Decks: #3 on Angie's List of the top 4 renovations that return the most on your investment

  

Number 3: A well-built deck

"These days the latest trend is all about outdoor living," says Angie Hicks, founder of Angie's List. "Decks are a great investment if you're looking to add some exterior space to your living area. When it comes to decks you are going to get about an 80 percent return on your investment if you invest in quality and have it done well."

Adding a deck can bring the outdoors in and provide a nice area for parties and family gatherings. Building a deck is less expensive than building an additional room but still enables homeowners to expand their living space.

Hicks says the price of adding a deck all depends on the size of the deck and the materials you use. There are a lot of choices, and you can spend $5,000 to $30,000 or more. The more elaborate the deck, the more it will cost. "When you are deciding what type of deck material to use," Hicks says, "it comes down to how much maintenance you are going to do. If you put a wood deck on, you are going to have to clean it and seal it periodically. The synthetic materials are usually more expensive on the front end, but require less maintenance through the life of the deck."

Nature can destroy the natural beauty of wood. If a deck is left unprotected, moisture, UV light and extreme temperatures may cause a deck to crack, splinter and warp. Decks made of wood require regular care and maintenance, such as staining every couple of years. Composite decks are made up of synthetic materials, designed to look like wood. They can cost more but they require less maintenance than wood.

A good contractor can work with you to keep costs under control. And speaking of that, building a deck isn't as easy as those TV shows make it seem. That's why it's important to hire a reliable local company. There's a huge amount of prep work that needs to be done to ensure your deck is stable.

"When it comes to building a deck it all comes down to how well it's installed. We all too often hear stories of a deck being improperly installed and potentially collapsing. You want to have someone who knows what they are doing, who understands the building code for your area, and also you as the homeowner needs to check with your subdivision to make sure if they have any requirements necessary or approvals you need to get before you start building," Hicks says.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind. Check with your neighborhood or subdivision association to see what restrictions might be in place. There are also safety considerations. Local and national building codes apply to railings and step heights. When you talk to contractors about building the deck, make sure they're licensed. And when they give you that license number, check on it to make sure it's valid. Always ask the company for references and check Angie's List.