Deck Safety Awareness Month: Why Choose a NADRA Certified Installer?

The month of May is filled with holidays, celebratory events, and various initiatives, and keeping track of it all can be a challenge. With all of these exciting springtime events, safety should always be top of mind. So, while Deck Safety Awareness Month® is yet another campaign that occurs during the month of May, it’s worth your attention if you plan on installing or using a deck this season and beyond. Deck Safety Month (or DSM for short) was established by The North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA), a non-profit collection of deck builders, inspectors, manufacturers, and more, which emphasizes safe building practices and deck safety. Businesses in these relevant industries can join NADRA and become NADRA-certified with the proper requirements. But what sets a NADRA-certified installer apart from the rest?

Let’s explore why homeowners and businesses should choose a NADRA-certified deck installer.

Easy to Find the Best Local Providers

Searching for decking contractors (or contractors of any kind) can be a hassle. The internet has made it easier than ever to find candidates, but it has also saturated the market, making it difficult to determine who will deliver the best results for the best price. That said, NADRA’s built-in directory is a useful tool for narrowing your search for local outdoor deck installation and repair providers. The search engine lets you search by location and category to find NADRA-certified contractors in your area, and users can also find an alphabetical list of all NADRA-certified providers underneath.

Ethical Contractors

Every business that joins NADRA makes a pledge of ethics, which lays out specific practices and standards for services rendered, communication, advertisement, contract writing, safety, and free enterprise. Simply put, NADRA members are tasked with maintaining honesty, integrity, and transparency in all they do. While it would be nice if all decking contractors followed a similar ethical code of conduct, regardless of organizational membership, when you work with a NADRA-certified installer, you at least know that they have pledged and committed themselves to these standards. This will give you peace of mind at every step of the process.

Guaranteed Licensed and Insured Providers

Whether you need professionals for deck repairs, installation, restoration, sealing, etc., you should only work with companies that are both licensed and insured. Those without licensing have no way to prove their merit as a decking contractor. And those without insurance cannot guarantee that any costs associated with mishaps or injuries do not fall on you. The good news is that all NADRA-certified contractors must be licensed and insured, so you don’t have to do additional digging to find out these important matters.

NADRA Education and Training

You should always search for ethical, licensed, and insured providers. But these conditions ring hollow if the contractor in question fails to deliver quality results. While we’re discussing Deck Safety Month, we must note that a poorly installed deck is anything but safe. Knowledge and experience are necessary for constructing, repairing, and/or maintaining a safe deck. Fortunately, NADRA-certified installers receive thorough training and education on these matters. For instance, to receive a deck evaluation/inspection certification, members must undergo a 4-hour training session on how to properly inspect a deck. Members can also earn a Master Deck Professional (MDP-CODE) certificate by taking a 4-part online series. Other educational and networking opportunities are available through NADRA as well. Ultimately, customers reap the benefits of this decking literacy.

So, perhaps the better question is this: why wouldn’t you choose a NADRA-certified deck installer? If you’re searching for one such candidate in the Massachusetts area, look no further than the deck repair and restoration experts at SEAL-A-DECK. To learn more about us or to schedule a deck check-up today, give us a call at 978-538-7325.