Expert Deck Builder in Chino Hills CA - Hillside Decks Done Right

Chino Hills was incorporated in 1991, and most of its homes were built between the late 1970s and the mid-1990s - a housing stock that is now 30 to 45 years old and starting to show it. The city grew quickly during the Inland Empire suburban boom, so large tracts of similar homes were built at the same time, and many owners are dealing with the same maintenance issues in the same window. The hilly terrain throughout the city means a significant share of those homes sit on graded hillside lots rather than flat ground, which creates drainage, soil movement, and structural challenges that are not common in flatter Inland Empire cities. Retaining walls built during original construction are often showing their age, and deck footings that were set without accounting for the clay soil movement underneath have shifted noticeably on many properties.

The climate here adds another layer of wear. Chino Hills summers regularly push past 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the city misses the ocean breeze that keeps coastal San Bernardino County cooler. That heat is hard on wood surfaces - stains and sealers fade faster, and untreated wood grays and splinters within a few seasons of installation. Parts of the city are classified as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone by CAL FIRE, which affects building material choices and defensible space requirements for structures near brush. Fall Santa Ana winds also arrive in Chino Hills with real force - gusts above 60 mph are not unusual, and fencing and overhead deck structures need to be built to handle that lateral load.

Chino Hills is a city of about 82,000 to 85,000 residents in the western corner of San Bernardino County, bordered by Los Angeles County to the west and Orange County to the south. It was incorporated in 1991 after years of development during the Southern California suburban expansion, and most of the city's residential neighborhoods were built between the late 1970s and early 1990s. The housing stock is almost entirely single-family detached homes, typically with stucco exteriors and tile roofs on lots that range from modest to mid-size. A high proportion of residents are long-term homeowners who have invested significantly in their properties. You can read more about the city through the City of Chino Hills website.

What sets Chino Hills apart from most of the surrounding Inland Empire is its terrain. The city sits within the Puente Hills and Chino Hills ranges, and rolling hills, canyons, and graded lots are the norm rather than the exception. Chino Hills State Park runs along the western edge of the city and forms a visible natural backdrop for many neighborhoods. Carbon Canyon Regional Park, near the eastern city boundary, adds another well-known landmark to an area that is almost entirely residential in character. Nearby Ontario, CA to the north offers a contrast - a larger, flatter city with a wider range of commercial activity - while Corona, CA to the east shares some of the same hillside characteristics and serves as another city where we regularly work.