Browse Forums Outdoor Living 1 Jul 29, 2012 5:03 pm Hi Guys I am planing to get a pergola and deck built 40 m2. Pergola will be a basic flat roof with a 50% of laserlight and colour bond. Deck will be a merbau deck. In the beginning i thought decking was impossible in the area since the gap between house floor level and out side ground level is only 13 cm, but it looks like it can be done. I had four quotes 1.builder:$21000 Thinks they need to excavate to have deck so that the deck is below the weep holes on the wall. 2.Landscaper:$11000 He doesn't think they need excavation and is the cheapest.When asked if he uses nails or screws for decks he said he will be using deck nails. 3. Carpenter:$13300 He doesn't think they need excavation,but will be using screws for decking. 4. carpenter:$18600 All the prices are including permits,painting etc. I would like to go with Landscaper since he is the cheapest and I have looked at the some of the photos of his work and they look good. What i am confused about is how is he going to put in deck without any excavation.He's got only 13cm of height. I will be meeting with him very soon to discuss and ask him to use screws instead of nails and to understand what he will be doing. I don't know much about building decks and pergolas. Can a deck be build with floor level which is only 13 cm above the ground level out side? ie without excavation? If I am going with the cheapest option (landscaper) what questions do I need to ask? I don't understand why he is so much cheaper than the others. can some one please help me to chose a right person to to build the pergola and deck.Thanks very much. Re: Pergola and Deck 2Aug 01, 2012 11:35 am Ask the landscaper for a rough plan of how he will construct it. 130mm is bare-bones space to construct a deck without it being in direct contact with the ground and personally I don't think it's achievable (to Australian building standards). I'm not sure of the exact clearances as they seem to differ from council to council, but generally you would need at least 100mm under the deck frame to allow for adequate ventilation beneath the deck - some councils require between 200mm and 400mm though. Lesser clearances (say to 100mm) would require timber treated to a higher grade to avoid rotting, rising damp etc. This wouldn't be necessary if you were building the deck directly on top of concrete however but as some of your quoters have indicated that they will excavate, this doesn't appear to be the case. I also think that your two cheapest quotes are far too cheap for the work you want and the higher prices are more reflective of the work involved and trade hours required. Ask all of your quoters: 1. Will they obtain a building consent for the work? (Essential based on the scope of works you have described - do not build without one) 2. Do they have a building license? (wouldn't be using them if they don't) 3. If they are not excavating, will they use a higher grade of treated timber for the frame? (Not sure of exact grades - search this forum as there are some good threads on this) 4. As stated above, ask them to briefly described or sketch how they will construct the piling and frame so you can see what sort of ground clearances they will achieve (among other things). Re: Pergola and Deck 3Aug 10, 2012 10:20 pm I would say you'd need a carpenter, what qualifications does the landscaper have, wouldn't he be getting a carpenter to do it anyways? Agreed with other posting about clearances and things, you could also check the housing codes yourself, theres usually a link from the local counsel website. Also having your carpenters from the local area helps in dealing with counsel, are they going to be lodging any required documents? Make sure every single item is in your quote that you require, that could make a difference in price. I much prefer decking screws but that can come down to personal preference. Re: Pergola and Deck 4Aug 14, 2012 12:43 pm raj_27 I am planing to get a pergola and deck built 40 m2. I see a lot of pergolas that have the roof draining back to the house gutter. In most instances, the drainage is not compliant with the regulations and the gutters overflow when there is heavy rain. Compliance certificates mean nothing, the installers know their work is not compliant and will wipe their hand of the job if you complain. Your intended 40 m2 is big. Make sure that your plans include roof drainage that is compliant. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Pergola and Deck 5Aug 14, 2012 1:48 pm Thanks Guys for the reply. After a lot of question and answers with all, i have ended up getting everyone quote exact same thing. In the end landscaper is still the cheapest. I have gone ahead with him. atagnat 130mm is bare-bones space to construct a deck without it being in direct contact with the ground and personally I don't think it's achievable (to Australian building standards). They ended up excavating around 20 cm near house to around 30cm at the end for no extra cost , but they spread the dirt around the back yard, which is fine with me. Laila I would say you'd need a carpenter, what qualifications does the landscaper have, wouldn't he be getting a carpenter to do it anyways? Landscaper is just a manager i think,may be a ex carpenter or builder. Yes he has hired carpenter to do the job. Also ended up going with deck screw for a little extra. SaveH2O Your intended 40 m2 is big. Make sure that your plans include roof drainage that is compliant. According to the plans he has provided, water drains out away from the house to a gutter and from there to storm water connection. This will be a flat roof pergola therefore he will not be using an existing roof gutters. Is there a building permit? RU in Victoria? What is the value of the building contract? 1 6834 About a year ago, I embarked on a DIY project to construct an outdoor Pergola, which measures approximately 5.2 meters by 4.0… 0 29619 i think option 2 is much better with easy access to the garden without having to walk through the new sunroom which makes it a better room for guests and TV .a simple… 2 8233 |