The other reviews pretty much sum it up - attention to detail, clear communication, great followup, Rupert's nightly check-ins. Everything went exactly as Rupert told us it would, and when it would! :-) I didn't think our deck was savable, let alone would look as good as it does now! Thanks, Rupert, Mike, and Cheryl! read more

We have a large, 20 year old deck surrounding our swimming pool. It has not been stained for many years and no protection at all since being pressure washed 18 months ago. I called 5+ deck repair businesses near me and Rupert was the only one that actually answered my call. He knew exactly what my deck needed. A few boards were replaced, pressure washed and an opaque stain applied. Cost to do all the work was significantly less than I had anticipated. My deck is now beautiful again thanks to Rupert and Michael. read more

Super! Our deck was looking really poorly after several seasons of rain and sun in Santa Cruz Mtns. Now, it looks great! Rupert and Michael did a great job prepping the deck and then staining it. We also needed some deck repairs (new railing) and some other deck like construction around the yard. Rupert's associate Conrad took care of those tasks and did an excellent job! We had a set of stairs from back door to patio built which are well made and very sturdy. Also had a platform built between 2 fir trees. This project was a little more complicated and required concrete pilings. It came out great -- feels super sturdy and is exactly what we wanted. Rupert listened to what we wanted and communicated that to Conrad perfectly. This was the 2nd time we've worked with Summit Deck Doctor and we are just as happy this time as we were the first time. read more

Rupert and Michael are the best! I contacted Rupert at Summit Deck Doctors after doing some web research. We spoke and Rupert explained what they offer, a rough cost estimate and a promise to call back to arrange coming by for a formal quote. Rupert arrived as/when promised and provided a detailed quote that we accepted. We live in the redwoods and although we'd sealed our deck roughly 3 times in the past 5 years it was looking pretty rough. The deck cleaned up better than I expected and the Hand Brushed stain job was incredible! We're real happy with the color and quality of the stain chosen. Simply couldn't be happier with the job these guys did. read more

In June 2011 we contracted with Rupert and Summit Deck Doctor to restore our 25 year old weathered decking. We are very pleased to report that a year later, thanks to their expertise, our extensive south facing decking still looks very good. Rupert, Michael and their company excel in knowledge, skill, communication , and organization. They use excellent products, are priced competitively and completed the job as scheduled. They are reliable, dependable, responsive and thorough. We were so pleased with our experience that we hired them to build a pergola. This too turned out beautifully. We highly recommend Summit Deck Doctor . read more

With over 2600 square feet of deck treated with two different types of stain by the previous owners, we knew staining our deck was a big job. And looking to get it done quickly and before the rains started, we understood that it would be challenging. Rupert responded quickly and was very clear about what was included. He offered suggestions on how to resolve issues, openly received our decisions and acted on them, and shared a great deal of knowledge and expertise. Work started as planned, with Michael executing on each and every aspect discussed. Very satisfied with the fairness of the price, the quality of the work and products used, and the regular communication throughout. This was one of the lowest stress house projects we've done. Thank you, Michael and Rupert, for a job well done - on time and at the quoted price. read more

Rupert was very knowledgeable and responsive. The deck looks great after a good power wash and a proper staining with the right materials. He was very flexible working around our schedule and the fact that we had house painters working on outside of the house. Rupert was also fighting a 'rain' deadline, and got it all done in time. read more

Summit Deck Doctors refinished and repaired our 40 year old deck, extending its life by at least another 10 years. Rupert was extremely courteous and an all around pleasure to work with. We couldn't be more pleased with their work and highly recommend them. read more

A late review, but remembered I was so dissatisfied, that I had to come back to complete it. After the work Rupert did, I had to buy over 200 more screws and do more work myself. He nitpicked on you want this, you want that, but then when the job was done poorly, he just said, oh you want this, oh you want that. Dah, I want a job well done, I thought you understood what quality means when we first talked. I guess not. Do not assume he knows anything. Videotape everything. He is the biggest ripoff I have ever seen. These 5 star reviews have to be bogus. I cannot believe anyone would rate this scammer highly at all. read more

