You might have noticed that your house is in need of some decking designs to cover up that empty backyard. Or perhaps you might require a decking balcony extension out of your bedroom. Whatever sort of decking jobs are needed, it is of course imperative to have a general outline of the type of deck that is needed in order find out how much does your decking cost. Perhaps you might already have done a sketch or have gotten help from a landscape designer or an architect in this respect. The next step of course is to find a reputable company to do your decking design work. However, the company representative would require quite a lot of information from you before they can get the best price decking for you.
Council Approval and Insurance
First of all, you might require the approval of your local council if you were to perform decking modifications on your house. The approval cost and requirements varies from country to country. Some councils also make it mandatory to hire a building contractor or to have building insurance if your decking designs were to exceed a certain size. If your local council does not make this mandatory, however it is still advisable to have building insurance in case decking builders run into some problems and are unable to complete your job on time.
Finding a Decking Design Company
In the process of comparing quotes between companies, it is important to consider the following points.
- How long has the company been servicing the community? New companies generally give cheaper decking design quotes, but there is a higher risk of non-completion of your job if the company is suddenly faced with financial problems. Well established companies with a longer history are more likely to finish the work they are given and provide that extra professional touch.
- Can the company provide you with testimonials of their work? This is of course to help give you an idea of the service they will provide.
- Is the company insured? You don’t want to have to bear the brunt of accident liability in case something goes wrong.
- Can the company provide you a detailed cost breakdown in their quote? Are the prices given estimates, or detailed costs?
- What kinds of decks does the company specialize in?
- Additional services – do they provide concept drawing and designs (CAD software), or do they provide help with council approvals? These might attract an extra cost.
- How often will the companies perform maintenance on your deck, and what is done? Most companies do maintenance every 6-12 months and this will include cleaning and recoating your deck with decking oil which can improve its appearance and durability
Builders Requirements
The deck building company will be needing a lot of information from you when finding out how much does your decking cost. They will initially be needing the square meters of the areas that require decking. Larger decks obviously cost more than smaller ones. Also to keep in mind would be, how many people will be using the deck at once. Also, what is the purpose of your deck, eg, is this for outdoor parties, or for private use? How often will you be using the deck? The company will also be looking at the general terrain of your backyard eg, slopes will add possible complications and increase the overall cost. Above ground decks, such as those extending from your bedroom will also cost more than those that extend out from your house into the backyard.
Decking Designs Extras
You might also consider the following decking features, though these can add significantly to the cost:
- railings – for safety of small children, often required for above ground decking to prevent accidental falls
- stairs – Another necessity for an elevated deck, or stairs can also be used as a decorative item. You might have to consider whether you require closed stairs (with horizontal and vertical portions) or open (only vertical portions). Generally closed stairs are much more complex and harder to assemble, thus, this can increase how much the decking costs
- lighting – In case you wish to use your decking at night, you will have to consider installing some lighting. You could install small lighting spots on the floor, or you can mount light bulbs on the railing of your deck
- skirting – An additional lattice usually installed around the perimeter of the deck, it protects the underside of the deck from weeds, rainwater, and small animals.
- storage bench – A very functional bench for storing garden materials or for sitting.
- additional fencing – Perhaps you will be needing fencing to separate your deck from your home interior in order to increase privacy
- decking materials – There are so many materials out in the marketplace today. Hardwood such as cedar has the highest cost, but is the most resilient to damage. However, this is the most difficult wood to handle and is heavier to deliver and lift. Untreated pine has the lowest cost, and has the shortest lifespan. However, pine can be treated for a nominal fee to increase its durability.
- Finish – How will the deck be sealed? What kinds of paints and staining will be used? Will you perform this process yourself, or will you include this in the quotes?
There are many different considerations when trying to find out how much does decking cost. The various characteristics of your terrain and the height of your deck above ground can change the quote significantly. However, if you have detailed measurements and ideas at the beginning of a job you can hopefully avoid hidden costs popping up much later. In short, the best price decking job is one that can be performed by a reputable company with reasonable quotes and cheap is not necessarily good in this sense.
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