Simcoe County deck builder: composite decks from Barrie to Collingwood and Penetanguishene

Light grey composite deck across the back of a brick house, with black aluminum picket railing and a low step down to the lawn

Voyage Tundra with black aluminum picket railing and a low step down to the lawn.

Updated November 11, 2026 · By Mike, Simcoe Decks

Simcoe Decks builds composite decks across Simcoe County, from our home base in Barrie to Collingwood, Oro-Medonte, Midhurst, Creemore, Bradford and Penetanguishene. We build on helical piles and match the frame to the board, and because each municipality here sets its own deck permit rules, we plan the permit as part of the build.

Where: Barrie, Collingwood, Oro-Medonte, Midhurst, Creemore, Bradford and Penetanguishene. Tell us your town and we'll confirm the fit. We're based in Barrie.

What we build: Composite decks, hot tub and pool decks, multi-level and covered decks, stairs and landings, glass and aluminum railings, privacy screens, lighting and louvered pergolas

Boards: Deckorators Venture, Summit and Voyage. Around a pool or hot tub, Voyage first.

Frame: Pressure-treated (today's fast-growth lumber) or Fortress Evolution steel, matched to the board

Footings: Helical piles turned in to bear below the frost line, about 4 ft down

Snow load: Set town by town in the Ontario Building Code: 2.1 kPa for Bradford, 2.5 for Barrie, 2.7 for Collingwood, 2.8 for Penetanguishene

Warranties: Voyage boards: 50-year structural. Fortress steel frame: 25-year. Our workmanship: 3 years, in writing.

Permits: Set by each municipality, and they differ. We plan the building permit as part of the build.

Recognition: National Deck Awards in 2020 and 2021. The first Fortress Evolution steel framing masterclass in North America.

First step: Tell us what you're planning. We prepare a model you can explore, then visit the property.

What makes a Simcoe County deck different?

Simcoe County takes in new subdivisions, older neighbourhoods, rural lots and shoreline, and each asks something different of a deck:

Snow. The Ontario Building Code sets the ground snow load town by town: 2.1 kPa for Bradford, 2.5 for Barrie, 2.7 for Collingwood and 2.8 for Penetanguishene. It doesn't list every township, and its values shouldn't be interpolated for places it leaves out.
Exposure. A sheltered Barrie lot and an exposed Collingwood lot are not the same job. Slope, access, soil, wind and snow load change the structure.
Close quarters. In a new subdivision the neighbours are close and there's little room for deliveries. Helical piles go in with no digging, close to pools, gardens and existing patios, with very little disruption to the yard.
New-build timing. On a new home, the builder's final grading comes first, and on some lots a conservation authority reviews the site before the permit is issued.
Water that won't drain. An old patio can stop draining and pool water after every rain, so the ground gets fixed before the deck goes in.

So we start below the ground. Our helical piles are turned in to bear below the frost line, about 4 ft down, with no digging and no concrete to cure, and we match the frame to the board above them.

Which deck boards and frame do we recommend?

We install three of the five Deckorators lines, Venture, Summit and Voyage, and we lean to Summit and Voyage: the strength of a composite with no organic material in it. Around a pool or hot tub, Voyage first; in full sun, Summit or Voyage in a lighter colour; where budget comes first, Venture. Voyage carries a 50-year structural warranty, and because we're a Deckorators Certified Elite builder, a warranty claim goes through us, not a call centre.

Under the boards, we match the frame. Under Venture, pressure-treated wood is the lower-price choice, but today's pressure-treated is fast-growth lumber, grown to be harvested again, and it can twist and shrink as it dries. Under Summit, Fortress steel is worth a look; under Voyage, steel definitely. Steel can't rot, twist or shrink, it spans further so fewer posts, and the frame carries a 25-year warranty. We've installed about 100 steel-frame structures in the last six years, and we held the first Fortress Evolution steel framing masterclass in North America with Fortress.

For railings, we pick between aluminum picket, framed glass and frameless glass for the view, the wind and who's using the deck.

What have we built in Simcoe County?

Most often in Collingwood and Barrie, plus decks in Oro-Medonte, Midhurst, Creemore, Bradford and Penetanguishene. Two are written up as case studies:

A backyard from a blank lot in Collingwood. A new subdivision, close neighbours and tight access. The builder's final grading had to come first, then the conservation authority's review, then the permits. The deck is Voyage Costa on Fortress Evolution steel and helical piles, with a sunken hot tub behind a custom aluminum privacy wall, a covered entertaining area with motorized zip screens, and a full In-Lite package. Read the Collingwood backyard case study, or see our Collingwood page.
A multi-level deck in Barrie. The old stone patio held water after every rain, so we took it out, regraded and laid clear stone. The deck is Fortress Evolution steel on helical piles, with Voyage in four colours and three board widths, Hideaway privacy panels and In-Lite lighting. Read the multi-level Barrie case study, or see our Barrie deck builder page.

