Decks

A deck is the cheapest room you will ever add

A good deck changes how a house gets used. It is the extra room for summer, the place the barbecue lives, the step out of the kitchen that means the kids are outside instead of in. It is also a structure that sits in the weather all year and carries people, so how it is built underneath matters as much as what it looks like on top.

Built from the ground up

Every deck we build starts with the footings. Piles set in concrete to the depth the ground needs, bearers and joists sized and spaced for the span, and the whole frame set level and square before a single board goes on. It is the same thinking we bring to a concrete slab: the part you cannot see is the part that decides how long it lasts.

Decking, steps and the details

• Timber decking in the treated pine, hardwood or composite board that suits the look you want and the maintenance you are prepared to do.
• Steps, landings and levels. A deck that steps down to the lawn or wraps a corner of the house is set out so every tread is the same height and nothing catches a toe.
• Handrails and balustrades where the height calls for them, built to the Building Code requirements for fall protection.
• Pergolas, screens and seating built into the deck, so shade and privacy are part of the design rather than an afterthought. See landscaping for the rest of the outdoor area.

Decks and consents

Low decks close to the ground are usually exempt from a building consent; higher decks, and anything with a balustrade, generally are not. We will tell you which yours is before we quote it, and where a consent is needed we build to the consented detail.

Deck, patio, or both?

Sometimes the answer to "deck or patio" is both - a deck off the house stepping down to a concrete patio, with a fence or a screen for privacy. Because we do the concrete, the fencing and the deck ourselves, you can have that as one job with the levels planned together. Ring 027 375 7749 or send us an enquiry and describe the space.