Blog

RSB is Accepting Credit Cards!

After years of not accepting credit cards, RSB is proud to now accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. We hope this will help our customers in choosing RSB!

We are only accepting credit cards on new estimates dated after 03/08/12. If you would like to know more about using your credit card to pay for services by RSB, please call our office at (815)363-7133 or email us at office@rocksolidbuildersinc.com.

2012 Pre-Season Specials

This winter has been the winter that didn't happen or at least it feels like that to us here at RSB. We have enjoyed the milder temps which have allowed us to comfortably continue to build decks all winter. Although the snow is almost all melted and there isnt any snow in the upcoming forecast, it is beginning to look like spring. With spring comes a flurry of activity in the deck building world and it is our busiest time of the year. With that busyness comes a back up in our schedule and we tend to be scheduled out anywhere from a few weeks to up to two months come spring.

To encourage our customers to start thinking about and planning their projects now, we are offering all new contracts signed by 02/15/12 with 5% OFF the total cost of the project. We are also offering free hidden fasteners in addition to the 5% off on all new Trex deck contracts signed by 02/15/12.

If you have received an estimate in previous years, please contact us for an updated estimate with adjusted pricing. We can be reached at (815)363-7133 or office@rocksolidbuildersinc.com. We look forward to partnering with you to plan your home improvement projects!

HGTV & RSB

We have been super excited about this upcoming news for several months and are finally announcing our partnership with HGTV host and deck designer from the hit shows Decked Out and Deck Wars! You probably have seen Paul and his crew on Decked Out on HGTV or on the DIY Network last year! In 2012, Rock Solid Builders is partnering with Paul Lafrance to offer our customers the HGTV look right here in our area even though Paul and his team are located in Canada!

We have met Paul several times at our annual TrexPro Summits and our last meeting in Las Vegas was very exciting. Paul has been designing and building beautiful outdoor spaces for years through his company, Cutting Edge Construciton. Now he is able to share that with select builders throughout the world. Because of our relationship with Trex and Paul, our customers now have direct access through RSB to an HGTV host and designer to design their space!

If one of our customers is interested in this service, we would provide the initial consultation regarding the project including taking all necessary measurements and pictures of the home. Then RSB would provide the details to Paul and his crew to design an amazing outdoor space worthy of being on TV! This is a very exciting option we can now provide our customers.

To discuss more about this fee-based design service, please call our office at (815)363-7133 or email us at office@rocksolidbuildersinc.com. Now is the time to plan your space designed by an HGTV host and built by RSB!

Trex Pergola

Pergolas are such a great way to add interest as well as shade to a new deck or an existing deck or patio. We have built dozens of wood pergolas over the years in both treated pine and cedar. They have been free-standing and also attached to the house. A common question that we are asked by our Trex customers is if Trex has a pergola to match the low-maintenance of their Trex deck.

Rock Solid Builders is excited that Trex has developed their own Pergola line made with low-maintenance TrexTrim cellular PVC. The pergolas can be free-standing or attached to the house. With a Trex pergola, you won't have to worry about rotting, fading, or splitting for decades. They are also extremely strong and designed to meet 140 mph winds. They aren't just practical, but they are beautiful in person! We were lucky to see them in person at the most recent TrexPro Summit in Las Vegas. To learn more, visit www.trexpergola.com or contact us today at (815)363-7133 for a free estimate!

End of the Year Savings Event

As we come to a close in 2011, we look ahead to the upcoming year. At Rock Solid Builders, we pride ourselves in the fact that we build decks year-round and are currently scheduling for January deck installs.

To celebrate the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, we are offering 15% Off all Trex deck contracts signed by 12/31/2011 for January and February installs! In addition to the 15% Off all Trex decks, we are also offering new Trex customers with free hidden-fasteners which are an upgrade valued at $1.50 per square foot. This is the first time we have offered this great of savings on Trex decks and the savings are not over! Trex deck customers with decks valued over $10K will also receive $500 in free Trex Lighting of their choice by signing a new contract by 12/31/2011. These savings cannot be combined with any other promotions or discounts we have run.

The huge benefits of installing a Trex Transcend deck in the winter is that Transcend decks have a 25 year limited stain and fade warranty for residential installs which means your deck built in winter will look brand new in the spring! Also, if we build a new Trex deck for our customers over the winter, we are going to provide a free spring inspection and cleaning to ensure that your deck looks brand new in the spring!

