not match (because there was no way to match the stained ipe around it, and we might as well just hold off and do everything at once later). I think that this wasn't really the sort of job they normally do, and maybe Rupert took it on in order to facilitate the much bigger job of refinishing our copious decking. That wouldn't bother me if the price were reasonable, if the job had been done with any attention to detail... but honestly, by the time these guys were done I was so unhappy with the whole proceeding that I just wanted it to be over. We had a wobbly pair of two added-on wooden steps, a loose separate step-stool of sorts, at the entrance to our garage building... and we were charged $150 for the application of a few screws (it still wobbles, but not nearly as much). To Rupert's credit, he was trying to communicate with mostly-absent clients and there was a lot of back and forth, and he did try to stay in touch with us. But I really feel it would have been more ethical to either refer us to someone who could advise us on reconstruction, or just pass on the job entirely, rather than charge thousands of dollars for what turned out to be a sub-par repair. read more

Rupert was very easy to work with. He quickly responded to all calls and texts. He gave me a better quote than several others. He kept me informed of the timeline and stuck to it. Pressure washed one day and applied stain the next. We are very pleased with the result. I used to do this myself but it's much easier to let Summit do it. read more

"Man, I'm sorry, but I can't handle a job like that. If someone does take it, and if they aren't charging you, it's not going to turn out well." That was the first response I got from a contractor when I asked for a quote about staining my deck. It's a decent-sized deck at about 600 square feet. But as I live in Emerald Hills, we have 'a couple' of stairs, and there is about six miles of handrail that was designed for the function to follow the form. I stained it once, and decided not to do it again. Summit Deck Doctors called and I gave him a verbal description of the deck. He quoted a price over the phone based on surface area, I told him I wouldn't hold it against him if he adjusted the quote. Rupert came by during working hours, adjusted his quote as I expected, and we negotiated the color and everything over the phone. We covered all of the options, he was very knowledgeable, and then we signed one of the more interesting contracts I've ever read. They request some payment up front to cover material costs. Don't worry, your money is not at risk. Their work ethic is excellent. The schedule was adjusted around weather, and when the work started, you could see the results. They didn't miss a spot of coverage. They did a quality job the first time, and that would have been enough for four stars. What seals the fifth star is the follow up. I had some areas of the deck that soak up stain like a sponge, and there were other areas what wouldn't take anymore. After their first pass, we inspected it and they refinished it as well as possible. After that, they cleaned up very nicely, confirmed we were happy, and left us with a like-new looking deck. Which I guess is what a Deck Doctor should do... read more

From start to finish, I was so pleased with the Summit Deck Doctor. Rupert is extremely articulate in explaining the process of restaining/repairing a deck. He and his colleague put much effort into meeting a tight time frame. Rupert called every evening to check in on the progress. The deck looks fantastic. The staining is even and has renewed my aging deck. The Deck Doctor also power-washed and stained my patio furniture and I am so happy with those results! He helped me narrow down stain colors and now the furniture looks like new. After every day of work, they cleaned up. Even my moody dog totally warmed up to them :) The price is so reasonable, the professionalism is exquisite. If you at all are considering getting your deck re-refinished or repaired - I highly recommend the Summit Deck Doctor. read more

Rupert and team worked on both my deck and fence. Great working with them. I'm sure everyone is going to say the same things, Rupert does great work, and the finished product is outstanding. So I'll just fill in the details about why it is great to work with them. * Very knowledgeable. I did a lot of research and watched hours of videos about how to do it right. When Rupert came for the initial visit, most of what he described about his work fell into the category of how to do it right. * Customer satisfaction is his main goal. He recommended a bit darker color on the fence, but we wanted it to be a bit lighter. He went with what we wanted, and bought the stain I selected. But, he showed me what it would look like on part of the fence before he did the whole thing. Guess what, I didn't like it. That is that moment where you hope the contractor you selected is easy to work with. He had some other stain that was much darker, and made a custom mix with the materials I had selected. The mix put the color exactly where I wanted it. The fence is perfect, and he allowed me to just pay for the extra stain. I know other contractors would not do this. They would go with what I selected, and if there was an issue then it would be my issue. *You really do get what you pay for, and with Rupert you get a bit more. Example: I had a loose step that my wife was worried about, and Rupert took care of it for me at no extra charge. High quality products, with high quality work. If you want it done right call Rupert. read more

