Decking - cost per sqm approx, supply and install?

Hi All,

We've gutted our front yard and are now struggling with a completely blank canvas. Thinking of decking the front entry area which is currently paved, the alternative is exposed aggregate which is what we're doing for the driveway but I'm concerned it will be too much of a good thing and look boring.

So just after a rough cost of middle range decking to get installed over the current pavers please?

 

is the pavered area flat and square? Stairs? I ask because if it's flat it's quite easy to DIY. Screw some bearers/sleepers into the pavers and then just screw some decking timber down to the bearers.

 

It is flat but no intention of DIYing - I want it to look good

 

I did a couple of decks about 2 steps high for materials worked out approx $75/m2 from memory, treated pine (not the $9/m stuff from bunnings though)
I just got a a chippy to give me a hand with the posts and joists. Screwing decks is fun so i wanted to do it!

 

Don't use anything other than hardwood for the actual decking itself.
Eg Merbau..
Pine dries out and warps, cracks and becomes softer each year, whereas hardwood becomes harder year year.

I did a DIY raised deck at home 4x5m in Merbau for 1400 for materials.
Tradies wanted 5-8k to do the job.

 

Any feedback on those who have used modwood?

 

Hmm, was hoping it would be cheaper than that....

 

Can be, but the deck will also be cheap and look like crap in a few years.

 

I'm sitting on a Modwood deck as I type at a friends house. It's now 18mths old and looks as it did when it was built. It's great for their location which is less than 1km from beach which tends to destroy anything out of real wood. (listening @Jess Peletier ?!?!?).

It's a pale grey colour to look like weathered wood.

 

@Jess Peletier

I have a 40sqm deck with raised two steps high (ie two steps all the way around it for $9k. I suspect the 2 steps play a big part in that price. It's James Hardie HardieDeck - another low maintenance product.

I don't like maintenance and I'm trying to keep timber to a minimum in the house to reduce fire risk/load.

 

What about decking tiles? They just interlock on the ground and you cut them to size. Look fantastic and are cheap if you order them online. Totally diy-able if you lay them over concrete.

Decking Tiles | eBay

 

We would go that way but we need it raised a bit higher - kind of one step up. We'll probably have to rip up the paving after all.

 

I heard it gets really hot in the sun

 

Typo?

 

Nope seems fine to me. However most forms of hard landscaping (pavers, aggregate, wood, fake wood) all get hot in the sun. This modwood is cooler than the pavers next to it if that helps.

 

Is it prone to scratches?

 

That sounds like a good plan thanks @Westminster