Rock Solid Builders also has an end of the year promotion for all wood deck customers. We are offering 10% Off all wood deck contracts signed by 12/31/2011. This savings also cannot be combined with any other promotions or discounts.

These savings are off of 2011 pricing. Our costs have gone up every year and we are anticipating our costs to go up approximately 10 to 15% in 2012. By choosing to build your deck in the winter, you are not only getting these huge savings, you are also getting the savings off of the lower 2011 pricing before our increases take in effect in 2012.

Contact us today at (815)363-7133 or at office@rocksolidbuildersinc.com for a free estimate and to start planning your dream deck built this winter!

Trex Color Visualizer

Have you ever wondered what different color combinations would look like on your ideal Trex deck? Now you can design your own deck color combinations on Rock Solid Builders' website at http://www.rocksolidbuildersinc.com/trex_deck_visualizer.html.

On Trex's visualizer, you can choose your deck shape, color combinations, and alter the house colors. It is truly remarkable and definitely an added tool in planning your project. Rock Solid Builders also has all the actual samples for you to review. Contact us today at (815)363-7133 to discuss your dream deck, schedule a free estimate, and view the samples in person.

Price Match Guarantee

In this economy it has been detrimental for businesses to remain cost competitive. Our customers choose us because of our quality which provides them with long-term value by choosing a reputable and reliable contractor. RSB only has employees on staff which adds to our quality since our employees are trained and have been with our business for years compared to other contractors who only use sub-contractors. This adds to our cost, but even with these added costs we remain competitively priced.

We have continued to stress that we make every attempt to match any written estimate from another contractor. We realize that this economy has spurred a lot of one-man operations or even new businesses which are pricing projects much lower than us and in some cases below the actual cost of a project. We don't guarantee we can match these contractors, but we make every attempt to. If a customer receives another written estimate that is lower than ours, we are happy to review that estimate with the homeowner to make sure that we are comparing apples to apples and we try to price match as close as possible.

If you have any questions regarding our Price Match Guarantee, please don't hesitate to contact our office at (815)363-7133 or email us at office@rocksolidbuildersinc.com.

Trex Transcend Porch

We were so excited to be able to see Trex Transcend Porch Flooring & Railing System in person at the TrexPro Summit in Las Vegas a few weeks back. The system provides all the benefits that our customers have grown to love with Trex Trancend, but it also finishes smooth and is virtually gap-free. The entire Trex Transcend Porch line is a great low-maintenance alternative to traditional wood porch components. You can learn more about this revolutionary product line at http://www.trex.com/plan/products/porch/trex-transcend-porch/index.htm.

Unilock is a perfect addition to our family of products!

RSB has been asked numerous times over the year if we also install paver patios. After many years of consideration and research, we are proud to announce our partnership with Unilock pavers! Similarly to the reason why we partner with the leading manufacturer of decking, Trex, we have chosen Unilock as our main source of paver patios because they were the first manufacturer of stone pavers and continue to be the innovating leader in paver patios. Unilock has dozens of choices of pavers to incorporate into your backyard design.

RSB feels like paver patios are a terrific addition to your new deck project or even as a stand alone project. Whether you are looking for a deck and patio combination, a plain patio, or an elaborate stone entertaining area, Unilock and RSB have the solutions.

We have found over the years that there are times when customers are looking at a deck as a solution to their ground level project, but decide on a paver patio as a more cost effective low-maintenance solution. RSB is proud to now be able to offer these solutions to homeowners to best fit their budget.

To celebrate the pre-launch of our partnership we Unilock, we are offering 20% off a paver patio with Brussels pavers, 4x8 Hollandstone, and Richcliff. Brussels Block is the original tumbled paver of North America and continues to be one of their most popular product. Hollandstone is a traditional favorite that mimics brick, and Richcliff has a realistic embossed stone surface that looks stone pavers. You can learn more about these products at www.unilock.com. To view samples of these pavers in person or to get a free estimate, contact us today at (815)363-7133 or on our website at www.rocksolidbuildersinc.com.

We look forward to the full launch of their products with RSB in 2012. In the meantime, contact us today to take advantage of 20% off! We are only offering 20% off these three product lines listed through 10/31/11 for installs to be completed before the end of November. We look forward to planning your dream outdoor project!

Fall is ideal deck building season!

