How to Quote Decking Jobs

Why accurate quoting decides whether a decking business grows or stalls

Decking sits at the intersection of carpentry skill and material cost management. The boards are the headline number the customer sees, but the subframe, fasteners, balustrades, stairs, finishing, and council fees underneath often add up to more than the boards themselves. Deck builders who win consistently quote all of those layers honestly. The ones who struggle tend to ballpark the subframe, forget the finishing, and absorb the council drawing costs to keep the topline number low.

The gap between a profitable deck build and one that breaks even is usually found in three places: underpricing the subframe, failing to account for site conditions (slopes, access, demolition of the old deck), and not charging for the finishing coats that protect the timber and define how the deck looks on handover day.

This guide covers each decision in the quoting process with real 2026 Australian benchmarks so you can quote with confidence on every build.

Step 1: Calculate your true cost per hour

Before setting rates, work out what an hour of your time actually costs the business. This is your loaded hourly cost, covering everything required to have your crew on site with tools ready.

For a sole operator with one labourer, total annual costs typically land between $110,000 and $175,000. At 1,600-1,700 billable hours per year (allowing for rain days, travel, quoting time, and holidays), your loaded cost per hour sits between $65 and $109.

A two-person crew building a standard low-level deck can install 4-6 square metres of decking per day on treated pine, or 3-5 sqm per day on hardwood (which requires pre-drilling and is slower to cut). At a loaded daily crew cost of $1,200-1,600, that is $200-400 per square metre in labour alone before materials or margin. Your charge-out rate adds a healthy margin of 20-30% on top of costs.

Hardwood work wears through saw blades and drill bits faster than softwood. Budget $1,500-3,000 per year more in consumables if hardwood decking is the majority of your work.

Step 2: Choose the right material for the job and budget

Material choice is the single biggest variable in a decking quote. The board cost alone can range from $50 per square metre for treated pine to $300+ for premium composite. The right choice depends on the customer's budget, the deck's exposure, and the look they want.

Decking board costs (supply only, per sqm)

When to recommend each material

Treated pine suits budget projects, rental properties, and decks where cost matters more than appearance. It is the easiest timber to work with and the fastest to install.

Merbau is the most popular hardwood decking timber in Australia. Rich reddish-brown colour, stable, and forgiving to work with. It bleeds tannin when new, which stains concrete and paving beneath the deck. Warn customers about this and protect adjacent surfaces during the first few months.

Spotted gum is an Australian native hardwood with exceptional hardness (Janka 11.0 kN, more than double merbau at 4.7 kN). It resists scratching and denting better than any other common decking timber. It requires pre-drilling for every fastener and is harder to cut cleanly, so factor slower installation into your labour estimate.

Composite suits customers who want minimal maintenance. Higher upfront cost, but no oiling, staining, or sanding over the deck's life. The lifetime cost can be comparable to hardwood once you factor in annual oiling and periodic sanding. Composite is also consistent in colour and does not splinter, which matters for families with children.

Step 3: Price the subframe, fasteners, and finishing separately

The subframe is the structure beneath the boards: stumps or posts, bearers, and joists. It accounts for 25-40% of the total material cost and is where most underquoting happens because customers focus on the boards and builders sometimes absorb or understate the subframe to keep the headline price low.

Subframe costs (per sqm of deck area)

Stumps and footings

A typical 25 sqm deck needs 9-12 stumps depending on joist span and bearer layout. At $40-80 each for standard poured piers, that is $360-960 in footings alone.

Fasteners

Finishing (timber decks only)

Always quote the first coat of oil or stain as part of the build. Handing over an unfinished timber deck invites complaints about the look and leaves the timber exposed to UV and moisture from day one. If the customer declines finishing, note it in the quote and your terms.

Step 4: Benchmark against current market rates

These are 2026 fully installed rates (all materials, subframe, fasteners, labour, and first coat of finish) for residential decking in Australian metro areas. Rates exclude balustrades, stairs, council fees, and demolition of existing structures.

Installed rates by material

Regional variation

Sydney prices run 10-15% above Brisbane due to higher labour rates, timber transport costs, and council fee structures. Darwin carries a premium from remoteness and the requirement for termite-resistant materials in all structural timber. Regional areas are generally lower on labour but can be higher on material delivery if the nearest timber yard is a long drive from site.

Step 5: Price the extras that customers underestimate

On most deck builds, the extras account for 20-40% of the total project cost. Quoting them as separate line items protects your margin and sets clear expectations.

