Decking questions from Cheshire homeowners

Installed softwood typically runs £110–£140 per m², capped composite £180–£260 per m², and raised composite with balustrade £230–£330 per m². Groundworks, steps, lighting and hot tub bays are priced separately. Our prices page has worked examples from recent projects.

Because most of the cost is invisible once the deck is finished. Joist centres, foundation depth, whether the frame is taped and kept clear of the ground, the grade of timber and the quality of fixings all vary enormously between installers. A cheap quote is usually a thinner frame at wider centres on shallower footings.

No. Site surveys and written quotations are free anywhere in Cheshire, with no travel charge and no obligation.

We take a materials deposit once the specification is agreed, with the balance due on completion. Payment terms are set out clearly in the written quotation before you commit.

Usually not, provided the finished surface is no more than 300mm above ground level and the deck plus other garden structures covers less than half the garden. Raised decks, conservation areas and listed buildings are the exceptions — common in Chester, Knutsford and Nantwich — and we flag those at survey.

Guarding is expected once the drop reaches 600mm, at 1100mm height for significant drops, with infill spacing that stops a 100mm sphere passing through. We build to that guidance as standard and often exceed it where children are involved.

Ground-level decking can generally run to the boundary. Raised decking close to a boundary raises overlooking and privacy considerations and is more likely to need permission. We assess it case by case rather than guessing.

Composite if you want minimal maintenance, stable colour and long warranties, particularly in shaded or damp gardens. Timber if you want natural grain, a lower up-front cost, and you are happy with an annual clean and treat. We quote both side by side so the whole-life cost is clear.

A well-built softwood deck lasts twelve to fifteen years, hardwood twenty-five or more, and capped composite carries surface warranties of twenty to twenty-five years. In every case the substructure is what limits lifespan, which is why we specify it so carefully.

Not if it is specified and built correctly. Grooved or textured boards, a ventilated void so the surface dries, and a rinse twice a year deal with the algae that causes almost all slip problems in Cheshire gardens.

Three to four working days for a straightforward 20–30m² ground-level deck, five to eight days for raised decks with steps, balustrade or lighting. Restricted access can add a day for hand-carrying materials.

Yes — breaking out, loading and licensed disposal are included and itemised in the quotation, so you can see exactly what that element costs.

Yes. We build a reinforced bay on independent concrete pads with doubled joists at 300mm centres, designed to your tub's published filled weight plus bather load, with removable panels for pump access.

We offer an annual maintenance visit covering cleaning, structural and fixing inspection, clearing the ventilated void, and re-treating timber decks, plus a written note of anything to watch.