There's no better place than TUDS for someone tackling it themselves.

Honest answer: maybe not. The drawings tool we run is built for basic decks — rectangles, simple multi-level, standard railing. If your project is multi-level with stairs, integrated kitchens, hot-tub cutouts, structural-engineering required, or anything that needs full landscape planning, it likely falls outside what we can generate. We'll be honest with you up front about whether your project gets drawings. If it doesn't, we can still help with takeoff, product selection, and phone support — and we may suggest Assisted DIY as a better fit if the structural side is the complex part.

If you'd rather not stand in line at the building department, TUDS will physically apply for and obtain the permit on your behalf. We submit your drawings (the ones we generated), spec sheets, and your homeowner info; we deal with any inspector questions during application; we hand you the approved permit when it's ready. The TUDS fee is a small flat charge — call either store for the current number on your municipality. Your municipal permit fee is paid separately to the city (typically $100–$400 depending on deck size + jurisdiction). This is the only paid item in Full DIY — everything else is free.

Depends on the deck. Small ground-level platforms — first-time builders succeed with a clean drawing and our phone on the fridge. Multi-level with railing, stairs, and lighting on a first project? Probably biting off too much. Most common rookie mistake: scope creep beyond your skill level. Second-most-common: wrong fastener in an expensive composite board. We'll be honest about your project complexity up front. If the structural side specifically intimidates you, Assisted DIY hands you a code-compliant foundation and you finish from there — that's where most DIYers actually need the help.

Top five we see every year: (1) wrong fastener for the board — composites need composite-rated screws or hidden clips; deck screws meant for cedar will void warranties. (2) Insufficient joist spacing — most composites want 16" OC for parallel runs and 12" OC for diagonal/45° patterns; check your tier's TDS. (3) No expansion gap at board ends — composites move with temperature; you need 5–6mm at butt joints in Saskatchewan. (4) Skipping end-cut paint — exposed core on cut ends will discolor over time; Axxent end-cut paint is a five-minute fix. (5) Permit drawn-up wrong — incomplete drawings are the #1 reason DIY permits get rejected; our tool-generated drawings answer the inspector's standard questions.

Standard deck-build kit: cordless drill + impact driver, circular saw with a fine-tooth composite blade (not a wood blade — composites chip), tape measure, speed square, chalk line, level (4-ft minimum), post-hole auger or digger, concrete-mix tools if you're pouring piles. We don't sell those — they're a Princess Auto / Home Hardware run. We do sell the consumables that matter for the boards: hidden-fastener clips, end-cut paint, composite-rated screws, fascia trim, stair nosings. Walk in with your drawing and we'll point you at exactly what your build needs and skip what it doesn't.

When the structural side is the part you're losing sleep over. The framing — piles, beams, joists, ledger board — is roughly one-third of a deck install cost but it's the part code inspectors care most about and the part where DIY mistakes are most expensive to fix. If you're confident on the finish work (deck boards, railing, lighting) but nervous about the structure, Assisted DIY hands you a code-compliant foundation from a TUDS-vetted contractor and you take it from there. You still save ~2/3 of total install cost. Mid-project upgrades from Full DIY to Assisted DIY are also fine — drawings and takeoff carry over, no restart fees.

Walking in with a sketch and asking honest questions? Always — that's just being a good neighbour. Generating full drawings + takeoff for a project that's going to buy materials at Home Depot? That's where the deal breaks down — the planning is free for TUDS customers because the materials sale supports it. If you've already bought from a box store and are stuck mid-build, we'll still answer the phone and try to help — but the deeper service (custom drawings, full takeoff, permit-pulling) is reserved for customers who buy materials from TUDS. Fair on both sides.

Most Prairie cities require a permit for any deck over 10 sq m (108 sq ft) or higher than 600mm (24") off grade. Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw, Warman, Martensville, Prince Albert, Lumsden, Yorkton — we've walked customers through every one of those building departments. Each has slight quirks (Saskatoon wants a site plan with setbacks marked; Regina wants framing detail at every cantilever; Moose Jaw is more forgiving on small ground-level decks; rural municipalities vary widely). Our drawings answer the standard questions; we'll flag the city-specific extras when we spec your package. Sask 1st Call (line-locates) is mandatory before any digging — we'll remind you. Frost depth in most of Saskatchewan is 4 feet — your piles need to extend below that.