After many months of planning, we finally started construction on our deck. We decided to be legal about it and get a permit, which meant that the building inspector had to come out and sign off on our foundation holes to make sure they were 4 feet deep. This turned out to be the most difficult part of the whole deck construction process. After hitting many rocks, we gave up with the handheld auger and hired someone to come in with a bobcat and finish the job. We then rented a cubic yard of pre-mixed concrete and poured the 8 footings ourselves.