Decks Built for Dunedin Sections

Where the deck goes matters more than how big it is

The most common mistake with a Dunedin deck is putting it where the plan says rather than where the sun is. A deck on the wrong side of the house, or in the path of the southerly, gets used twice a summer. So the first thing we do is stand on the section with you and work out where you would actually sit.

After that it is the ordinary business of building it properly: piles to the right depth, bearers and joists at the right centres for the decking you have chosen, and enough fall and ventilation underneath that the timber can dry out. Dunedin gets rain, and a deck that cannot breathe is a deck you will be replacing early.

What we do

New decks

Ground level or elevated, one level or stepped down a slope, attached to the house or standing on its own out in the garden. We build the substructure, lay the decking, fit the steps, handrails and balustrades, and finish the edges so the whole thing looks like part of the house rather than something bolted to it.

Replacing an old deck

A lot of Dunedin decks are past saving at the frame, not the boards. If the piles or the joists have gone, replacing the decking on top of them buys you a couple of years at best. We will pull the whole thing up, show you what is underneath, and price the honest job. If the frame is genuinely sound and it is only the boards, we will tell you that too - it is a much cheaper job and we are happy to do it.

Deck repairs

Soft boards, a wobbly handrail, steps that have dropped, a section that has rotted where the spouting has been leaking onto it for a decade. Repairs are welcome. A loose balustrade in particular is worth fixing straight away rather than waiting - it is the part somebody leans on.

Steps, handrails and balustrades

Steps and balustrades have height rules and loading requirements behind them, and they are the part of a deck that actually has to hold a person up. We build them to the requirements that apply to your deck, in timber, steel or a mix, and we will tell you what your deck needs before we start.

Decking timber and the alternatives

Treated pine is the standard and it works, especially if you are going to stain it. Hardwood and composite decking both cost more up front and give you back a lot less maintenance - composite in particular is worth considering on a deck that is hard to get at or one that never sees the sun and would otherwise stay green. We will go through the options and the actual price difference rather than steering you.

Decks and fences are usually the same job

A deck almost always arrives with a fence question attached: privacy from a neighbour who can now see straight over, a screen against the wind, a gate at the bottom of the steps, or a retaining wall where the ground falls away below. Because we do fencing and retaining as well, that is one crew, one quote and one lot of time on your property.

The same goes for what surrounds the deck. If the plan includes raised garden beds, planters or a screen, we can build them to match so the whole area works as one thing instead of being three different jobs by three different people.

Consents

Whether your deck needs a building consent depends on its height above ground, where it sits on the section and what it attaches to, and a deck that carries a balustrade or is more than a low platform can bring other requirements with it. We will tell you what we think your job needs at quote time, and the Dunedin City Council or your local council is the place to confirm it. We will not build you something that cannot be signed off.