Choose the use before the footprint
A deck for a dining table needs different space from a quiet seat by the back door. Mark the furniture you actually want to use and allow for people moving around it, including the route between doors and steps.
Use our landscaping in Wellington guide to consider the deck alongside the rest of the garden. A larger platform is not always the most useful answer if it interrupts access or puts seating in an exposed spot.
Record levels and connections
Photograph the door threshold, existing ground and changes of level around the proposed deck. Include the downhill edge on a sloping site. The connection to the house and the deck's support need to be considered as part of the design.
Our deck consent checks explain why fall height, barriers and planning questions should be discussed early. A surface height measured at just one convenient point is not a complete picture.
Think about materials in daily use
Describe the appearance you prefer and how much maintenance you are comfortable with. Ask about the proposed product's cleaning, finish and installation requirements, rather than assuming every board of a particular type behaves the same way.
- Bring samples or photographs of finishes you like.
- Consider bare feet, furniture and the route from inside.
- Discuss the board layout and visible edges.
- Identify any existing material you want retained or removed.
Use our timber and composite comparison to prepare product and care questions.
Include the whole deck in the brief
List steps, edge treatment, handrails or barriers where relevant, and the surfaces around the deck. Discuss delivery access and removal of the old structure if one exists. These items can be as important to the scope as the deck boards.
The deck budget worksheet helps separate the surface from the supporting structure and site work. It is a useful starting point for comparing a complete job.
Send us the site and the idea
Include approximate dimensions, several photographs, a sketch showing doors and access, and a short description of the intended use. Tell us whether this is a replacement or a new deck and whether it sits within a larger outdoor project.
See our deck and building projects, then talk to us about your Wellington site. We can discuss the next steps for a deck that connects with the way you live.