A deck build that waits on the inspector.
A deck isn't one appointment. It's demo, footings, a footing inspection, framing, decking, rails and stairs, then a final. Redline books each step as its own visit on the job and moves the rest of the build in one message when the town or the lumber yard changes your week.
Laying a build out on the calendar
Book the steps you know
"Alvarez build: demo and layout Monday, footings Tuesday, framing starts the day after inspection." Redline books the visits it has dates for and keeps the rest in the job notes.
Add the inspection when the town gives you a slot
You call the building department, they give you a day. Tell Redline and it goes on the calendar as its own event on the job, with the permit number in the notes.
Fill the gaps with other work
Concrete is curing and the inspector isn't due until Thursday. Ask for a time for the Cho resurface or a restain, and Redline offers slots, favoring days you're already working in that town.
When something slips, say what moves
"Inspection moved to Thursday. Push framing to Friday and decking to Monday and Tuesday." Redline moves each visit you name. Nothing moves that you didn't mention.
Crew sees the plan
On Team and up, assign the crew to each visit. The crew lead's app shows the day's job, the checklist and the office notes, like the rail height, the stair rise and the board pattern. Prices stay hidden.
The inspector moved, Wednesday 7:10am
Moved: Alvarez framing to Monday, Oct 12, decking to Tuesday, Oct 13 and Wednesday, Oct 14. That leaves Thursday and Friday open this week.
The Cho resurface in Natick has no date yet. Want it Thursday?
Booked the Cho resurface Thursday, Oct 8 at 7:00. Reminder set for Friday: confirm the Trex delivery for Rosa Alvarez.
Booking and moving visits by chat works on every plan. Reminders land in the morning push on the iPhone app.
A deck build as calendar visits
Every town is different, so this is an example, not a rule. The point is that each step is its own visit you can move.
| Step | How it goes on the calendar |
|---|---|
| Demo of the old deck and layout | A visit on the job, usually day one |
| Dig and pour footings | A visit, with the hole count and depth in the notes |
| Footing inspection | An event you add once the town gives you a day |
| Framing | One or more visits after the footing inspection passes |
| Framing inspection, where your town requires one | An event, same as the footing inspection |
| Decking, railing and stairs | One visit per build day |
| Final inspection | An event, with a reminder to bill the balance once it passes |
| Wash and restain on a wood deck | A repeating visit every 24 or 36 months, if you sell it |
A visit is saved as a start time. Book one per build day so the week shows what your crew is really doing.
Three decks in the air at once
In build season a lot of deck companies have two or three jobs going at once, because nobody can afford to sit while concrete cures or an inspector takes a week. That only works if you can see the whole picture: which job is waiting on what, and where the open days are.
Redline keeps that picture on the calendar instead of a whiteboard in the shop. When one build stalls, you ask what it opens up and fill the gap with a repair, a restain or the next job's footings. Optimize can look at the next 7 days and propose moves that put same-town work together, and you apply the ones you like.
What it won't do is act like a project schedule. Visits aren't linked to each other, so if the footing inspection slides, framing doesn't slide with it until you say so. For a deck that's usually three or four visits to name in one message, and you stay the one deciding the order.
Straight answers on deck scheduling
Redline does
- Book each build step as its own visit on the job
- Move several visits in one message
- Show what a delay opens up and offer slots for other work
- Keep the permit number, drawings and inspection notes on the job
- Assign crews to build days (Team and up)
Redline doesn't
- Link steps so a late inspection pushes the rest on its own
- Book inspections with the building department
- Show a Gantt chart or a project timeline
- Track lumber or composite orders with your supplier
- Text the homeowner a new start date
Questions contractors ask
Can I see everything booked for one deck?
Ask the chat what's on the calendar for that customer and it lists the visits and dates. The job file holds the notes, photos and drawings that go with them.
How do I keep the homeowner in the loop?
When the build moves, have Redline draft a short email with the new days and send it from your Gmail, or call with one tap. The email is saved on their file, so the next person to talk to them knows what they were told.
What about the winter, when we're selling and not building?
Signed decks sit in Accepted, and Home lists them under Sold not scheduled. When you have spring dates, book the first visit on each and lay out the rest as the permits come back.
Which plan does a deck company need?
Scheduling works on Free. Solo at $29 a month adds deposits and invoices. Team at $129 a month adds the crew board and app with 3 seats, owner included. See pricing.
More for deck builders
- Deck building softwareThe whole deck workflow in Redline
- Deck estimate templateFraming, decking, railing, stairs and footings
- Deck invoice templateFinal invoice with upgrades and the deposit applied
- Scheduling and calendarSuggested times and Optimize
- Job profit calculatorWhat a build leaves after lumber and labor
Keep reading
- Deck building softwareQuote decks with material options and keep long decisions from going cold.
- Scheduling and calendarAsk for a time, get the 3 best open slots. Optimize tightens the week.
- Crew dispatch and tech appA board for every tech's day and a simple app for the crew. Team plan and up.
- Fence company scheduling softwareSold fences with no date, what's holding each one, and post and panel days booked by chat.
Run your business by chat.
Redline is free to start. Tell it about the job and it handles the quote, the schedule, the invoice and the follow-up.