Branson Deck Builders Who Dig Real Footings Into Real Rock
Let's Create That Backyard You Keep Talking About.
Big Chief Exteriors builds custom decks, pool decks, and covered outdoor space across the Ozarks. Branson deck builders all show you the same pretty boards. What separates one deck from another is the framing and the footings holding it up.
What We Build With
Two Decks That Look Identical Can Be Ten Years Apart
Here's what makes this trade easy to get wrong as a customer. You get bids, and every one of them talks about decking boards. Color, composite versus wood, hidden fasteners, railing style. Those are the parts you can see and touch, so that's where the conversation goes. Meanwhile the majority of the material, the labor, and everything that decides whether your deck is solid in twenty years is under the surface. Footings, posts, beams, joist spacing, and the metal hardware tying it all together. Nobody photographs that part, so nobody sells on it.
Around here that matters more than it does most places, because of what's under your yard. Ozarks ground is rock, chert, and clay on slopes that fall away fast. Digging a proper footing down to solid bearing on a hillside in Stone or Taney County is genuinely hard work, and it's slow, and it costs money. Which is exactly why it's the first thing a cheap bid quietly shortcuts, with shallow holes or surface blocks set on dirt that moves. You won't notice for three or four years. Then the deck starts to feel a little off, the railing goes out of level, and nobody can tell you why. Good Branson deck builders spend their money below grade where you'll never admire it.
“Before Vela, approvals felt vague. Now there’s a clear moment when everything is agreed on, and I can move forward with confidence.”
Maria L.
Travel Advisor
These guys were amazing! I own several homes and rarely do I see service of this caliber. The bid was very honest and reasonable. We decided to move forward and within a few days there were at our house working from dawn until dusk. The job site was always clean and the men were always very respectful and kind. It’s companies and men like this that made America great. You should look no further than Big Chief Exteriors.
Tracey Stroh
Branson, Missouri
I'm Tyler. We'll Lay It Out in Your Yard Before We Price It.
I'm Tyler Arnold. Before we quote a build, we come out with stakes, tape, and a couple of chairs from your kitchen, and we mark the actual footprint on the ground. Then you sit in it. Pull a chair out from where the table would go and see if you can walk behind it. Stand where the grill will be and see if somebody can get past you to the steps. This takes twenty minutes and it prevents the single most common regret in this whole business, which is a deck that's too small to use the way you pictured. A twelve by twelve sounds like plenty until a table with six chairs pulled out eats all of it and there's nowhere left to stand.
The other half is the part you'll never see. Footings get dug to solid bearing, not to whatever depth the rock made convenient, and when we hit rock we deal with it properly rather than calling it good. Posts sit on hardware that keeps wood up off concrete instead of wicking water. Joist spacing gets set for the decking you actually chose, since composite needs tighter spacing than wood on the same span. Connections use the right structural hardware rather than whatever screws were on the truck. And the ledger, where your deck meets the house, gets flashed so water can't get behind it. You'll get photos of every bit of that before the boards cover it up.
Tyler Arnold
Three Promises Under Every Board
The Fix It or Refund It Guarantee
If a post shifts, a board cups, a rail loosens, or anything fails because of how we built it, we're back out to fix it fast. No prorating. No trip charges. Nobody blaming the lumber or the ground. And if we can't make it right, you get your money back. Every single cent. On a deck, the structure is the thing you can't inspect once it's finished, which is exactly why this is written down.
The $250 Price Match Guarantee
Bring us a written bid from another licensed and insured company with the same footing depth and diameter, the same joist spacing, the same structural hardware, the same decking, and the same warranty. We'll match it and hand you $250 in cash for finding a competitor we hadn't heard about. Compare the framing specs line by line. That's where a cheaper deck bid actually gets cheaper.
The Cleanup Guarantee
Building a deck means dirt from footings, concrete, cut-offs, and a yard full of screws, in the exact spot where kids and dogs spend their summer. Our crews are paid on cleanup. Spoil gets hauled, offcuts leave on the trailer, we magnet the whole work area and the grass around it, and we sweep the patio and drive twice.
“Before Vela, approvals felt vague. Now there’s a clear moment when everything is agreed on, and I can move forward with confidence.”
Maria L.
Travel Advisor
Gorden MacPhail
Cape Fair, Missouri
“Professionalism was evident throughout the entire process from initial estimate to project completion. We were so pleased with the deck restoration we had them back for our gutter replacement. We really appreciated the communication with Tyler explaining the process in detail. Best part was price was reasonable. Definitely a 5- star company!! Will do business again.”
What Neighbors Say About Their Branson Deck Builders
The Building Work We Do
Four ways of describing new construction, and what changes between them.
Deck Builders
The whole job from dirt to railing. Site layout, footings dug to bearing, posts and beams, joists spaced for your decking, structural hardware at every connection, a properly flashed ledger where it meets the house, then decking, railing, stairs, and trim. On a hillside build the structure is most of the work and most of the cost, and it's the part that decides whether you're happy in year fifteen.
Deck Installation
Building to a plan, whether that's a straightforward rectangle off the back door or something a designer or builder already drew. This is where spans, beam sizing, and footing layout get worked out for your actual conditions rather than a generic detail. We handle the layout, the permitting paperwork where it applies, and the inspection scheduling if your project needs it.
