Having a father who was a general contractor, Dave Lyons grew up in the home improvement industry and learned at an early age that quality craftsmanship and a client-first approach are keys to running a credible and trusted business.

After spending years early on in his career working as the head project manager for a company that became less interested in these pillars of success and more so in maximizing profits, he knew there was a better way.

In 2017, Lyons started Archadeck of Delaware with the guiding philosophy to always put the customer first and deliver stunning finished results that demonstrate master-level skill and often exceed expectations. This means taking an individualized approach to every project, no matter how big or small.

"I am not a cookie-cutter deck builder. I do much more custom work than a lot of other people and I try to make sure the customer gets what they want," he affirms.

In a crowded field, that philosophy helps Lyons and his team stand out from competitors. He's often encountered clients who have been told by other builders that their wants and desires may not be obtainable, or that things have to be constructed a certain way with no room for adjustments or adaptation. That's where Lyons relies on his expertise to work alongside clients, treating them less like customers and more as partners, to create customizable solutions that fit their budget and are aesthetically pleasing.

"I make it more of a collaboration with a customer rather than simply telling them that I build this type of deck and this is the deck you're going to get," he says.

"On initial consults, I ask the customer a lot of questions about what they really want, not necessarily what they want to spend. And from that point, I may say what you're asking for is going to cost $50,000. They may say I don't want to spend that much, so then it becomes a matter of finding out what you do want to spend so I can get you something close to what you want in that dollar amount," Lyons says.

While Lyons says his team still builds the occasional treated wood deck, most homeowners these days are opting for composite materials due to the low maintenance and long-term durability.

"My personal preference is Azek decking because aesthetically I think it looks the best and it performs better than a lot of other deck boards. It's all PVC with no wood in it, so it will never take on water. I've seen some other composite deck boards out there that have standing water on the deck because the boards have swelled up so much, there's no gap in between them anymore."

No matter which style of deck you prefer or the overall scope of your project, clients can rest assured that from consultation to completion they will have access to a key member of the Archadeck team. This helps create a singular point of contact instead of dealing with an army of subcontractors which can lead to delays and lots of finger pointing if things get off track.

"With some of my competitors, you will talk to a salesman to book a job and then you'll never hear from them again. Then you're left dealing with a bunch of subcontractors that don't really know what they are supposed to be doing. The reason they are there is because they're cheap and the company can make more money," Lyons says.

"With us, there's me, my lead administrator Amanda and Matt, my head of construction. We all know what is going on with all the projects we have, and one of us can always answer any question."

It's just further evidence of Lyons' philosophy to prioritize people over profit, and making sure that the attention to detail that Archadeck of Delaware provides remains its calling card as it nears its 10th year of satisfying homeowners across the region.

"I would rather do high-quality work [and take on less projects] than worry about chasing every job that's out there," says Lyons.

Archadeck of Delaware
Wilmington, Del.
(302) 240-9225
Archadeck.com/Delaware

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 25, Issue 11 (January/February 2026)
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