Deck Builders Chevron Island

Residential and commercial decking around Chevron Island

Alongside home decks, we take on decking for managed and commercial properties: outdoor customer areas for cafes and retail, office break-out decks, body corporate common areas, and replacement decks on investment properties for landlords and property managers. Commercial work can be timber or composite, and is scoped and quoted the same way: measure, assess what is there, then a fixed written price.

Boards worn out, frame still good?

Decks rarely wear evenly. The boards take the sun and the foot traffic, so they crack, cup and splinter long before the joists underneath. On older homes and units we often find a frame that is still straight and solid under boards that are past saving. In that case, we strip the boards, repair what needs repairing and lay new boards over the original frame.

That saves the cost of footings, bearers and joists, which can be a large part of a new deck. It also means less mess and a shorter job, usually a few days rather than a week or two.

How we check the frame

We do not decide from the top. Once a few boards are lifted, or from underneath where there is room, we check:

• Joists and bearers for soft spots, using a probe or screwdriver.
• The tops of the joists, where water sits under each board and rot starts first.
• Post bases and stirrups for rust and movement.
• Joist spacing, because some new boards need closer spacing than the old ones.
• Whether the deck is still level and whether any footing has sunk.

If a handful of joists are bad, we replace or sister them. If the frame is rotten through, we tell you, and a full deck replacement is the better money.

Joist spacing and new boards

This catches people out. An old hardwood deck might have joists at 450 mm centres. Many composite boards need 400 mm or closer, and thinner timber boards may need the same. Adding extra joists is usually simple, but it should be in the quote from the start. We confirm the spacing against the board you choose before we give you a price.

Swapping timber for composite

Re-boarding is a good chance to move to composite if you are tired of oiling. Ekodeck and Ezy Decking both sit on a standard timber frame. We may add a joist tape on top of the old joists to keep water out, and we fit the clip system to suit the board. If you prefer timber, new hardwood boards over an existing frame are a straightforward job. Compare the two on the composite decking and timber decking pages.

Waste and disposal

Old decking boards, especially treated timber, should not be burned or dumped. We remove and dispose of them as part of the job and include that cost in the quote.

Supply and install, or install only

We can supply boards and fixings, or install boards you have bought. Either way, the frame check and any repairs are priced separately so you can see where the money goes.

What it costs

As a general guide, timber decking runs roughly $350 to $550 per m² and composite $450 to $700 per m² supplied and installed, depending on height, access, framing and finishes. Re-boarding sits lower because the frame stays. We give you a fixed price after measuring, with frame repairs listed separately.