From Napkin Sketch to Award-Winning Deck | F&D Podcast #60

Bernard King is a Michigan native and 20-year Navy veteran (retired 2006) who turned informal 'helping friends for hot dogs and pizza' into a licensed general-contracting business in San Diego, now running a crew of eight focused on decks and patios.

Roughly 80% of the work is decks and patios; he markets only that niche because San Diego's weather and hilly terrain drive outdoor-living demand, and the deck work naturally leads to other jobs when they are the right fit.

His NADRA first-place winner (Alternative Decks under $35K) started as a customer's napkin sketch, a 400-square-foot two-leaf multicolor 'leaf deck' around a farmer's washtub pool, and took his number-two Tyler 40-50 hours of planning plus about four weeks to build.

As an established 25-year company booked four to six months out, Bernard can be selective and firm on price to protect profit, unlike younger companies that must take thin-margin jobs to build clientele and reputation.

He hires for attitude over skill ('you can teach skill'), keeps the culture fun (joking he's 'seven bad days from shutting down'), and finds his best, longest-lasting hires through referrals: friends of friends, his own kids' friends, and high-school career days.

Skilled labor is his real growth ceiling: California adds far fewer construction jobs than neighboring states, and he says five quality workers walking in the door could add 30% to his workload within 30 days.

The company runs a ground-screw foundation system (15 screws and no concrete footings on the leaf deck) that speeds installs on hillsides and near trees and pools; and son-in-law Tyler, from the family lumber company, is being groomed to take the torch and push more intricate designs.