Elsewhere in the county:

Oro-Medonte: Voyage Costa with a Sierra border, privacy screens and step lights.
Midhurst: Voyage Tundra with black aluminum picket railing.
Bradford: Voyage Costa with a Sierra border and privacy screens.
Creemore: a low Voyage Tundra platform and walkway at the edge of a pond.
Penetanguishene: a deck at the shoreline with frameless glass.

Do you need a permit for a deck in Simcoe County?

Usually, and the rule depends on the municipality. The County of Simcoe has 16 member municipalities, and Barrie is a separated city; the deck permit comes from the city, town or township, and the rules differ. Here's what each municipality we've built in publishes for decks:

Barrie: a permit for any deck attached to a building or next to an exit door, whatever its size, and for a freestanding deck over 10 m² (108 sq ft). A freestanding deck under 10 m² that isn't next to an exit door doesn't need one.
Collingwood: a permit for a deck with a walking surface more than 24 inches above grade at any point, and a Zoning Certificate before you apply. A deck that carries a roof, a hot tub or a pergola needs its own construction drawings rather than the town's standard guide.
Oro-Medonte: a permit for most deck projects, including repairs, rebuilds and replacements. Only a deck under 600 mm (23 5/8 inches) high that doesn't serve the principal entrance and isn't structurally connected to a building goes without. Helical piles need an engineer's loading calculations with the application.
Springwater, including Midhurst: a permit for decks or platforms over 10 m² (108 sq ft). Every structure has to meet the zoning by-law, permit or not.
Clearview, including Creemore: a permit for a new, replacement or structurally altered deck 24 inches or more above finished grade.
Bradford West Gwillimbury: a permit if the deck is attached to the house, serves a required entrance, is over 107 square feet, or is 2 feet or more above grade. Any one is enough.
Penetanguishene: building a deck, or enclosing an existing one, is on the town's list of projects on a house that need a permit, with no size or height exemption listed.

On some lots a conservation authority signs off too. Oro-Medonte's deck checklist names the Nottawasaga Valley and Lake Simcoe conservation authorities where they apply, Bradford West Gwillimbury wants their approval before a full permit submission, and Springwater lists the Nottawasaga Valley among its other approvals. Ontario exempts an unenclosed, detached deck of 15 square metres or less that isn't in a watercourse or wetland and isn't cantilevered; the authority confirms the rest. And under the Building Code, a deck needs a guard wherever the surface within 1.2 m of its edge is more than 600 mm lower.

We plan the building permit as part of the build, not as your homework: we coordinate the permits and inspections in your agreed scope, and identify the approvals your lot needs during planning.

Can you cover a deck in Simcoe County?

Yes. An Eclipse louvered pergola is a motorized aluminum roof over part of the deck. The louvers tilt to control sun, airflow and rain, and when they're fully closed they lock together into a watertight cover. The powder-coated finish never needs repainting. On our Collingwood backyard, a fully covered area with motorized zip screens around the perimeter gives bug protection, shade, privacy and less wind. A roof changes what the permit needs, so we plan it with the deck. See the louvered pergola page.

How does a Simcoe County deck project start?

With a few details: where you are and what you want from the space. You don't need drawings, photos, exact measurements or a settled budget. Our team reviews your brief and prepares a model, and you explore layout and material choices with preliminary estimates.

Then we visit, free and normally for about an hour, to confirm measurements, access and site conditions. After that site review we prepare your proposal, with the materials, inclusions, options, pricing and terms, and you decide at your pace. How we work has the full path.

Where else do we build?

Next door in Grey County, see our Grey County deck builder page and our Blue Mountains deck builder page. North of us, our Muskoka deck builder page covers cottage and lakefront decks, and our Huntsville deck builder page covers the town itself.

What do Simcoe County homeowners ask us?

Do you build decks across Simcoe County?

Yes. We're based in Barrie and have built most often in Collingwood and Barrie, with decks in Oro-Medonte, Midhurst, Creemore, Bradford and Penetanguishene too. Tell us your town or municipality and we'll confirm whether your location and project are a fit.

Is Barrie part of Simcoe County?

Barrie sits within Simcoe County but is a separated city: it isn't one of the County of Simcoe's 16 member municipalities, and the City of Barrie sets its own deck permit rules. We're based there, at 92 Caplan Ave.

Do I need a permit for a deck in Simcoe County?

Usually, and each municipality sets its own rule. Barrie goes by attachment, an exit door and size; Collingwood and Clearview by height (24 inches); Springwater by size (over 10 m²); Oro-Medonte by height, attachment and whether the deck serves the principal entrance; and Bradford West Gwillimbury by any one of attachment, a required entrance, size or height. We plan the building permit as part of the build, not as your homework.

Can you build a deck next to a pool or a patio?

Yes. Our helical piles go in with no digging, close to pools, gardens and existing decks or patios, with very little disruption to the yard. On our Collingwood backyard the deck connects the house to the pool, a sunken hot tub and the entertaining areas.

Do you build decks in the winter?

We have. Our multi-level Barrie deck started in December, and after the holiday break we came back to more than two feet of snow on site. The build stayed on track.

Call or text (705) 300-2903 · Start your project

Simcoe Decks · 92 Caplan Ave, Barrie, ON · (705) 300-2903 · info@simcoedecks.ca