CHS Custom Decks & Design, a veteran-owned and family-owned custom deck builder based in Apple Valley, Minnesota, has completed more than 400 custom deck and outdoor living projects across the Twin Cities south metro. The company reached the milestone as it enters the 2026 building season, marking steady growth since co-founders Chuck and Heather Saleen established the business in 2019, with custom deck design and construction remaining the center of its work.
The Saleens started the company to turn ordinary backyards into purposeful outdoor rooms, and they have kept custom decks as the core specialty as the business has grown. Together they bring more than 30 years of combined deck building and design experience to the projects the company takes on, ranging from residential builds to commercial installations across Dakota County and the surrounding south metro.
CHS Custom Decks & Design designs and builds decks in a range of configurations, including platform, raised, multi-level, freestanding, rooftop, pool, curved, cantilevered, screened, and covered styles. Composite and PVC decking account for much of the company's recent work, chosen for their durability and low maintenance through Minnesota's freeze-thaw cycles, while wood, cedar, and exotic hardwoods such as Ipe remain available for homeowners who prefer a natural appearance. Each project begins with a design consultation and a three-dimensional model that lets homeowners review the layout before construction, followed by permitting, foundation and framing work, and the final build.
"Reaching this point comes down to treating every deck as its own design problem rather than a standard product," said Chuck Saleen, co-founder of CHS Custom Decks & Design. "We have built the company around decks first, and the porches, patios, and pergolas we add are there to extend that deck into a complete outdoor space."
The company's material focus reflects conditions specific to Minnesota. Repeated freezing and thawing place stress on outdoor structures over the course of a year, and composite and PVC boards are engineered to resist the warping, fading, and rot that can affect untreated wood over time. CHS Custom Decks & Design works with manufacturers including Trex, TimberTech by AZEK, Deckorators, and StruXure, and installs railing systems in composite, aluminum, glass, cable, and vinyl, along with integrated deck lighting and underdeck drainage that complete the structure.
Beyond decks, the company builds covered and screened porches, three season rooms, and sunrooms, as well as patios in concrete, pavers, and natural stone and pergolas that include louvered systems. Gazebos, firepits, outdoor kitchens, and built-in seating round out the outdoor living spaces the company designs around a central deck.
"Most of our clients come to us with a deck in mind and leave with a plan for the whole backyard," said Heather Saleen, co-founder of CHS Custom Decks & Design. "Keeping the deck at the center of the design is what holds those spaces together."
CHS Custom Decks & Design operates as a licensed Minnesota residential building contractor under license number BC768213. Each project carries a two year craftsmanship warranty, supported by manufacturer material warranties that vary by product selection. The company also handles deck additions, rebuilds, replacements, and inspections for existing structures in addition to new construction. The company is based in Apple Valley and serves the surrounding south metro, including Rosemount, Lakeville, Burnsville, and Eagan.
CHS Custom Decks & Design is a veteran-owned, family-owned custom deck builder based in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Co-founded by Chuck and Heather Saleen in 2019, the company specializes in custom deck design and construction, with porches, patios, pergolas, and outdoor living spaces offered as extensions of its core decking work. The company has completed more than 400 projects across the Twin Cities south metro.
###
For more information about CHS Custom Decks & Design, contact the company here:
CHS Custom Decks & Design
Heather Saleen
+19522607514
heathersaleen@chscustomdecksanddesign.com
14607 Felton Ct #115, Apple Valley, MN 55124, United States