Ep 128 Five Tips for Better Deck Design w Industry Experts Robert The Deck da Vinci and Farley Pool Design

from Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast · host Mike Farley

Mike and Trey Farley host the Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast and interview Ontario-based deck designer Robert Hodichak (“Deck Da Vinci”), who designs complex outdoor structures and co-runs 33 North Design with contractor John Lee while also designing for Decks & Docks. Robert explains how remote design is enabled by photos, tools like Hover, SketchUp, and Lumion, and stresses that homeowners should prioritize proper space planning, flow, and understanding use cases (gatherings, dining, kitchens, hot tubs) before aesthetics. He recommends NADRA as a resource for finding qualified deck builders and highlights common mistakes from unqualified contractors, including code and waterproofing failures. The conversation covers material choices (wood vs composites vs PVC), heat and expansion concerns, steel/aluminum framing longevity, under-deck drainage for usable dry space, railing options (aluminum vs glass), lighting for ambiance, stairs and landings, and trends around wellness features like saunas, cold plunges, and spas. Discover more: https://www.instagram.com/33_northdesign/ https://www.farleypooldesigns.com/ https://www.instagram.com/farleydesigns/ https://www.instagram.com/luxuryoutdoorlivingpodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/poolzila/ 00:00 Podcast Welcome 01:12 Meet Robert Hodichak 01:56 Deck Da Vinci Origin 03:46 Remote Design Reach 04:23 Launching 33 North 05:57 Social Media Backstory 08:07 Finding Builders NADRA 11:48 Deck Planning Mistakes 15:31 Deck Materials Guide 22:13 Steel and Aluminum Framing 24:50 Permits and Runoff Rules 26:01 Dry Space Under Deck 29:27 Railing Options 33:08 Cantilevered Fireplace Build 34:44 Lightweight Stone Cladding 35:20 Decks That Belong 36:20 Tying Decks Into Homes 38:34 Wellness Outdoors Trend 41:04 Biophilic Design Benefits 43:03 Lighting For Ambiance 44:33 Railing Lights Explained 46:10 Fire Pits On Decks 47:23 Signature Project Styles 48:33 Stair Design Essentials 51:38 Built In Seating And Code 53:56 3D Design Workflow Tools 58:18 Deck Failure Horror Story 01:01:52 Extend Season With Porches 01:03:58 Design Due Diligence 01:05:46 Contact And Rapid Fire Qs 01:09:29 Podcast Wrap Up

What this episode covers

Mike and Trey Farley host the Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast and interview Ontario-based deck designer Robert Hodichak (“Deck Da Vinci”), who designs complex outdoor structures and co-runs 33 North Design with contractor John Lee while also designing for Decks & Docks. Robert explains how remote design is enabled by photos, tools like Hover, SketchUp, and Lumion, and stresses that homeowners should prioritize proper space planning, flow, and understanding use cases (gatherings, dining, kitchens, hot tubs) before aesthetics. He recommends NADRA as a resource for finding qualified deck builders and highlights common mistakes from unqualified contractors, including code and waterproofing failures. The conversation covers material choices (wood vs composites vs PVC), heat and expansion concerns, steel/aluminum framing longevity, under-deck drainage for usable dry space, railing options (aluminum vs glass), lighting for ambiance, stairs and landings, and trends around wellness features like saunas, cold plunges, and spas. Discover more: https://www.instagram.com/33_northdesign/ https://www.farleypooldesigns.com/https://www.instagram.com/farleydesigns/https://www.instagram.com/luxuryoutdoorlivingpodcast/https://www.instagram.com/poolzila/ 00:00 Podcast Welcome 01:12 Meet Robert Hodichak 01:56 Deck Da Vinci Origin 03:46 Remote Design Reach 04:23 Launching 33 North 05:57 Social Media Backstory 08:07 Finding Builders NADRA 11:48 Deck Planning Mistakes 15:31 Deck Materials Guide 22:13 Steel and Aluminum Framing 24:50 Permits and Runoff Rules 26:01 Dry Space Under Deck 29:27 Railing Options 33:08 Cantilevered Fireplace Build 34:44 Lightweight Stone Cladding 35:20 Decks That Belong 36:20 Tying Decks Into Homes 38:34 Wellness Outdoors Trend 41:04 Biophilic Design Benefits 43:03 Lighting For Ambiance 44:33 Railing Lights Explained 46:10 Fire Pits On Decks 47:23 Signature Project Styles 48:33 Stair Design Essentials 51:38 Built In Seating And Code 53:56 3D Design Workflow Tools 58:18 Deck Failure Horror Story 01:01:52 Extend Season With Porches 01:03:58 Design Due Diligence 01:05:46 Contact And Rapid Fire Qs 01:09:29 Podcast Wrap Up

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Ep 128 Five Tips for Better Deck Design w Industry Experts Robert The Deck da Vinci and Farley Pool Design

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This episode is 1 hour and 10 minutes long.

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This episode was published on March 31, 2026.

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