Fall is the ideal time to build your new Trex Transcend deck. One of the many benefits of Trex Transcend is that it has a 25 year stain and fade warranty. This means that you can build your Trex deck in the fall or winter and have it look new in the spring. Another benefit of contracting to build your deck in the fall or winter is that the lead time to wait for RSB is only a couple of weeks long compared to an up to two month wait in the spring. RSB also raises prices due the rising cost of material in January. Take advantage of this year's pricing and contact us today to schedule your free estimate at (815)363-7133 or on our website at www.rocksolidbuildersinc.com.

RSB is attending TrexPro Summit in Las Vegas

Rock Solid Builders was proud to be invited to the presitgious annual TrexPro Summit held this year in Las Vegas. RSB is one of only a handful of contractors from Illinois invited. We will be receiving updates on the many Trex products including the new Trex Pergola line and Trex Elevations steel deck framing. We are exciting for the week's trainings and will share our knowledge will our customers when we return.

10% off Basement Finishing in September

10% off Backyard America Pergolas in September

RSB's Popular Trex Colors for 2011!

1/2 Price Custom Trex Bending

August is Trex Savings Month!

RSB has purchased the Trex CustomCurve bending machine!

RSB completed Trex display at The Merchandise Mart in Chicago

Anniversary Special

Rock Solid Builders is proud to celebrate our 5th Anniversary in business this month! To celebrate our anniversary, we are offering all new Trex deck customers 5% off and free hidden fasteners on their deck. The average customer is seeing savings of around $1,000 or more! Hidden fasteners are valued at $2 per square foot and they give a nice seamless appearance compared to face screws.

Rock Solid Builders has to receive the signed contract for the new Trex deck and deposit prior to 03/31/2011 to receive these discounts. Wood decks are not eligible for this promotion. Contact us today to discuss how Rock Solid Builders can make your dream deck a reality with these incredible savings!

RSB is now offering financing through First Midwest Bank!

We are proud to announce that RSB is now offering a variety of financing options for our projects directly through First Midwest Bank! We will provide our customers with a brochure listing options and a local representative to contact to discuss your individual needs for your project during your estimating appointment.

Your dream project can now be a reality with Rock Solid Builders and financing from First Midwest Bank! Contact us today to schedule a free estimate at (815)363-7133 or through email at office@rocksolidbuildersinc.com! We look forward to making your dreams a reality!

10% off Basement Finishing in February!

Rock Solid Builders is proud to offer all customers 10% off their complete basement finishing project for the entire month of February 2011! If you have ever thought about finishing your basement, now is the time to take advantage of this rare savings. This savings applies to all previous estimates we have provided and any future estimates in the month of February. Contact us today at (815)363-7133 or office@rocksolidbuildersinc.com to schedule a free estimate and to get more details!

Trex Summit 2010 in Miami

Rock Solid Builders was blessed to be one of only three contractors in the state to be invited to an exclusive TrexPro Summit in Miami last week. We had a great time at this function and learned many things that we are going to apply to our business in 2011.

RSB is proud to be purchasing the Trex Custom Curve bending machine in 2011 which will allow us to heat up Trex boards to create curved decks. We will be the only local contractor creating curved Trex decks with this system. Pictures and video will be posted soon!

We also loved seeing Trex's new furniture line. Contact us today to find out how you can get upwards of 30% off this line of low-maintenance outdoor furniture. You can view this beautiful collection at http://www.trexfurniture.com/furniture-styles.html. Make sure to contact us first before placing your order.

The last thing we are super excited about is Trex's development of their own line of low-voltage LED deck lighting. RSB has been using deck lighting for years, but we are excited to be able to get these high-end lights directly through Trex in 2011. To learn more about Trex's lighting, please visit http://www.trex.com/plan/products/lighting/trex-deck-lighting/index.htm

2011 is going to be an exciting year at RSB! Contact us today to start planning your dream deck!

November & December are the best times to build a Trex deck!

So often people think that the fall and winter aren't good times to build a new deck. This is the farthest from the truth. November and December tend to be the best times to build a new deck for a variety of reasons. You might be thinking we are crazy because you probably believe, "How often can we really enjoy a new deck when the weather starts getting colder?". We beg to differ. Check out these great reasons to consider building your dream deck in the months of November and December!

