Owner-operated · Homeowner guide · Johns Creek
Deck, Screened Porch, Covered Deck or Patio in Johns Creek?Johns Creek · Fulton County
Johns Creek: Many Johns Creek homes were planned with outdoor living in mind, but the space out back does not always match how the family actually uses it. Choosing between an open deck, a screened porch, a covered deck and a patio comes down to sun, bugs, rain, the slope of the lot and what the neighborhood allows. Owner-operated, with a free written estimate.
Free estimate · opens your texting app · no forms needed
Get a fast estimate
★★★★★ 31 Google reviews as of Nov 2026 — “Great workmanship, fair pricing, and excellent customer service.” Read reviews
- Free written estimate within one day
- General liability coverage
- Crews with 10+ years of combined experience
- Owner on every job
- Text us (470) 863-3707
Homeowner guide · Johns Creek
Deck, screened porch, covered deck or patio: which fits my yard?
For a Johns Creek home, the right answer is usually the one that matches your daily routine, so think about who uses the back of the house and when.
- Breno, the owner, measures and writes your estimate
- 10+ years of combined team experience
- General liability insurance
- 5.0 stars from 31 Google reviews as of Nov 2026
- Real before-and-after photos from our own jobs
Johns Creek
Start With How You Use the Space
Think about an ordinary week, not just the big cookout. If you grill several nights a week and want kids and dogs to run straight into the yard, an open deck with wide stairs keeps everything connected. If you picture quiet dinners, card games and morning coffee without swatting mosquitoes, a screened porch is hard to beat. A covered deck sits in between: shade and rain cover with open sides for airflow and an easy view of the yard.
A patio works at ground level, so it suits flat spots, fire pits and heavy outdoor kitchens. It can feel cut off from the house, though, if the back door sits well above the yard and you need a long stair run to reach it. On many Johns Creek lots the house sits above a sloping backyard, which is why a raised deck or porch often ends up being the main outdoor room, with a patio below it as a second space.
Johns Creek
Sun, Shade and Bugs
Watch the back of the house through a full day before deciding. A west-facing deck can get hot by late afternoon, which pushes many families toward a roof or a screened porch. An east-facing yard gets gentle morning light and cooler evenings, where an open deck stays comfortable. Wooded lots near the stream corridors that run through the city bring shade, but they also bring more mosquitoes at dusk.
If evenings outside matter to you, screening is the single biggest comfort upgrade. A covered deck can be framed so screens can be added later, which lets you start with shade and enclose it when you are ready. An open deck can still get shade from an umbrella or pergola, but it will never keep bugs out on a warm night.
How it works
Five steps. No surprises.
Call, text, or send the form
Tell us what is going on: a new deck, a repair, or “not sure yet.” We reply the same day.
Free on-site visit
Breno looks at the deck or the yard himself, measures, and goes over your options with you.
Written estimate
Scope, materials and price come in writing, so you know the plan before anything starts.
Schedule and permits
We agree on a start date and confirm any city, county or HOA requirement for your address first.
Build and final walk-through
Breno is on the job, and we go over the finished work with you before we call it done.
Real B&T work
Photos from real jobs
Real photos from B&T projects in North Georgia, not necessarily from Johns Creek.
Johns Creek
Slope, Stream Buffers and Where Things Can Go
Johns Creek has gently rolling ground, wooded lots and stream corridors, and stream buffers are a major constraint across the city. If a creek runs behind your house, part of the backyard may be off limits for new structures or hard surfaces. That can decide the question for you: a deck on posts may fit where a patio that needs grading and a solid surface does not, or the buffer may push the whole project closer to the house.
Rules depend on the specific lot, so confirm the buffer lines with the city before you fall in love with a layout. Permit requirements depend on your address and the project, so confirm with the city what applies, and we help you plan around it before any work is scheduled. Breno walks the lot, looks at the grade and any survey you have, and points out where a deck or porch can realistically sit.
Johns Creek
HOA and Country-Club Design Review
Many of the larger subdivisions in Johns Creek are HOA-managed, and communities such as Country Club of the South, St. Ives Country Club and Medlock Bridge may have design review for exterior changes. A screened porch with a roof is a bigger visual change than an open deck, so some boards look at roof lines, screen color and railing style closely.
