Tiaan Kok, owner of Rhino Constructors is a Deckorators® Certified Pro Elite and premier deck builder based out of Denver, Colorado, servicing the whole front range including Winter Park, Fraser and Tabernash. He specializes in custom deck designs such as outdoor kitchens, roof additions, firepits, and pergolas.
Q: How did you get started in the trades and the deck-building business?
A: I come from a civil engineering and architectural background. I’m originally born and raised in South Africa. I came over to the U.S. in July of 2005 as a farm laborer. I soon found a company in Iowa – Creative Builders. I started out building custom homes, but after moving out to Colorado, I realized there was a really good market for skilled labor. I had a homeowner ask me to take a look at a deck that was done by a previous contractor. It was subpar work. That was my first experience in the decking industry. I saw a really good opportunity, and I wanted to create a niche for myself. My goal is to create transparency between contractor and homeowner. I want to close that gap between the homeowner and contractor with realistic expectations from start to finish.
Q: When was Rhino Constructors created? Any unique stories about getting started?
A: I kicked off Rhino Exteriors in 2016 and quickly realized that my clientele far exceeded my capabilities. I was doing deck repairs and your average handyman stuff on a daily basis. I created Rhino Constructors in 2018 and asked Colten, my associate, to come on board. At that time, I already had a really good clientele built up. I knew Colten’s expertise, building with him for many years back in Iowa, utilizing his skills and my passion for creating beautiful custom decks to really leave a footprint in the decking industry. No unique story, really just wanting to be the best in the industry with realistic expectations and closing that gap between contractor and homeowner with integrity.
Q: Is there anything unique to the climate or the elements (e.g., elevation) that would apply to how you build or what you build?
A: Yes, the reason why we landed with the Deckorators line, Voyage in particular, is because of the climate that we deal with here. We have extreme highs and extreme lows. Utilizing the Voyage line really helps us eliminate the volatile nature of composite decking. It comes with its own challenges, but at the same time, that’s why we like a really good decking company like Deckorators – to stand by the product that they deliver and us installing it and having our backs.
Q: What does your crew look like? How do you work together, and what is your role?
A: My primary role with Rhino is taking care of the front end and the back end. I don’t look at myself as a salesman. I’m long-winded, but I like to get an emotional feel from the homeowner. I’ll try to get that out of them and spend some quality time with them in order to get a good visual of what they want. Colten handles the production. He’s a phenomenal mastermind when it comes to erecting these beautiful designs. His work ethic alone is phenomenal. There’s no doubt when it comes to, “Can we handle this?” There’s always the “Yup, let’s go.” Following up with the customers, making sure that they’re satisfied with the end result is a very important part of the process. If anything needs to change, I’ll clean that up on the back side of things.
Q: How would you define your approach to building decks and serving customers?
A: If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be “transparency.” I’m not going to leave you guessing. The way we build decks from start to finish is the exact way I describe it. There are no shortcuts taken. We’re going to take the time that we need to build a quality deck, every time.
Q: Do you take a different approach to building a deck than any of your competitors? Any unique design or building approaches, something that really sets you apart from others in the area or those you compete against?
A: What sets us apart in our market is the details. Making sure that you really take care of the detail side of things, like mitering your corners together and not just leaving open ends. Taking the extra time to properly clean. The greatest compliment we’ve ever received is a few homeowners saying it's a shame we have to put decking over our framework. That to me speaks volumes.
Q: What has been your experience with Deckorators mineral-based composite decking? What do you like about the features of that product?
A: The number one selling feature for me is traction. The afternoon showers that we get, especially if you get a little film of dust going over your plastic cap, or I should say other brands, you will quickly find out that it gets pretty slippery. The traction that Voyage has is superior. You can walk over it, you can wash it off, and you don’t have to worry about slipping all over the place. And because of the volatile nature of a wood composite, it’s really hard to design around. The mineral-based is just stable. It’s very stable in the climate that we have. Colorado has really good highs and really low lows, and the decking just handles it like a champ. It lasts and I love it.
Q: Tell me a little about the charity project that you were a part of with Deckorators?
A: I got invited via Certified Pro Scott Kelly, owner of Precision Construction, to spend some time on a charity build that he was a part of, and I really fell in love with it. I got to meet some great people and spend some quality time just talking about product, what we do and what sets us apart. Deckorators came alongside and we built a beautiful backyard, a little patio for a disabled guy that was just a phenomenal guy all around. It was nice to be able to give back knowing that you have a brand that will support even that side of things as well. Giving back to the community is important, and it sets you apart from everyone else.
Q: What does the future of your relationship with Deckorators look like?
A: Rhino’s relationship with Deckorators is very promising in a lot of ways. As I said, coming alongside a company that already provides a really good deck board and raising the bar of the decking industry as a whole is very important to us. If we want to set a new trend for the deck builder, we need quality products and quality builders to raise the bar and make sure that everybody is taken care of in every aspect.