Actually, I wrote the original review several years ago, after hearing some mountain neighbors complaining about the terrible job The Deck Doctor had done on their deck. We compared notes on our displeasure with your work and attitude towards your clients. That motivated me to go to Yelp and point out that "the Mercedes, BMW & Lexis of decks" was all BS and to warn others to beware. Last week, when I posted a review praising a roofing company, the old review of your firm first appeared & posted on yelp. Not a techie, I have no idea how that happened, but... Somehow my Yelp posting must've been lost in cyberspace all this time. FWIW -- At this point, your memory of what occurred years back is quite selective & distorted, on a number of points: 1. I clearly recall that on the day I "inspected & approved your work," you came to my door (for the first 50% payment ) at dusk, the wood was still wet and I was in the middle of a conference call; so all I could do was take a very quick run around the deck to see what little I could see under the circumstances present. I did in fact write you a check at that time. 2. The very next morning when the wood dried is when I first saw that the "deck cleaning" was so poorly done. I tried to reach you by phone several times; but when I could not reach you by late afternoon, I called my bank to stop payment on the check. I immediately left you a voice mail to apprise you that I'd stopped the check simply to cover my own butt. I made it clear that this was my sole intent but that I hoped we'd get things straight so we could move forward to complete the job. 3. When we finally spoke later that day, you arranged to come up on Sunday to take a look and to discuss the situation. You came up as scheduled, but repeatedly asserted that the job your "crew" had done was as good as it could ever get; and that I was "being too picky, i.e. hard to please." You offered to put in another 5 hours "on your dime," but after that I'd be on my own to find someone else to finish the job. I told you that was not acceptable and you ran off, indignant and accusing me of "trying to rip you off." 4. While I fully understand and appreciate your desire to have Yelp readers think only good thoughts about the Summit Deck Doctor, your claim of generosity and patience is way off the mark from what really transpired. Moreover, your assertion that my deck was not readily cleanable due to the 8 years of Penofin is patently false. Shortly thereafter, I found another deck refinishing firm to come up to do the job. Just days later, the entire deck & rail & fascia looked like fresh new redwood before they put the semi-clear stain finish down; and their bid was less than yours. 5. Then, about 3 years ago, I discovered Envirotek Restoration, and they, too, have made my deck look new and beautiful again. Watching Sammy's crew was a truly inspiring thing to see, as their work ethic was beyond reproach. Day 1 -- the crew shows up with a pressure washing rig in the back of a van; and by midday their on their way to their next job. They return a few days later when the wood is dry, and the 3 man crew spends a half-day working diligently - one man with a walking floor sander and the other two getting all the rails and nooks & crannies w/hand sanders. After blowing the dust away, they apply 2 coats of high grade semi-transparent stain/sealer. Bottom line - the Envirotek crew takes great pride & integrity in their work. Your grossly overstated claim that the process is "exceedingly difficult and labor-intensive" is totally belied by Team Envirotek. They were in and out after 2 days of labor, and the crew sure looked like they were having fun watching their work of art come together. 6. FYI --- One of the people who voiced complaints about your work recently spent several thousand dollars having his deck rail totally rebuilt with new wood because it was cheaper than removing the opaque "full-bodied" stain you had put on his deck about 5 years ago. After hearing his story, I was thankful that you never got the chance to ruin my beautiful deck the way you did his. 7. As for the "good client reviews" posted on your yelp page, your technique of using full-bodied stains which you assert last so much longer does have some truth to it. However, as any lover of redwood decking or furniture will tell you, high quality, relatively fresh redwood should be covered with transparent or semi-transparent stain, NOT opaque, full-bodied stain, which is essentially paint. Rupert, it has been years since we crossed paths, but, in all candor, you really handled that situation terribly; and I don't take well to having my integrity challenged or impugned. You invited this reply with your factually challenged posting, That said, I do hope that your work has improved greatly since then, for the sake of those "350 decks later." Sincerely, Marty F read more

Will not climb up higher than 6 feet to repair a deck. Not sure if I would refer to myself as the deck doctor if I didn't repair decks on the mountain above 6 feet. Also was late to return call. read more

Rupert Rocks! He'll make your decks look like new. (Well, if they are 30 years old and you've been neglecting them, he'll make them look way better than you could have imagined.) He returns your calls, arrives on time, the pricing is fair, and when he's done you'll wonder why you waited so long to take care of your tatty decks. He'll do repairs to small areas if your entire deck doesn't need to be stained just yet. I wouldn't call anyone else. read more

I found Rupert from looking up top rated deck re-finishers. Based on the reviews I read I thought I might as well give it a go. From the beginning of discussing our options to the follow up and completion of the deck Rupert is a true professional. Gives me the pro's and con's of all different options. Also very tech savvy as I was able to communicate directly with him through text for all scheduling and communication. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for any deck work. read more

Work completed was good and the price was very competitive. Rupert also provided further customer support after the work for my tenants.