Fantastic job! Our deck looks great again. Perhaps even better than when I first built it 20 years ago. I sealed it then, and it's been stained once since, but was looking worn and flakey. The Deck Doctor power washed and scrubbed the old junk away. Then coated it with a stain that looks great with our teak patio furniture! I've really got to hand it to Rupert for his staining experience and for talking us into a better color choice. Communication, timing, prep, and cleanup all went without a hitch. One of the best contractors I've ever worked with. Highly recommended! read more

Rupert & Mike were outstanding! From beginning to end, Rupert was very clear in his communication & explained exactly what the process would entail - plus, they actually finished our deck much quicker than his initial estimate since they were both able to work on the deck that day. The attention to detail was amazing...they spent an entire day HAND BRUSHING the stain onto the deck & even added an extra coat to areas that needed a little bit more & fixed a loose step. The price was the best out of the quotes we received & the customer service was great....Rupert always either answered his phone when I called or called me right back - not like some of the other companies I called. Our deck looks like new & we're so happy we chose Summit Deck Doctor...we'll definitely be calling them when it's time to refinish our deck again! read more

We are so STOKED on our new deck. Rupert was very easy work with and very respectful, always putting his mask on while he was at our house. He built a new deck on pre existing posts as well as added stairs down to our creek. He reinforced the old post with more to make it safe and secure for our family. We knew the stairs were going to be tricky because of the slope, but Rupert figured out an excellent solution so our little kids could play by the creek. I really appreciated his daily communication with "deck updates." He was very organized and detailed with paperwork and original drawings. We will use Rupert again for any other future needs we have with our home. I highly recommend Summit Deck Doctor. read more

Rupert was easy to communicate with and very responsive! He was able to give me an estimate promptly and at a price that is very reasonable compared to two other quotes I got. After I agreed to go with him, he drafted the contract with details, and set the expectations properly so that there are no surprises. He and his crew completed the job on time and professionally. Overall I am satisfied with his work. read more

With all of the good reviews, I was very excited to work with Summit deck doctor. However, after leaving multiple voicemail messages over the course of two weeks and receiving absolutely no reply, I fail to see how anybody could give them a good review. If I could read them at zero stars I would. Don't bother wasting your time. read more

Rupert provided us excellent service thru out, from deck demolition to replacement. His design skills and "thinking out of the box" mentality, to accommodate a mountain home, was very appreciated. He removed and hauled away all the old deck materials and cleaned up when the work was completed. He has great attention to detail, and works very hard to make his customer's happy. I Would highly recommend him to anyone. read more

Rupert did a fantastic job of washing and staining the deck at my previous house two years ago, that I called him again to do the same thing at my new house. Because he is a deck specialist, Rupert really knows his stuff. He makes excellent recommendations, he tells you the truth about what he can and cannot deliver, and then he does what he promised. He stays in close touch before, during, and after the job. He shows up during the job to make sure everything is going according to plan and that you are satisfied. For both of my jobs, the man who actually did the washing and staining was Michael, and he was extremely meticulous and courteous. Both deck jobs came out looking absolutely beautiful. read more

Summit Deck Doctor - Beautiful deck job Oct. 2017 - Decks & Railing Near Me - Ben Lomond, California

We hired Rupert, Summit Deck Doctor, because of the great yelp reviews and we weren't sorry. He came when he said he would, and finished in the time he said it would take. We needed some repairs to our deck and a thorough staining. He helped match the old stain that was the color we wanted but couldn't find this time around. The deck is finished, looks terrific and we're now ready for the winter rains. Thanks, Rupert! read more

