Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - My deck project - Portico composite

Last summer we replaced a window with a slider in the kitchen.
April/May this year we remodeled our kitchen.

We were going to install a patio, but the cost was much higher than doing a deck, plus we like the idea of being a bit off the ground.

This is what I started with. You can see the green hose on the ground being used as the outline for the size of the deck we're building.

16x16
eight footings
joists, 12" on center

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0003.jpg

Damage from my Lab in the worst possible spot - right off the slider.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0004.jpg

Picked up 600 linear feet of Portico composite decking with the hidden Tiger clip fastening system on Friday. Later on Friday I attached ledger board to house and started to dig the holes for footing Friday afternoon. Had them all dug out by late afternoon Saturday. Note New England soil is quite rocky, use of a power auger not recommended.

http://www.porticodecking.com/...g.asp (http://www.porticodecking.com/products/porticoEclipseDecking.asp)

Poured all footings yesterday (Sunday 7/27).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck10001.jpg

Today I hope to back fill the holes and lay anti weed fabric and gravel.

sixdoubleseven,

Looks like you've got a pretty good start on it.

The one thing that stands out is the lack of post bases in the footings. I suppose that menas you'll be attaching surface mounted stand off bases (ABA44, ABE44, or similar)?

It also appears to be a pretty flat yard. Do you have enough height to get beams under your joists?

What kind of a patio were you thinking of that was going to cost more than a deck?

Deck is finished with the exception of an electrical outlet I'll be adding to the side furthest from the garage. I ran the outdoor electrical wire under the deck before installing the decking. It'll be tapped from the plug on the right side of the slider.

Also still need to do some landscaping to the front of the deck and to the rest of the yard, not to mention build and replace the gate.

Friday 8/1
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0003-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0001-3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0001-2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0001-4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0002-3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/sixdoubleseven/Deck0003-2.jpg