You will live with a deck for decades, so the design is the decision that matters most. At Decks By Kiefer, the owner builds every deck himself, drawing each one for the house it will sit on and staying involved throughout the build.
Maybe your old deck has worn out, or maybe your yard has never had one. Either way, you want a deck that suits your house and the way you plan to use the yard.
As a deck builder in Mendham, NJ, Decks By Kiefer designs and builds custom decks, mostly in Ipe hardwood. The company also resurfaces older decks and installs cable railings. If you prefer composite, it arranges that through a subcontractor and can have a quote ready in 24 hours. If you also need a porch builder in Mendham, mention it when you reach out.
Decks By Kiefer works across Mendham Borough and Mendham Township, as well as nearby Chester, Randolph, and Far Hills. To get started, contact the office and talk with Travis Desperes, the office manager. The owner then visits your home, looks over your yard with you, and talks through what you want built.
One Crew, One Project, and the Owner on Your Job From First Sketch to Final Board

When you choose a deck builder in Mendham, it helps to know who will design your deck and who will oversee it during construction. At Decks By Kiefer, the owner, Bob Kiefer, does that. He started as a landscape architect, built houses and decks on weekends, and went into the deck business in 1986. Along the way, he found that deck work disrupted a household less than building inside a home.
The company has an architect and handles all the permitting. If your neighborhood has an HOA, the team collaborates with it on approval. That keeps your design and your permit with one deck contractor in Mendham.
- Owner-Led Design and Construction: The owner designs each project himself and follows it through construction, including builds on Mendham’s sloped lots.
- Ipe Imported Directly: The company imports its own Ipe, so you buy your wood from the importer itself.
- 10-Year Structural Warranty: The labor warranty covers structural issues for 10 years and cosmetic issues for 1 year.
- 1,000+ Decks and NADRA Awards: The company has built more than 1,000 decks and won several NADRA awards along the way.
What Decks by Kiefer Can Build on Your Mendham Property
Every structure below carries the same Ipe-grade standard, from the deck frame to the railing to the porch roof. What changes from project to project is the design, shaped by your property and how you plan to use it.
Custom Decks
Some Mendham homes are more than a century old, and a new deck has to look right next to them. Custom decks in Mendham start with the house and lot, not a stock plan. The company draws each deck to fit the property, and it would rather build an unusual shape than another little square deck. The result should look like it belongs to your house.
Multi-Level Decks
On Mendham’s hillier lots, the ground can fall away from the back of the house. A deck builder in Mendham needs a plan for that grade before the first post goes in. The owner calls a deck on the side of a mountain usually the most challenging kind of job. If your yard slopes, he works out what that means for deck construction on your property.
Deck Railings and Built-In Features
If your deck looks out over woods, fields, or hills, pickets can chop that view into strips. Cable railing runs thin lines along the edge instead, so the view stays open. Decks By Kiefer is affiliated with Feeney and Cable Bullet, two railing makers, and the owner can show you deck railing options in Mendham that fit your view.
Ipe and Premium Decking Materials
If your Mendham yard sits under mature trees, a deck can stay damp long after a rain. Ipe is naturally rot-resistant, and the owner has Ipe projects more than 35 years old that are still in very good shape. Every board goes down with stainless steel fasteners. If you are weighing Ipe decking in Mendham, ask about those older projects when the owner visits.
Outdoor Living Structures
Decks by Kiefer works as a porch contractor, building covered porches, screened porches, screen rooms, and pavilions as permanent additions that look original to the house. Louvered pergola systems with motorized slats let you adjust for sun, shade, or a passing storm without leaving your seat. A screened porch earns its keep in Mendham, where wooded lots bring mosquitoes and long shoulder seasons worth sitting through.
Ipe Decks and Custom Shapes to Browse Before Your Mendham Consultation
Mendham’s Historic Villages, Hills, and Open Space
You might live in one of the Township’s older hamlets, like Brookside or Ralston, both of which are National Register historic districts. Or you might be in Pleasant Valley or Washington Corners. Decks By Kiefer builds across all of them. If your home is in the Borough’s historic district along Main Street, a deck may require additional design review before it can be built. The owner can tell you whether your property falls inside the district when he visits.
Mendham sits at the northern end of the Somerset Hills, and Bernardsville Mountain rises along the Borough’s southern edge. If your house sits on one of those hillsides, expect the grade to shape the design from the first visit.
Winters here bring snow. Your deck must carry that weight year after year, on top of everyone who uses it in summer. If you want an outdoor fireplace in Mendham Township, NJ, to keep the deck in use after the leaves fall, plan for it before the deck design is final.
Beyond Mendham, the team also builds in Bernardsville, Harding Township, Morris Township, and Morristown. The Areas We Serve page lists every town the company covers.
Our Mendham service area includes the following ZIP codes: 07945, 07926, 07960, 07931, and 07869.
Custom Decks in Mendham FAQs
Do I need a permit to build a deck in Mendham?
Most deck projects require a permit, whether your home is in the Borough or the Township. Decks By Kiefer handles all permitting, so you don’t have to file paperwork yourself. During his visit, the owner can review what your property needs.
Does Decks By Kiefer build in both Mendham Borough and Mendham Township?
Yes. Mendham Borough and Mendham Township are separate towns, and the Township wraps around the Borough on three sides. Decks By Kiefer builds in both, and the consultation works the same way in either one.
What do Mendham winters mean for a new deck?
Water that soaks into decking freezes and thaws again and again through a Mendham winter, which is hard on boards and hardware. That is why the material and the fasteners deserve as much thought as the design.
What affects the price of an Ipe deck in Mendham?
Size, shape, and the lot all play a part, and a sloped Mendham yard is a harder build than a flat one. The owner gives you an estimate at the consultation at your home, so you leave the appointment with a number.
Start With a Consultation at Your Mendham Home
Decks By Kiefer is a deck builder in Mendham that keeps the owner involved from the first sketch through the last board. If you are ready to see what your yard could hold, contact the office to schedule a consultation. The owner will meet you at your home and look over the property with you.