Ask your association for its guidelines early, and send them to us so the design fits from the start. That keeps the approval step from delaying the project. Whether you live off State Bridge Road, Jones Bridge Road or McGinnis Ferry Road, the right answer is the one that fits your lot, your rules and your routine.
Get a fast estimate
Johns Creek
What We Build and How We Help You Decide
We build and repair decks, covered decks, screened porches, railings and stairs. If a patio below a new deck makes sense, we plan the deck stairs and landing so they connect cleanly to it. Breno visits in person, listens to how you want to use the space and talks through the trade-offs of each option on your actual lot.
You get a free written estimate that spells out the layout, materials, stairs and rails, so you can compare options side by side. Families in nearby Alpharetta and Milton face many of the same choices, but every lot is different, and the walk-through is where the right fit usually becomes clear.
Straight answers
Johns Creek homeowner questions
Is a screened porch worth it if we mostly use the yard in the evening?
For evening use, screening is usually the biggest comfort upgrade, especially on wooded lots near streams where mosquitoes come out at dusk. It lets you eat and relax outside without sprays or candles.
Can we start with a covered deck and add screens later?
Yes, if the covered deck is framed with screens in mind. Planning post spacing and the roof structure up front makes adding screens later much simpler.
Will a creek behind our house limit what we can build?
It can. Johns Creek treats stream buffers as a major constraint, and part of the yard may be off limits for new structures or hard surfaces. Confirm the buffer lines for your lot with the city before settling on a layout.
Is a patio or a deck better on a sloped backyard?
A deck on posts can follow the slope and stay level with the back door, while a patio usually needs grading to be flat. On a steep lot, a raised deck with a patio below is a common way to get both.
Does our country-club community review screened porches?
Many communities, including country-club neighborhoods, have design review for exterior changes, and a roofed porch is a bigger change than an open deck. Ask your association for its guidelines early so approval does not hold up the project.
Which option stays cooler on a west-facing house?
A covered deck or screened porch, since the roof blocks the strong late-afternoon sun. An open deck facing west can get uncomfortably hot on summer afternoons.
Who handles the permit for a new deck or porch in Johns Creek?
Permit requirements depend on your address and the project, so confirm with the city what applies. We help you plan around those requirements before any work is scheduled.
Can you connect a new deck to an existing patio?
Often, yes. We plan the stair location and landing so the deck flows down to the patio, which gives you a raised space near the house and a ground-level space for a fire pit or seating.
How do we compare the options before deciding?
Breno visits in person, walks the lot with you and gives you a free written estimate for the options that fit, so you can compare layout, materials and scope side by side.
Verified Google reviews
What the neighbors are saying
These are verified Google reviews from B&T customers.
★★★★★
“If you're looking for a trustworthy contractor, B&T Properties is the right choice. Great workmanship, fair pricing, and excellent customer service.”
★★★★★
“The quality of the work was exceptional. The team was friendly, responsive, and made sure everything was done right. I would definitely recommend B&T Properties.”
Who’s doing the work
About B&T Properties
You deal with the owner. Breno visits, quotes and oversees the work, and the crew brings more than ten years of deck experience between them. B&T carries General Liability insurance, and Johns Creek is part of our regular service area.
Upgrades
Add-ons to consider
Ask about any of these when Breno comes out for your free estimate. They are easiest to price in when we plan the project, not after it is built.
Lighting
Soft LED lighting along the steps and rail, so the deck is usable after dark.
Composite decking
Low-maintenance boards in a range of colors, priced next to wood so you can compare.
Stairs and landings
Wider steps, a landing, or a second set of stairs down to the yard.
Cover or screens
A roof or a screened section for shade and bug-free evenings.
Written warranty
1-year workmanship warranty
Workmanship warranty: one year from the day we complete the work, in writing. Faults that come from our labor are repaired at no charge. Not included: manufacturer material defects, normal wear and tear, weather, misuse, no maintenance, repairs by other parties. Submit claims in writing.
Free written estimate
Tell Breno about your Johns Creek deck — free and in writing.
No call center, no sales rep — the person who answers is the person who does the work.