NEW DECK TIPS...

When building your new deck, the most important things to consider initially are:

> Your projects budget

> The design and size of your new deck

> Will you be building it yourself or using a contractor?

> The right decking materials

DETERMINING YOUR DECKING BUDGET

Make sure you have a clear understanding of what to expect for the total cost of your deck, including the costs for the life cycle the deck.

Your deck is made up of these three costs

> decking material costs

> decking installation costs

> decking maintenance costs

A good installer should be able to provide you approximate cost estimates for materials and installation costs. Maintenance costs vary greatly depending on how much effort you want to put into your deck and how you want your deck to look in 1,2,5 or 10 years time. If you don't have a contractor organised and need help with getting an understanding of what costs you can expect, contact us and we can assist.

DECK DESIGN AND SIZE

When designing your new deck, there are some key things to remember. Firstly, a common comment people make about their new decks is how much they enjoy their "increased outdoor living area". They could just refer to it as a deck, but the big difference are the words "living area".

Your deck is the most cost effective way to add increased living area to your home. It doesn't need be large, but with some prior thought and consideration, you can make your new deck area a real feature of your home that your friends will be jealous of.

Secondly, if you design your deck taking into consideration the materials you want to use, you can save your self a lot of money both in materials and installation.

Click here to learn more about how to design your deck to save time and money

Click here to learn more about how to design your deck to save time and money

DO IT YOURSELF OR USE A CONTRACTOR?

For a lot of people, the concept of building a deck them self seems like a good idea, but the reality is that will end up using a contractor as they don't have either the time, knowledge or commitment to get it finished.

Building a deck may be a good project to get started on DIY, but make sure you have an experienced person working with you to get you started so the deck is square and level.If you need help choosing a decking contractor we have some quick tips to point you in the right direction.

Click here to find decking contractors in your local area.

DECKING MATERIALS

Deck sub-structure materials are typically chemically treated softwood such as pine, and are best to be specified by your builder or architects to suit the installation type.

There are a number of ways you can layout your substructure depending on your specific requirements, such as deck height, surrounding walls, structures, pools, type of ground the deck is being built over etc.However, decking board materials are very different, there's a huge variety to choose from and they vary in price and quality dramatically.Here we have good information to ...

> compare decking composites and timber

> compare decking prices

If you need further help with planning your decking project, talk to your decking contractor or contact us and we would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

or click here for more expert decking advice