Originally Posted by
Nightshade
Actually I am getting ready to build a wood deck off the side of my house this next year.
I ran down to Home Depot and grabbed a decking book and read the hell out of it. I figure I will save easily a grand in labor and learn something along the way and pick up some cool power tools as well
The grand or so that you will save on labor you will spend on tools, if you don't already have them. Rent the tools that you won't continue to use, like an auger for the foundations, which should extend below the frost line in your area*. All in all building a deck isn't that hard, and usually goes pretty quickly. The fun part (read artistic) is in the railings and how decorative you want them to be.
*depending on how deep your level of hell is.