Decking Costs UK — What to Charge for Timber and Composite Decking in 2026

Material Choice and What It Means for Price

The deck board you specify drives both your material cost and the price the customer expects. There are three broad families — softwood, hardwood and composite — and they sit at very different points on price, durability and maintenance. Pin the material down early, because quoting softwood money for a composite job is one of the fastest ways to wipe out your margin.

Softwood (Treated Pine)

Treated softwood — usually pressure-treated pine or spruce — is the cheapest decking material and still the most common choice on a budget. It looks good on day one and is easy to cut, fix and replace. The trade-off is maintenance: softwood needs cleaning and re-oiling or staining roughly once a year to stay presentable and to slow weathering. Left untreated it greys, splinters and the surface checks. Realistic lifespan is around 10–15 years if the customer maintains it, considerably less if they don't.

• Lowest material cost — easiest to win on price
• Annual re-oiling or staining needed to keep it looking good
• Easy to repair and swap individual boards
• Be clear in writing that long-term appearance depends on customer maintenance

Hardwood (Balau, Ipe and Similar)

Hardwood decking — balau, ipe, garapa and other dense tropical timbers — is the premium natural option. It is extremely durable, naturally resistant to rot and insects, and ages to a rich silver-grey if left to weather. It commands the highest natural-timber price and appeals to customers who want a high-end finish without going composite.

The downside is cost and workability. Hardwood is heavy, hard on tools and blades, and many boards need pre-drilling before fixing. It is also harder and dearer to fix or alter once down. Source responsibly — insist on FSC or equivalent certification, both for ethics and because customers increasingly ask. Lifespan is 25 years or more when installed and detailed correctly.

• Premium look and the longest natural-timber lifespan
• Highest material cost of the natural options
• Slower to install — pre-drilling, harder cutting, more blade wear
• Harder and pricier to repair or modify later

Composite (Wood-Plastic)

Composite decking is a blend of wood fibre and recycled plastic, usually capped with a polymer outer layer that resists staining, fading and moisture. It is the fastest-growing choice in UK gardens and for good reason: no annual oiling, no splinters, consistent colour and a 20–25 year manufacturer warranty on most capped ranges. Material cost sits above softwood and often near or above hardwood, but the low-maintenance story is an easy upsell — most customers happily pay more to never sand and re-oil a deck again.

The catch for the installer is that composite is less forgiving structurally. It expands and contracts more than timber, sags between joists if the centres are too wide, and must be fixed with the right hidden clips or composite-specific screws. Get the subframe wrong under composite and the boards will telegraph every shortcut.

• Low maintenance — no oiling, no staining, no splinters
• Higher material cost, but an easy upsell on maintenance and lifespan
• Needs tighter joist centres and proper expansion gaps
• Must use manufacturer-approved clips and fixings to keep the warranty

The Subframe and Groundwork — Where the Job Is Won or Lost

Customers look at the boards. Installers should obsess about what's underneath. The subframe and groundwork is the difference between a deck that's solid in ten years and one you're back to rebuild — at your own cost — in two. This is the part of the quote that cheap competitors skimp on, and it's the part that protects your reputation.

• Proper foundations: the frame must sit on solid, stable supports — concrete pads, set posts or ground screws — not just on slabs laid on soil or, worse, straight onto grass. Ground screws are quick and clean on awkward ground; concrete is the traditional, dependable option.
• Joists at the correct centres: timber decking is typically fine at around 400mm centres, but composite usually needs 300mm or tighter (check the manufacturer's table — some diagonal layouts call for 200–250mm). Too wide and the boards bounce and sag.
• Treated timber or steel subframe: use proper structural-graded, pressure-treated joists or an aluminium/steel subframe. Re-cut ends must be re-treated with end-grain preserver before they go down.
• Ventilation gap: leave air space beneath the deck so it can breathe and dry out. A sealed, airless cavity traps moisture and rots timber from below.
• Weed membrane: lay membrane over the ground beneath the deck to stop weeds growing up through the gaps — cheap insurance against an annoying callback.
• Levelling sloping ground: sloping or uneven sites need stepped or packed-up framing to bring the deck level. This is labour and material the homeowner can't see, so it's easy to under-price.

A cheap subframe is false economy for everyone. Undersized or widely-spaced joists cause bounce; no ventilation causes rot; inadequate foundations cause movement and sinking. Every one of those is a callback that lands on you, often after the warranty conversation has soured. Price the groundwork honestly and explain it — it's your best differentiator against the operator quoting boards-only.

Extras That Add Cost

A flat deck on level ground is the simplest version of the job. Most real jobs have extras — and each one should be a separate line in the quote, both so the customer sees the value and so you don't absorb the cost by accident.