2010 Lower Trex Pricing - RSB has observed the cost of Trex increase every year. Because of this there is a large possibility that the cost of Trex will continue to increase in 2011 and our cost of labor tends to also increase at the beginning of every year. November and December start dates are great because you can get your deck built before the price increases in January.
Quicker Start Dates - RSB tends to be booked 6 to 8 weeks out starting in the spring and through the summer. You can conceivably have your project start 2 to 4 weeks from when you receive a signed contract in the month of October.
Enjoy Grilling on Your New Deck - Grilling tends to be a colder month activity especially with football season. Wouldn't it be great to actually enjoy grilling on your new Trex deck?
Incorporating a Fireplace or Fire pit - A great way to enjoy your new Trex deck during the cooler months is by incorporating a fireplace or fire pit into your new deck design. Even free-standing units are beautiful to look at. That is illustrated in the deck we built that is photographed on the header of our website.
Have a Deck Completed to Enjoy Right Away in the Spring - Before you know it the winter is over and spring has sprung. How great would it be to already have your new deck waiting for you when the weather starts warming up? You wouldn't have to wait for scheduling to enjoy it and with Trex Transcend's fade resistance it will look just as good come spring as it does when it is installed in November or December.

You can't go wrong with deciding to make the investment in a new Trex Deck for an install in November or December. Contact us today for your free estimate at (815)363-7133 or through our website at www.rocksolidbuildersinc.com. We look forward to discussing your dream plans!

RSB is Quoted in McHenry County Magazine

Rock Solid Builders is excited to be quoted for the second time in McHenry County Magazine. The first article was in the summer of 2009 and it was related to deck building including the benefits of Trex products. This month's article is about Basement Finishing. We were proud to be contacted by the magazine for the second time and to be the expert in the county on basement finishing. The entire article can be read on McHenry County Magazine's website at http://www.mchenrycountymagazine.com/articles/2010/08/26/basement_getaway/index.xml.

As the weather cools down, now is the time to start planning on finishing your basement to enjoy the colder months inside your home. Contact us today for a free estimate!

New Website & New Newsletters!

Rock Solid Builders is proud to introduce our new website. After over a year of contemplating redesigning our site, we finally took the plunge this month. Our new site has a much more user friendly photo gallery that has been updated with dozens of new photos. We also are excited to have this blog right on our site and the ability to sign-up for newsletters on the bottom left-hand side of our home page.

In addition to this new site, we also have updated newsletters as well. Sign up today on our home page and don't miss out on any exciting updates!

Comparing Deck Estimates

As spring is here, RSB is busy providing dozens of estimates monthly and it is very common for us to come across situations where homeowners are comparing several estimates for their project. There have been a couple of recent situations that should warrant a red flag being raised to a homeowner.

The most alarming is when one estimate is greatly lower than other estimates. When this is the case it is very common that either the contractor does not have enough knowledge on material cost to accurately bid the project or that the contractor is hiring illegal workers and/or doesn't have the proper insurance. These situations tend to end badly especially if the contractor realizes after starting the project that they are loosing money because the material is costing them more then they bid the job. It is situations like these where unethical contractors will walk off the job, not finish the project, or not pay their suppliers. If the suppliers don't get paid, then a lien can be put on a home. This obviously is a worst case scenario, but it is important for a homeowner to look at the possible consequences of choosing a particular contractor when looking at the cheapest estimate. Some of the questions that should be asked in this situation or whenever you are comparing estimates are the following:

1. Why are you so much cheaper than another contractor?
2. Have you priced out the material?
3. Where do you purchase material? (If it is a big box store, they probably don't have the best credit to use a lumberyard to purchase their material and this IS a red flag.)
4. How many similar projects have you successfully completed?
5. Do you have a reference list?
6. Do you have insurance and if I choose you, can I get a Certificate of Insurance?
7. Who is building my deck? Is it employees or sub-contractors?

Another red flag that was waived recently was when a homeowner from another part of the country called our business looking to see if we could build her a Trex Transcends gate and ship it over 1,000 miles to her home since the contractor building her deck didn't know how to build a gate which is something she wanted. In this situation, the gate should have been discussed at the time of estimating and added to the subsequent contract.

If there are missing details on the contract, ask questions to make sure they are added and also make sure you contractor knows how to build your custom features. This should be done prior to signing a contract and not while the deck is being built like this poor homeowner. In this situation I actually walked her through where to look up a Certified TrexPro Contractor on Trex's website in her area. I suggested she contact one of these contractors to build the gate on site which is they way it should be done.

I know it can be cumbersome to ask so many questions, but building a deck especially a Trex deck is a large investment. You want to make sure it is done right the first time! Spend the time upfront to know your contractor, check references, and iron out all the details. If you do this, you should be able to sit back in confidence while your new deck is being built and feel proud that you got it done right the first time!