Why Who Builds Your Deck Matters as Much as How It's Built
The story behind Deck Masters — a family-founded, owner-led company that has never once hired a subcontractor to do its work.
When you hire a contractor to build on your property, you're doing something that requires real trust. You're inviting strangers onto your land, into the rhythm of your daily life, and handing them the keys — figuratively speaking — to one of your most valuable assets. Most homeowners spend a lot of time thinking about what they want built. Far fewer spend enough time thinking about who is doing the building.
At Deck Masters, we think who builds your deck is just as important as what gets built. That belief isn't a marketing slogan — it's the philosophy that has guided this company since its founding in 1986, and it shapes every decision we make about how we hire, how we operate, and how we show up on your property.
Built From the Ground Up: The Founding of Deck Masters
Deck Masters was founded in 1986 by John Stark — a craftsman, in the truest sense of the word. John didn't build a company around profits and growth charts. He built it around a simple, stubborn belief: do things the right way, even when it takes longer. Respect your clients. Respect the trade. Take pride in what you leave behind.
John still jokes that he'll be buried with a set of post hole diggers. It's a funny line, but it captures something real about the kind of person who starts a business like this — someone who identifies deeply with the work itself, not just the business of doing it. That identity became the foundation of everything Deck Masters stands for.
Those values didn't disappear when John handed the reins forward. They were passed down — the same way knowledge gets passed from one skilled tradesperson to the next — through example, expectation, and a shared standard of care.
Owner-Led, Every Single Project
Mike Fresch joined Deck Masters in 1999 and has been the owner and operator ever since. In that time, he has personally designed and overseen nearly 2,000 decks and outdoor living spaces across Central Ohio — and we mean personally. Mike doesn't sit in an office while crews work across town. He's involved from the first conversation to the final walkthrough, on every project, without exception.
He meets you at your home. He sketches out your options in real time. He manages the project and stays in communication throughout the build. And when the work is done, he walks through the finished space with you to make sure everything is exactly right.
What drives Mike isn't the business of building decks — it's the moment an idea becomes real. When a vague vision that a homeowner described at a kitchen table turns into a finished outdoor space that the whole family loves and uses. That transformation, from imagination to lived-in reality, is what he shows up for. And because the owner is the one showing up, every client gets the same level of care and attention, whether the project is a $22,000 TimberTech deck or a $60,000 multi-level outdoor living suite.
No Subcontractors. Ever. Here's Why That Matters.
Here's something you won't hear from most deck companies: every single person who shows up to build your project is a full-time, W-2 employee of Deck Masters. Not a subcontractor. Not a crew hired off a list for the season. Not a rotating cast of whoever was available that week.
This is a rare commitment in the construction industry, and it's worth understanding why it matters to you as a homeowner. Subcontractors are hired for a job, not invested in a company. They may do excellent work, but their accountability, their consistency, and their stake in the outcome are fundamentally different from that of a team member who works for Deck Masters every day of the year.
Our full-time craftsmen have spent their careers in the trade. Many have been with the team for years, accumulating the kind of hands-on knowledge that only comes from building hundreds of real projects in real conditions. They refine their skills with each job and pass what they learn to the people working alongside them. That continuity shows in the finished product.
There's also a culture piece that's hard to quantify but easy to feel when you're a client. Our team takes their work personally. They're tidy. They're efficient. They pay attention to details that many crews would rush past. And they understand, genuinely, that inviting a construction team onto your property requires trust — trust that we never take lightly.
The Values That Connect It All
Deck Masters operates on four pillars that have stayed consistent from the very first project John Stark completed in 1986 to the ones we're building right now:
Design-build expertise. The same team that designs your space builds it. We think through how a deck will look and how it will be used before a single board goes down — because good design and good construction are inseparable.
Owner oversight, every time. Mike Fresch treats your home the way he'd treat his own. That means no shortcuts, no delegation to whoever is free, and no finished project that he hasn't personally reviewed.
A crew that cares. We invest in our people — their skills, their working conditions, their sense of ownership over their craft — because we know great work comes from teams who feel respected and supported.
Clear communication. We've been doing this long enough to know that steady, honest communication is what separates a stressful renovation experience from a great one. We keep you in the loop from start to finish.
Proudly Serving These Central Ohio Communities
Deck Masters is based in Westerville, Ohio, and operates primarily throughout southern Delaware County. Due to the high demand for our services, we currently serve the following eight communities and their surrounding areas:
Dublin • Powell • Lewis Center • Westerville • New Albany • Delaware • Galena • Sunbury
At this time, we are not able to guarantee service outside of these locations. We appreciate your understanding.
Welcome to the Deck Masters Family
At the end of the day, Deck Masters is about people. Your home. Your time. Your trust. We're a family-founded company that has spent nearly four decades proving that the way you do the work matters just as much as the work itself.
When you choose Deck Masters, you're not just hiring a contractor. You're working with an owner who shows up personally, a crew that takes your project seriously, and a company that has staked its reputation — for 38 years — on never cutting corners. We think that's exactly the kind of team you want building something meant to last.
We're glad you're here. Let's build something great together.
Contact Deck Masters today for your free on-site consultation.
