Many decking projects that finish poorly do not fail during the building process. They fail well before any phone call is made, while the property owner has yet to think through what they need, what is possible on their site and what the building code demands. Clear thinking about these issues beforehand is the key to making any project run smoothly.
Why Most Deck Projects Go Wrong Before Anything Is Built
The mismatch between property owner expectations and site assessment findings can be quite pronounced. A slope, boundary proximity, existing garden structures and a council development overlay all have the potential to significantly change the parameters of the project. Jumping into getting quotes without being aware of these limits results in the apples-to-oranges kind of comparison. Quotes that do not take into account any retaining requirements and permits look too good to be true.
Deck builders Dandenong firms that regularly build throughout Melbourne’s outer southeastern suburbs make the necessary assessment prior to getting quotes. This is not just an overhead expense; this is where the good projects are really built.
Planning Permits and Building Permits: Two Separate Questions
This distinction catches homeowners off guard more often than any other part of the process. In Victoria, planning permit requirements and building permit requirements are two very separate things, and neither one answers the other.
According to the Victoria Planning Provisions, you’d think a deck to a house with a finished floor level no higher than 800mm above ground would be a pretty simple affair in standard residential zones. But no, a deck that high doesn’t generally need a planning permit. That 800mm rule is just about planning approval, mind you. Building a new structural deck in Victoria will almost certainly need a building permit, regardless of what the planning rules say. The Victorian Building Authority provides guidance on when you need a building permit. And in some areas of Greater Dandenong, with heritage or neighbourhood character restrictions, you might find that planning permit requirements come back into play, even for structures that would normally be exempt.
Getting Your Head Around the Site Before You Even Call In a Builder
A few quick observations on site before the first builder visit will make the conversation a heck of a lot more productive:
- Take a good look at the slope from the back of the house to the rear fence; elevated decks can be a lot trickier to build and require different types of permits.
- See how close any trees are, particularly any with surface roots that will make it hard to get footings under the deck.
- Check how close the deck footprint is to the side and rear boundaries; even if you don’t need a planning permit, setback rules still apply.
- Think about how the deck is going to connect to the inside of the house; that will drive the conversation about access points, levels and door placements.
Choosing Materials Before You Start Comparing Prices
Walking into a quoting conversation without any idea what material you want to use is going to make it really hard to compare quotes when they come back. In Dandenong, your main options are merbau, spotted gum, treated pine and composite decking; each has its own costs, maintenance needs, appearance and lifespan characteristics. Having a rough idea of the type of material you want before the first site visit will keep the conversation focused and means you can actually compare quotes.
What to Have Ready When You Ask for Quotes?
Getting a bit of preparation out of the way before the quoting process starts will give you better outcomes and make it a lot easier to decide:
- Have a rough set of dimensions or a simple sketch of the site so builders can get a consistent idea of what you’re looking to build.
- Be clear about how you want to use the deck; is it for everyday family dining or large-scale entertaining?
- Think about whether you want any extras like a pergola, balustrade or integrated steps, or whether those are things you’ll do in a later stage.