DO NOT HIRE THIS SUPPOSED EXPERT. Our experience with him was the absolute worst. To summarize our experience: INEFFICIENT He had to come to our house three times to get measurements or redo his measurements because he lost his notes. TARDY AND UNRELIABLE Very flaky. He never arrived when he said he would and then would only stay for two hour stints, maybe four if we were lucky. UNPROFESSIONAL Poor "bedside" manners, if you will. He was not sticking to the contract that HE wrote up and we agreed to. We kept having to show him the bid in order for him to complete the work. In the end, he still did not do all that was stated in the bid. We were so exasperated with him at this point that we decided to eat the loss with him and move on and warn people NOT TO USE HIM EVER! He discussed personal things about himself with us that I will not reveal here, but it was not appropriate in a professional setting. POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP and SHODDY WORK He left boards that he replaced not flush with the existing deck so they stuck up as a tripping hazard by about 1/8 inch. The boards he replaced were brand new boards that we purchased, but by the time he installed them he had dirtied them so badly, I don't know how, but now we have to change out a couple of the brand new boards he put in. He left nails and screws strewn all over the deck and we have children and dogs. He left all of his tools and things strewn all over our deck at the end of the day, even when it was going to rain. He didn't care about his tools or cleaning up after himself at the end of the day. He left old boards on our deck at the end of the day with the nails sticking up, again, we have kids and dogs. He was supposed to screw down all existing screws, but didn't do it, even though it was in the bid and we reminded him of performing that task. We had just planted lawn seed which was pretty apparent because we had stakes and string around our yard. But somehow he didn't see that and thought it was okay to walk all over the newly planted lawn! He would not even do a squaring off of the wood before he cut it, he just winged it. My husband pointed out that he should be squaring off before he cuts and he said, "Oh, would you like me to do that? I can just get my chainsaw." What kind of craftsmanship is that? Where is your pride in doing your job? IF YOU DO HIRE HIM, WHICH WE DO NOT RECOMMEND, HIRE HIM PER THE HOUR AND BABYSIT HIM. BECAUSE WE PAID HIM BY THE JOB AND THE NOMINAL AMOUNT OF WORK HE DID IT CAME OUT TO BE ABOUT $300 AN HOUR! DO NOT HIRE HIM!!!!! read more

I have an old deck that needs repair and other contractor suggested that I should do a brand new one and tear down the old one completely. I am not ready to do that and was not happy with those selling techniques as I believe the deck with key area repairs can probably have another 10 years of good life. Rupert came right on time and understood my intent, inspected key structural points, and made clear recommendations where and how he could repair - one major horizontal beam of the deck and two stairs with much stronger supports. He made a reasonable quote on the spot and gave me the estimated time and days of work. Rupert finishes all the work exactly as he quoted on scheduled days including painting of new woods. The work is solid and on time. Rupert also uses Text Messages to communicate the status effectively and efficiently. I am very happy with the work and glad I found Rupert who understands my needs and gave me great recommendations with solid work. Very pleasant experience. read more

After a less than perfect job on our 1700 Sq ft deck three years ago we searched for someone new. We are so happy that we found Summit Deck Doctor. Rupert and MIchael did an exceptional job. Rupert responded to my inquiry the first day and gave me an estimate based on my sq ft. When he came out we decided to do additional structural work as well as the staining. We had a few boards replaced, structural bracing underneath and even a large knot hole filled. His estimate was very reasonable. We were impressed with his communication (called us each night to check in) and gave us a thorough written estimate with clear drawings. As I am a stickler for details this was especially welcome in my eyes. We had "ideas' about certain things we thought needed replacing. Rupert was honest with us and told us that certain parts of the deck were fine and there was no need to replace at this time. Isn't it nice to have someone convince you that a task doesn't need to be done? On our first meeting I was given a copy of Rupert's book Deckology (which I read cover to cover). Everything you need to know about decks - very well written with a touch of humor. We are 100% happy with the job and highly recommend Rupert and Michael. We will be calling them again as needed. Vicki & Steve Kennedy read more

