I’ll give your wife some lumber for free

I spent my first six months of retirement doing just that. Then a year later I built a monster pergola over the back deck.

Not a nail in the stuff I built but the contractor used all nails in what he did.

I just finished demo and rebuild on a 20 by 16 top deck and step down to a 16 by 18.

We atre not done trimming it and closing it up under byr railings and top and stairs are done.

Did Dekorators Vista decking and aluminum railing

I just replaced the deck on my yacht.

yep, built mine and built one at my old house that was a 2 level deck. Old one was 8x12s with a small step down between them. Did it that way because I enclosed it and used part under it for storage so wanted the extra headspace but the entry door was a little lower. Worked well and had neighbors comment on how they wish they had one like that. That was standard lumber so you had to deal with refinishing, etc.

Current house is a 12x12, with a step down to a block patio that's 14x14 with a small retaining wall. No under deck storage this time. I'd adjust the block patio height a bit if I had to do it again but that's more a landscaping thing than a problem of any kind. Also had some positive comments on it.

Did the first one with the help of my father-in-law as I had never attempted anything like that. Funny thing is, I ended up showing him a few things as I had done a ton of online research prior to us starting. Second one was just me. Really happy with it. Next outdoor project is to build a shed but I'm strongly considering just getting a pre-built because it's just tough to find the time.