Stairs

Balustrades

The Building Code of Australia requires a balustrade on any deck more than 1 metre above finished ground level. The balustrade must be at least 1 metre high with no climbable elements and openings no wider than 125mm. For decks beside pools, the balustrade must also comply with pool fencing requirements. Always confirm the requirement before quoting and include the cost as a visible line item.

Demolition and site preparation

Council permits and drawings

Council approval is typically required when the deck is more than 600mm to 1 metre above natural ground level, depending on the state. In Queensland the threshold is 1 metre. In Victoria it is 1 metre or 20 sqm. In NSW, decks under 1 metre and under 25 sqm may qualify as exempt development. Heritage overlays, bushfire zones, and flood zones can override these exemptions. Always check before quoting and include permit costs as a line item.

Step 6: Understand your licensing obligations

Deck building is classified as building work in every Australian state. Licensing requirements vary by state and by the value of the work. Include the cost of maintaining your licence in your overhead calculation.

In NSW, the threshold is $1,000, which means virtually every decking job requires a licensed contractor. In Victoria, a DB-L licence holder can build a deck as long as it does not require the skills of a DB-U (unlimited) builder. Check your state authority for the exact requirements and ensure your licence class covers the scope of work you are quoting.

Step 7: Build a detailed line-item breakdown

Assembling the quote as a clear, itemised document builds trust and reduces disputes. Every element gets its own line and price, so variations are straightforward to handle.

Worked example: 30 sqm merbau deck with stairs and timber balustrade, Melbourne

Scope: remove existing 30 sqm treated pine deck (rotted bearers), install new concrete pier footings, hardwood bearer and joist subframe, 140x19mm merbau boards face-fixed with stainless steel screws, 4-riser timber staircase, 8 lineal metres of hardwood balustrade with stainless wire infill, two coats of decking oil, weed mat and gravel beneath. Deck height 600mm above ground (just under council permit threshold). Flat site, good access.

That works out to approximately $787 per square metre of deck area including GST, though this includes demolition of the old deck, stairs, and 8 metres of wire balustrade. The deck boards and subframe alone (without extras) sit at approximately $390 per sqm installed, which is within the expected $300-500 range for merbau in Melbourne.

Key points in this quote: the 8% waste factor on boards accounts for cutting, end-matching, and rejected pieces (hardwood has more variation than softwood); the balustrade is the single largest extra at $3,600 and is clearly visible as a separate line; the finishing is quoted as part of the build rather than left for the customer to arrange; and each line item can be adjusted independently if the customer changes scope or material.

Seven common quoting mistakes deck builders make

1. Underpricing the subframe. Customers focus on the decking boards. Builders sometimes thin the subframe quote to keep the headline number competitive. The subframe is 25-40% of the material cost and is the structural skeleton of the deck. Underquote it and the margin disappears into bearers and joists.
2. Forgetting the finishing. Two coats of decking oil on a 30 sqm deck costs $360-540 in product and labour. If you absorb it, that comes straight off your profit. If you leave the deck unfinished, the customer sees raw timber that starts greying within weeks and blames your workmanship. Quote it, apply it, hand over a finished product.
3. Not accounting for waste on hardwood. Hardwood boards have more natural variation in colour, grain, and straightness than treated pine. Budget 8-10% waste for merbau and 10-12% for spotted gum (which can have significant bow). Ordering tight on hardwood means a second delivery mid-build, with a new batch that may not colour-match the first.
4. Ignoring the demolition. Removing an existing deck is labour-intensive. A 30 sqm timber deck demolition with disposal costs $1,200-2,200. If the customer says "just build over it," inspect the existing structure first. Building on a rotted subframe is a liability.
5. Skipping the council check. If the deck requires council approval and you build without it, the customer faces enforcement action and you face a defect claim. Check the height, area, and any overlay zones before quoting. Include permit costs as a line item when required. The 15 minutes spent checking saves a project-killing dispute later.
6. Quoting without a site visit. A deck that sounds like "30 sqm, ground level, easy" on the phone can turn out to be on a slope, over tree roots, with limited access for material delivery, and an existing concrete patio to demolish. Measure the site, check the fall, assess access, and look at what is underneath. Every site condition has a cost.
7. Presenting a single lump sum. A quote that says "$23,000 for a merbau deck" gives the customer one number to compare and no visibility into the components. An itemised quote lets them see the cost of each element, makes material upgrades or downgrades easy to price, and reduces the chance of a dispute over what was and was not included.