We had an unusual request for a wheelchair ramp to be put in on promise of a grant through childrens miracle network. Rupert was very understanding of the strict guidelines and atypical payment. He did a wonderful job and finished quickly. We are very happy to have an accessible house for our son. Thanks! read more

My miles of deck around my house in the Santa Cruz mountains look amazing all thanks to Summit Deck Doctor. I don't know how Michael did it all so quickly when it is so nearly perfect. No drips anywhere. No stain on the house or the surrounding landscape. This involved some fancy masking and wrapping of plastic around huge redwoods that grow up through my deck. The stairs, the railings and the deck boards look like they will not need to be stained again for 7 or 8 years. I honestly don't know how he got the stain in-between the boards like that. There was never any mess at the end of the day or at the end of the job. My deck looks stunning, a real work of art. I'm really glad I went with Summit Deck Doctor. Oh yeah, and he is nice to have around. Likes opera. Rupert helped educate us about types of stain and he calls every night to see if you are happy with the job. They both obviously care very much about the work they do and that is the kind of person I want to work with. read more

Well, I was very displeased and unhappy with, not only the terrible work on my deck, but I was also appalled by this mans mannerisms and his attitude. He was very pushy and rude and I just had to give into what he was going to do because he wasn't going to listen to my plans on how I wanted it to be. I wouldn't recommend him to a friend, for his attendance alone. He took forever to finish the job because he was here one day, then wouldn't return until days later! Not a very nice man. read more

Rupert and Michael did a wonderful job on our thirty year old deck. It looks new again. Rupert called me back expediently, provided a complete estimate, scheduled a time to do the work, and completed everything on time. I appreciated his straightforward honesty. Also, if he told you he would be here at 1:00, he was here at 1:00. read more

We've got an old (35+ year) multi-tier deck up near Skyline that was sinking/warping/rocking and absent a railing in a large section. Rupert devised a plan to straighten it out while retaining almost all of the existing wood. He also designed and installed a beautiful post and cable railing that seamlessly integrated the existing portions of railing into the new. The finished product is square, solid and looks like one cohesive structure. I especially liked that Rupert worked with me during the planning stages to come up with the plan of attack and was sensitive to our desires to keep as much of the old deck as possible and keep costs down. Rather than suggesting tearing out the whole structure and starting over, he came up with an approach that was well thought out and fit exactly what I was looking for -- even suggesting places where small changes could be made to save money on time and/or materials. The communication lines were kept open and Rupert was always willing to make adjustments to the plan when necessary and fix the odd unforeseen issue. Despite uncooperative Nov.-Dec. weather, the job was finished efficiently and on budget. read more

As usual, a phone call lead to an estimate the next day. Rupert has a history of talking me out of more expensive ideas, and has an ultra-pragmatic approach to his build and repair engineering. He de-comped his quote into modules based on the many things I needed across several areas of my extensive deckwork and I decline 4 days later construction began. Rupert's team doing the major work let me know when he was done for the day but otherwise just worked super hard all day... I was amazed at what he got done and it reassured me that I had made the right choice. I was out of town during the staining but have always found that Rupert's team are great with making sure I know when something has been stained - or if construction is still underway - for safety. Anyhow: 10 days later or so, my major repairs and restaining are done and the entire experience of entering my house now feels rock solid... before it was like a trampoline. My only complaint is that now I want the rest of my deck to have the same solid quality as the parts Rupert has fixed for me. He can help me - first I need more money. :) Least flakey contractor I've ever worked with. Rupert is the best - I have used his team several times over a period of 6 years and have had nothing but the best experience with him. You would have to be crazy to have a bad experience with him. read more

Rupert kept me in to loop on all the progress. He also completed miscellaneous tasks that were not in the contract. He called those tasks freebie:) His pricing was reasonable compared to a few other companies that wanted 5 to 10 times the amount. Rupert was creative, honest and worked diligently making sure everything was to our liking. I'd say he exceeded our expectations. Thanks again for giving our deck the secure, safe and esthetic appeal we were hoping for! read more