Terry Fangrad, founder of The Deck Store, is an experienced deck builder and business owner.
Under Terry’s leadership, The Deck Store has grown into Ontario’s largest independent deck design, supply and build company with four substantial showrooms.
How did you get your start?
I started my deck business in the mid 1980’s. My grandfather was a furniture maker and I always enjoyed carpentry but I wanted to work outside. Deck building was a great fit for me as I had a keen eye for design and I had a good understanding of proper construction practices.
I was building decks before they became popular and actually built the first composite deck in Canada. It is still standing today which is a testament to the longevity and durability of the non-wood decking materials.
What sets The Deck Store apart?
The Deck Store is unique in our industry in that we have the only substantial indoor showrooms in our market where customers can come at any time and in any weather and see the various products that we feature as well as talk to experienced staff members about them.
Our team is young, energetic, passionate and dedicated to what they do. Many of our designers and store personnel are female; we find they connect well with the customers and have an approach that appeals to them.
What do you like about your job?
I get a kick out of bringing a customer’s dream to reality and improving the quality of their life through my (and my team’s) designs and builds. The most rewarding part is helping our people achieve their goals and dreams as well as bringing great designs and workmanship to our customers.
What do you see as far as future trends or movements in the industry?
LED deck lighting, custom screens and adjustable shade structures are some of the popular trends in our market. Variegated colors in decking are also very popular in our area – making WOLF a very popular choice.
What advice do you have for homeowners?
I wish that homeowners would do their homework in regards to products. They need to spend more time getting objective information rather than believing the first person that tells them a certain product is right for them. I also encourage homeowners to check out the contractor or builder that they select to build their project. Do they have the experience with these types of materials? Check out a previous project that they built and get referrals.
What has your experience been with WOLF?
We built our first deck with WOLF Decking in 2011. It is becoming one of our most popular material choices.
The Cavatassi project that we built last year is our favorite WOLF project to date. It turned out even better than the homeowner imagined and it has transformed their backyard and their outdoor lifestyle. This deck has been featured in magazines and is popular on media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Houzz.
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