When you decide on a bridge, boardwalk, deck, or other wooden structure that you’d like on your property, you want it completed as soon as possible. Your construction company will work with you to get started as quickly as their schedule allows, but there are several steps to keep in mind during the process.

Estimate

The first step to bridge construction – or building any other type of structure – is to get an estimate for the work. For this, you’ll need to have at least a rough idea of how you want the design, though knowing details at this point is helpful. After you complete a contact form with information about your project, the estimator will ask questions about the site, what you imagine, and more. Now is the time to be as detailed as you can when describing what you want. If you have rough sketches or pictures of similar projects that you like, that is helpful. He or she will give you a timeframe for the estimate. This can be several days or a couple of weeks, depending on the estimator’s current workload and the complexity of the project.

Design

After you decide on a contractor for your structure, the design process can begin. The bridge designer reads through the notes from the estimate and may contact you to ask additional questions. This is where the engineer or architect works with you to finalize the blueprint – or drawing – of the structure, works with you to choose the best materials, and helps you decide on details like stain or paint. This is an important stage of the process. Planning well here can mean that construction itself takes less time because the building crew doesn’t need to stop work to ask you to make decisions. The designer will help you plan every aspect of the project so that the rest of the process goes more smoothly.

Preparation

Even after the design is completed, your bridge or deck construction company has more work to do before they can get started building. Supplies must be ordered, and there may be site preparation work that needs to be completed. Depending on the type of materials, construction crew availability, and how much the worksite needs to be prepared, this can take several weeks. Your construction company will keep you updated and give you a rough time frame during this stage of the process.

Building

When everything is ready, the crew can finally begin building. Sometimes, this is the shortest part of the project, depending on the size of the structure. The crew will do any final site preparations, have supplies delivered or move them to the worksite, and begin construction. Most structures take multiple weeks or – in the event of a large project – several months to a year.

Final Inspection

 In many cases, local government officials must inspect the completed structure. It may take several days for an inspector to be available, but the construction crew will do everything possible to schedule the inspection in advance.

After everything is finished, you can enjoy your newly constructed boardwalk, pavilion, or other structure. A good construction company – like Nature Bridges – will keep you updated with time, estimates and progress so you know of any delays. This way, you can know what to expect every step of the way. We Look forward to hearing from you to start planning your new project!