Custom Decks
Multi-level decks that step down a slope, wraparound decks, built-in benches and planters, integrated lighting, privacy screens, and framing that works around trees and rock outcrops instead of pretending they're not there. Ozarks lots are rarely flat or square, and the good news is that the awkward ones usually make the most interesting decks.
Pool Decks
Different problems than a normal deck. Surface temperature matters barefoot, so lighter colors and the right material make a real difference in July. Slip resistance matters wet. Splash-out and pool chemicals are hard on some finishes and hardware. And there are rules about barriers and gates around pools, which we'll work through with you before anything gets built.
“Before Vela, approvals felt vague. Now there’s a clear moment when everything is agreed on, and I can move forward with confidence.”
Maria L.
Travel Advisor
“Very open and honest. Encouraged me to get other bids as well. They were not only the best-priced but also the most organized and open about our plans and options to take. The workers were clean and quick and did everything they could to protect the property. Tyler even came out himself to magnet the driveway so we wouldn’t drive over nails each night bc I have an EV that charges in the garage. Excellent experience! Big Chief definitely goes above and beyond.”
Gwen Pead
Branson, Missouri
Counties Where We Build
We work out of 117 Calvin Drive in Branson and cover a wide stretch of the Ozarks. The ground under your yard changes the job more than anything else does.
Taney County
Learn MoreBranson, Hollister, Forsyth, Rockaway Beach, Kirbyville, and Merriam Woods. Taney County deck builders working above Table Rock and Lake Taneycomo deal with lots that drop away hard behind the house, which means tall posts, multi-level framing, and footings dug on a grade. Rentals and cabins get scheduled around bookings so nothing sits torn up during season.
Stone County
Learn MoreKimberling City, Reeds Spring, Branson West, Galena, Crane, and Blue Eye. Stone County deck builders hit rock constantly on these ridge and lakefront lots. Getting footings to solid bearing here takes the right equipment and the patience to do it, and it's the number one thing that separates a bid that holds up from one that doesn't.
Barry County
Learn MoreCassville, Monett, Purdy, Shell Knob, Exeter, and Wheaton. Our Barry County deck builders work covers flatter farm ground where the builds are bigger and simpler, plus lake property with the same slope challenges as anywhere on the water. Pool decks and large covered porches come up more often out this direction.
Christian County
Learn MoreNixa, Ozark, Sparta, Clever, and Highlandville. Christian County deck builders are busy replacing pressure treated decks from the 1990s that have reached the end. Flatter yards make for straightforward framing, which means more of the budget can go into size and features instead of structure. Check your HOA before finalizing a design.
Lawrence County
Learn MoreAurora, Mt. Vernon, Marionville, Pierce City, and Verona. Lawrence County deck builders out in the open country account for wind, which matters most on covered structures and pergolas attached to a deck. Anything with a roof over it needs hardware and bracing rated for what comes through here in spring.
Maranda Carter
Branson, Missouri
“This local company did things right! My new roof and gutters are perfect! Tyler went above and beyond with help on the insurance claim, explaining everything and was here from start to finish! I would definitely recommend Big Chief Exteriors to anyone!”
Building Questions People Ask Us
How much does a new deck cost?
It moves with size, height off the ground, terrain, railing, and material, and on a hillside build the structure below can cost more than everything you see. A low deck on flat ground is the cheap end. A tall multi-level deck on a steep lot with a lake view is several times that. We measure, sketch it, and give you written options with the monthly payment beside each.
How big should my deck actually be?
Bigger than most people plan for. A table with chairs pulled out needs roughly ten to twelve feet of depth before anybody can walk behind a seated person. A grill needs its own zone so the cook isn't in the traffic path. If you want a table and a seating area, plan on two distinct spaces rather than one that does both badly. We'll stake it out in your yard so you can feel the size before you buy it.
What happens when you hit rock digging footings?
That's most jobs around here, and it's normal. Depending on what we find, we may drill and pin into the rock, adjust the footing size, or relocate a post slightly within the design. What we don't do is stop short and set a post on loose fill because the hole got difficult. If we run into something that changes the price, you get a photo and a number before we proceed.
What makes one deck last twice as long as another?
Four things you'll never see. Footings on solid bearing. Structural hardware at every connection rather than screws and nails alone. Joist tape over the top of the framing so water can't sit in the fastener holes and rot the joists from the top down. And correct flashing where the deck meets the house. All four are cheap during the build and expensive to add later.
How long does it take to build?
A straightforward deck runs several days to a week once material is on site. Hillside builds, multi-level designs, and anything with a roof take longer. Footings and concrete need cure time before framing goes on, so weather affects the schedule. You'll have a start date, crew names the first morning, and a text at every stage.
Are pool decks built differently?
Yes. Material choice matters more because surfaces get hot barefoot and slick wet, so we steer toward lighter colors and textured surfaces. Hardware and finishes take chemical splash. Drainage and layout need to move water away rather than pool it. And there are safety requirements around barriers and gates that we'll sort out with your specific situation before building.
Can you build on a steep slope, and how tall can it go?
Steep is normal here and tall is common. What changes with height is the engineering, meaning bigger posts, bracing, larger footings, and sometimes a stamped design. Beyond a certain height, guard and stair requirements tighten up too. We'll tell you what your lot needs rather than guessing, and if a project calls for an engineer we'll say so.
Do I need a permit or HOA approval?
Sometimes both, and the answer changes by city, county, and subdivision. Lake area properties can carry extra review. We check what applies to your address before we build and handle the paperwork and any HOA packet. That shouldn't be your job to figure out.