• Balustrades, handrails and spindles: required on raised decks for safety and a big driver of both cost and labour. Priced per linear metre.
• Steps: each flight or set of steps adds framing, boards and time. Price per step or per flight.
• Multi-level decks: split levels mean more framing, more edges and more labour than a single platform of the same area.
• Fascia and skirting: board cladding around the deck perimeter to hide the subframe — a clean finish customers notice.
• Lighting: recessed deck lights or step lights, plus the wiring (factor in an electrician if needed).
• Pergola or screening: a popular add-on that turns a deck into an outdoor room.
• Removing an old deck: demolition, disposal and skip hire before you even start the new build.
• Sloping, uneven or boundary-tight sites: awkward ground, restricted access and building close to fences or walls all add time.

Quick Reference: Decking Prices UK 2026

These totals assume reasonable access and ground conditions. Raised decks, sloping sites and long balustrade runs push you toward and past the top of each range. Composite's per-m² rate overlaps hardwood because the material cost is high even though the labour is faster.

What Affects the Price

Two decks of the same square metreage can differ by thousands. The variables that move a decking quote most are:

• Area: the headline driver, priced per m² of finished deck.
• Ground level vs raised: a raised deck needs taller posts, more framing and almost always balustrades and steps — far more than a ground-level platform.
• Material: softwood, hardwood or composite shifts the per-m² rate substantially.
• Balustrade length: long perimeters with spindles add cost fast.
• Access: narrow side passages, no rear access and carrying materials through the house all add labour.
• Ground conditions: sloping, soft, waterlogged or made-up ground means more groundwork and sometimes ground screws.
• Removal of an old deck: demolition and disposal before the build adds cost and skip hire.

How to Quote a Decking Job

Build the quote up from components rather than pulling a single round number. A structure that holds up looks like this:

• Supply-and-lay rate per m² for the chosen material (softwood, hardwood or composite).
• Subframe and groundwork as its own line — more for raised or sloping sites, and call out ground screws or concrete pads where used.
• Balustrade per linear metre measured from the actual run, not estimated.
• Steps priced per step or flight.
• Extras as line items: fascia, lighting, pergola, deck removal, skip hire.

Underpin the build-up with day rates for a two-person team so you can sanity-check the labour against the price. Add a sensible markup on materials — typically 10–25% — to cover ordering, collection, waste and price movement; timber and composite both move with the market. Finally, factor weather windows: decking is outdoor work, and a wet spell can stretch a three-day job to a week. Build a little slack into the programme and don't over-commit your calendar in unsettled months.

Pitfalls That Cause Callbacks

Almost every decking callback traces back to a handful of avoidable mistakes. Get these right and the deck looks after itself for years.

• Joists too far apart: the number one cause of board sag and bounce, and far more punishing on composite than timber. Follow the manufacturer's centres table.
• No ventilation: a sealed, airless cavity beneath the deck traps moisture and rots the frame from below. Always leave an air gap.
• Inadequate foundations: supports on soil or loose slabs let the deck move, sink and twist. Use proper pads, posts or ground screws.
• Poor drainage: water that can't escape pools under the deck and accelerates rot. Keep the ground clear, sloped to drain and membraned.
• Wrong fixings: use the correct decking screws for timber and the manufacturer's clips or composite-specific screws for composite. The wrong fixing voids warranties and lifts in time.
• No expansion gaps: boards — composite especially — need expansion gaps at ends and edges. Butt them tight and they buckle in the heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is composite decking worth it over timber?

For many customers, yes. Composite costs more up front, but there's no annual oiling or staining, it won't splinter or rot, the colour stays consistent and most capped ranges carry a 20–25 year warranty. Over the deck's life the lower maintenance often offsets the higher purchase price. Timber wins on initial cost and on a natural look — and hardwood in particular still appeals to customers who want real wood. Present both honestly and let the maintenance story sell the composite.

How long does a timber deck last?

It depends on the timber and the maintenance. Pressure-treated softwood typically lasts around 10–15 years if it's cleaned and re-oiled annually — less if it's neglected. Quality hardwood such as balau or ipe can last 25 years or more with minimal upkeep. In every case the subframe matters as much as the boards: a deck on proper, ventilated foundations outlasts one built on shortcuts, whatever the surface material.

Do I need foundations for decking?

Yes. A deck needs solid, stable support — concrete pads, set posts or ground screws — not just slabs sitting on soil. Foundations stop the deck moving, sinking and twisting over time, and they let the frame stay level and ventilated. Skipping proper foundations is the single most common reason a deck fails early, and it's the first thing to get right when you build.