Alfresco decking with central garden steps
Alfresco decking with central steps down to the lawn beside a pale-brick home.
Decks, pergolas & verandahs
If you’re weighing up a deck, a pergola or a verandah for a home in Melbourne’s south-east, think about how you’d like to use the space. That usually decides it. We build timber and composite decks, open pergolas and roofed verandahs.
How you’d like to use the space
What would you like to do out there? Each of these leads to a different build:
Somewhere to eat or sit. Size the deck around the table and chairs, with room to walk past them.
A level step out from the house. On a sloping block, a deck can sit level with the floor inside.
Shade from the afternoon sun. Notice where the sun is at the time of day you’d sit out.
Cover from rain, so you can sit out when it’s wet.
A new deck in place of a tired one. What’s wrong with the old one, and would you keep the same size?
For a bigger change outside, see ideas for the rest of the backyard.
Your options, and what each one suits
If you’re torn between two of these, ask about both. We’ll tell you which we’d choose for your space, and why.
What the job includes, and who does what
The quote should list what’s included and who does each part. If something you expected isn’t on it, ask us before you go ahead.
Lights or a power point under a pergola or verandah are electrical work. If you want either, say so at the start, so the quote can show who does that part.
If the deck runs up to a boundary, the fence may need work too. See fencing and gates.
What changes the cost
You won’t see deck prices here. Size moves the cost most, so measure the area you have in mind. The rest depends on the things below.
What you choose
- Size and shapeA bigger deck needs more boards, joists and footings. Corners, curves and extra levels add cutting and fitting time.
- Timber or compositePrices vary within each, so neither is always the cheaper one. If you can’t decide, ask for a price on both.
- Open shade or a roofA pergola adds posts and beams overhead. A verandah adds a roof on top of that, so it costs more than open shade.
- Steps and balustradesEach step and each length of balustrade adds materials and fitting time.
What the site brings
- Slope and heightOn a slope, or where the deck sits high, the posts get longer and the frame needs more bracing. Both add work.
- Getting to the backyardIf materials have to come down a narrow side path or through the house, it takes longer to get them in.
- What’s there nowAn old deck to pull up, or paving in the way, means work before the build starts. We’ll include it in the quote.
- The ground underneathRock and tree roots slow down digging for footings. Soft or wet ground can need deeper ones.
Deck and pergola projects
Alfresco decking with a lit side pathway
A large alfresco deck and a narrow side pathway with visible edge lights in Narre Warren South.
Composite decking at the front porch and alfresco
Composite decking at the front porch and rear alfresco of a Cranbourne North home.
Courtyard decking around trees with inset lights
Timber courtyard decking fitted around existing trees, with inset lights and steps to the rear door.
Covered spa area with glass fencing and screens
A Berwick outdoor area with a verandah, concreting, glass fencing and decorative screens around a spa.
Cranbourne Project: Front yard landscaping with composite decking
Front garden landscaping with composite decking, steps, natural grass, retaining walls and planted beds in Cranbourne.
How a job works
Ask for a quote.
Describe the job in a few lines, and we’ll get in touch to hear more.
Explore the options.
We’ll usually visit, look at the space with you and measure up. Then we’ll go through what could work, and why.
Agree the work.
You’ll get a quote to read in your own time. Ask about anything that isn’t clear before you say yes.
Build and hand over.
We build the job as quoted, then walk you through the finished work and how to look after it.
Where we work
Lysterfield, Rowville, Wheelers Hill, Berwick, Narre Warren South and nearby suburbs.
Deck questions
Can you build a deck and a pergola together?
Yes. It’s easier to plan them together than to add a pergola to the deck later, and the same goes for a verandah. If you might want one some day, mention it when you ask about the deck.
What’s the difference between a pergola and a verandah?
A roof. A pergola is open on top, so it gives filtered shade. A verandah has a solid roof, so you can sit out in the rain.
If you’d call what you want a “pergola with a roof”, that’s fine. Just say if you want shade, cover from rain, or both.
Do I need a design or drawings before I ask?
No. Describe what you’d like and where it would go, in your own words. Working out the options is part of the first conversation.
Tell us about your project.
Send what you know so far. We’ll ask about the rest.
Get a quote