Clean Construction / Decks / Elyria, Ohio
Wood and composite decks built on footings that go below the frost line, ledgers that are flashed right, and permits pulled through the city — by a crew whose owner is standing on your deck while it goes up. That's Brad Skvor.
Elyria is the county seat, and it's also one of the older housing stocks in Lorain County — century homes near downtown and the Black River, postwar streets off Abbe and West River Road, and newer builds toward the south end. A deck that works on a 1920s Elyria two-story is not the same build as a deck on a slab-era ranch, and neither is the same as a walkout on new construction.
The ground matters here too. Much of Elyria sits on heavy clay that holds water and moves when it freezes. That's why every Clean Construction deck starts below the 32-inch frost line — footings dug and poured to bear on soil that doesn't heave. It's also why Brad pays attention to where your downspouts and grade push water before he ever sets a post.
On older Elyria homes, the connection to the house is where decks fail. Brad flashes and fastens the ledger to what's actually behind your siding — not to whatever the last guy assumed was there. If your house calls for a freestanding frame instead, he'll tell you that at the site visit, and he'll tell you why.
Permits go through the City of Elyria Building Department. Brad handles the drawings, the application, and the inspections. You handle deciding what you want to build.
Northeast Ohio frost drives 32 inches down, and Elyria's clay holds enough water to heave anything sitting shallower. Every footing is dug below the frost line and poured on undisturbed soil — then inspected before a single post goes up.
Most deck collapses start at the house connection. On Elyria's older homes the wall behind the siding can be anything from true-dimension lumber to layered remodels. Brad opens it up, flashes it correctly, and through-bolts to structure.
Clay lots don't forgive bad water planning. Before the layout is final, Brad looks at grade, downspouts, and where roof water actually goes — so the ground under your deck stays solid instead of turning into a spring swamp.
The permit runs through the City of Elyria Building Department, and the job gets inspected at the stages the city requires. Brad handles all of it — drawings, application, inspector on site. The paper trail protects you when you sell.
More projects, including additions, patios, and retaining walls, in the full portfolio.
Size, height, wood or composite, rough budget if you have one. Vague is fine — "we want somewhere to eat outside" is enough to start the conversation.
He looks at the house connection, the grade, the soil, the door heights, where the sun lands in the evening. This is where a deck stops being a rectangle on paper and starts being your deck.
Framing, decking, railings, footings, permit — line by line. Wood and composite priced side by side if you're deciding. Nothing buried, and money is settled in the contract before anything starts.
Permit pulled, footings inspected, frame up, decking down, railings on, final inspection passed. Brad is on site through it, hands on most of the work. Most decks take one to two weeks of build time.
In most cases, yes. Elyria requires a building permit for attached decks and for most decks of any real size, issued through the city's Building Department. Brad handles the permit application, drawings, and inspections as part of the job — you never deal with the counter.
The Residential Code of Ohio requires footings to bear below the frost line — 32 inches in this part of the state. Every Clean Construction footing goes below that depth so the deck doesn't heave when Elyria's clay freezes. Shallow footings are the most common failure on older decks in Northeast Ohio.
Pressure-treated wood costs less up front and takes any stain, but wants cleaning and re-sealing every couple of years. Composite costs more up front and is essentially wash-and-go. Most decks Brad builds run a treated frame with composite decking — but he'll price both honestly at the site visit and let the numbers talk.
Yes — a lot of Clean Construction's deck work is exactly that: pulling out a deck with undersized footings or a rotting ledger and building it back correctly. If your frame is genuinely sound, a re-deck (new surface and rails on the existing structure) may be on the table instead. Brad will tell you straight which one your deck needs.
Most residential decks run one to two weeks of build time once the permit is issued and materials land — longer for multi-level builds or extras like covered sections and built-in benches. You get the schedule before work starts.
It depends on size, height, material, and railing choices, so Brad doesn't quote blind and you shouldn't trust anyone who does. He walks the site, then you get a written, itemized estimate with every line explained. The site visit and the estimate cost you nothing.
Fill this out or call him directly. Either way you're talking to the person who builds it.
Brad will call you back the same day. If it's urgent, call him directly at 440-315-4438.