Meet Christopher French, New Castle Steel’s Deck Specialist of the Year
French’s Custom Outdoor Concepts is a Top-Rated Texas-based contractor specializing in custom decks, patio covers, sun arbors, and outdoor kitchens. Owner Christopher French has been tinkering, experimenting, and innovating for as long as he can remember. So when it came time to sink his teeth into a new building material, he jumped in and immediately began pushing the limits of steel framing to elevate his client’s outdoor living projects. We like his recent work so much that we chose French’s Custom Outdoor Concepts as New Castle Steel’s Deck Specialist of the Year for Deck Specialist magazine. We were able to catch up with Christopher and get his thoughts on the state of the outdoor living industry and what he will do next.
How did you get started in construction?
My grandfather owned and operated a custom furniture and cabinet shop for nearly 50 years, and we would visit him after school once or twice a week. I grew up around tools and sawdust. He retired before I got to an age to apprentice under him, but I was hooked. I started installing hardwood floors over the summer when I was 15 and picked up a room addition here and a fence there. Minor things that I could fit in between school and football. A few years out of high school, I replied to an ad in the newspaper looking for laborers, helpers, leads, and project managers for a new deck company in town. I was hired as a lumber grunt, but after being paired with a lead for the day and proving that I knew how to read a tape and cut a straight line, I was moved up in the ranks. I enjoy taking a stack of untouched lumber and building cool things out of it. It’s an enjoyable work environment.
What is your favorite part about constructing outdoor living spaces for your clients?
I have 2. The first is on the design side. Again, pushing boundaries. I HATE being told that I can’t do something, whether that’s how I can use a product or construct something as long as it’s structurally sound and safe. I love that feeling that comes with presenting a design that was nowhere in the realm of possibilities to the client, their mouth drops, their eyes get big, and they fall in love with this unique piece of art that will soon be theirs. But then you have to put your money where your mouth is. And once my guys pull off the build, we move down the road to the next one. I get excited by those random text messages from the previous client, just saying thank you or that we made their home a place where they love to be. Where their children or grandchildren spend all their time, those messages make your day and make it worth continuing in this industry.
Why did you first start using New Castle Steel for your projects?
I considered offering steel framing for a while but hadn’t messed with it or seen it installed. With changes in building requirements in select municipalities in my area, having firsthand knowledge of the product is a good idea. I decided to pilgrimage to the Steel Sharpens Steel event in Mt. Pleasant, hosted by Extreme Backyard & Beyond, to see the different options and how they differ in quality and installation. I was very impressed with the look and strength of New Castle Steel and that it was manufactured here in the USA—a small business looking to make a name for itself. I’ve worked with many different products over the years, but I only have the owner’s personal cell phone number for one. And that’s Jason, and that’s New Castle Steel. Any questions or ideas I’ve had, I’ve been able to talk to him directly. In this day and age, small things like that make a huge difference.
In a recent project, you used New Castle Steel in a very unique way for a pergola. Can you tell us more about the idea and execution?
When I originally designed the project, that area was supposed to be a balcony extension that followed the same footprint as the lower deck. The customer decided that the view from the existing balcony suited them enough for now, but they did want to have the option of extending it in the future. The metal pergolas on the market don’t offer the strength needed for a deck frame, so I decided to keep the New Castle frame and just dress it up. Using the same Deckorators decking as the floor, we covered all 4 sizes of the steel, giving it a maintenance-free and aesthetically pleasing look. The hollow center also worked perfectly for running our electrical for the 4 pod lights.
What would you say to anyone hesitating about using steel framing?
Don’t let the change in materials be intimidating. As carpenters, we are used to how wood works and goes together. But as we evolve our designs and try to push limits, some things just aren’t possible with wood. Additionally, peace of mind is huge. Removing the possibility of a sub-structure warping, splitting, or rotting on the customer is big. I know it’s been said by many people, but putting down a deck board with a 25+ year warranty onto a frame with practically no warranty (manufacturers), just doesn’t make sense. New Castle Steel offers a 25-year warranty, and when you explain that to customers, it’s usually an easy upgrade.
What do you think the future of the industry looks like?
The short answer: positive. Our industry’s return on investment has increased over the last few years, which helps drive the work. I believe we are still riding the wave from the COVID shutdowns, so work is still constant. But on the competitive side, I feel like the envelope keeps getting pushed with introducing new and better products. Several good friends and trade brothers keep throwing design loops into the mix. One loop leads to another loop that leads to another. So designs are getting crazier and crazier. Or, if the design needs to stay basic, using new products helps the installation go smoother.
What’s ahead for French’s Outdoor Custom Concepts?
I’ve always felt like I marched to the beat of my own drum. I always do things differently than the rest. Owning my own company and embracing that drumbeat to its full potential allows me to design things that represent who I am as an individual and a brand. THANK GOD I have a group of guys that work with me that jam out to the same song. Whenever I’ve opened my mouth and inserted my foot on some obscure design element, they have given their ideas on how to construct it and embraced it whole heartily. I couldn’t ask for better crews. I’m taking my company to a spot where I’m known, hands down, as the local expert of proper building techniques and how to implement those techniques into genuine custom works of art. Where most other builders in my area are happy building boxes, I want to build literal circles around them. I want to merge interior elements with the exterior and make the flow seamless. If your interior design style is modern, why then does that style stop when you open your back door and walk onto a basic, plain wood deck? It shouldn’t. And that’s where I want to make my place as the outdoor living design-build company that does custom, unique work like you see in the deck we were nominated for. We used New Castle Steel framing for the deck, but the pergola is also New Castle Steel clad in Deckorators decking. Incredible.
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