Rupert and his team were very professional and completed the job in less time than estimated, at the quoted price. No suprises, no issues. Rupert is very clear in explaining the scope of work, and his crew did the work in the evenings when the sun was low on the horizon. They even came back to touch up some spots that needed extra stain after the job was complete. Deck staining isn't cheap, but if you want it done by people who know what they're doing, call the Summit Deck Doctor. read more

I found Rupert through Yelp. We had a hot tub removed and had to build the area with trax material. Rupert arrived on time and gave an estimate and then a straightforward contract that included time and materials. The job was completed ahead of time and he did a great job. read more

Rupert and Mike did a fine job. Communication was good, and I would encourage others to use him, too. When the decks need to be stained again in the future, I'll call the Deck Doctor to come back. read more

Good price and good job. And the custom color - Rupert's Red - was exactly what I wanted. The weather was not cooperating, but Rupert deftly scheduled the different stages of the job in between cloudbursts. read more

I needed my deck done in a hurry, and Rupert & Michael achieved that. They were both extremely courteous & I think charged a fair price. They recommended a product different from what I had used previously. The previous product gave a richer finish, but Rupert said the new product would be much easier to maintain, which is good. I might get the Behr again though just cuz I like its looks. read more

I'm always careful choosing contractors, I check Yelp, I meet them and I always get 3 estimates to compare. Not so this time - I checked Yelp, I met Rupert, and that was that. I decided immediately that he was the real deal. Rupert delivered on time and the work was top notch. I had a million questions and he answered all of them. He has a huge amount of experience and it shows. He was always 100% up front and honest - told me that I really didn't have to change a ton of our deck planks, just the worst 6 and that would be fine. He absolutely wanted to save us money. He always made sure we were 150% satisfied with the progress of the work, the dates etc. I felt in really good hands. It is rare to find a contractor that is 100% reliable, arrives when he says he will, sticks to his price, and delivers a quality product. I have already recommended him to a friend. I recommend him to you. If I could give him 10 stars I would ! Thank you Rupert and team - you are an example to your peers. read more

Summit Deck Doctor just completed refinishing six decks at our home in Los Gatos. No other contractor has given such personal service. From the first contact with the owner Rupert until the end of the project, he kept us informed via text what was happening each day. He also visited during the process to make sure we were completely comfortable and satisfied. His associate Michael did all the work, from power washing to staining. He was unbelievably careful with the power washer, using an unusual width wise method instead of washing each board longitudinally. He was also a true artist with the stain. Michael patiently treated the wood avoiding any runs or splashing on painted surfaces. Our decks, which vary from three to fourty years in age, have never looked better. If you are searching for the ultimate deck refinishing company, call Rupert at Summit Deck Doctor. You'll be happy you did. read more

Rupert was a pleasure to deal with to get the job quoted and expedited to meet our needs of refinishing the deck prior to a weekend dinner party. Michael did a great job preparing and staining the deck. His attention to detail was great. They showed up at the time and day promised and got the job done on time. The entire deck was painted with a brush and in the late afternoon hours so the shade covered the deck for the best possible result. We had another quote for a similar price quoted by Rupert for the entire deck, however Rupert suggested to just do the horizontal decking and top rail since the vertical pickets and supports were in very good shape. This revised quote was significantly less money and everything came out great. We appreciated the suggestion and interest in saving us money and time. We would definitely recommend the Summit Deck Doctor for all your deck refinishing needs. read more

We used Rupert the Deck Doctor for the first time this year but we had contacted him several years ago to come and see our deck. At that time we had a support post that needed replacement and he was nice enough to suggest a local contractor to do the replacement even though he got nothing out of the referral. Or, at least he got our attention and so we called him back to quote on mainly carpentry repairs on our deck. He was highly recommended by a friend at work since he did some staining work on her deck. What I liked is that if he didn't feel confident about doing a job, he would recommend the best person that could do that job better. So pretty honest to me. I thought Rupert was very practical and very clear and straightforward on what he would do, how much it would cost and what it would look like afterwards. He had a long drive to come up to our place but he showed up every day (even when he was sick) to get the work done and move the project along. At the end of the day he would give us an update and forecast for the next days. We liked him and the job he did. Our deck was in pretty bad shape but at least now I can feel safe walking around. He reinforced railings, replaced boards, doubled the picket count, and provided humor while he worked. Now that our deck is usable again, it is very exciting. He also inspired my husband to prepare the rest of the deck and gates for staining which we also just signed a contract to do with him. He also has a self-written book on decks that he gave us to read which is useful advice on decks and helped us to prepare for staining after winter season. All in all we give the Summit Deck Doctor high marks. read more