Decking Installers in Tenterden

Set out the terrace, steps and walking routes.

Mark out the furniture and circulation space before choosing the deck dimensions. Leave room behind chairs, a clear route from the house and access to gates or storage. Board direction, edges and step positions should follow how you will use the space.

For a Tenterden garden, photograph the proposed deck from the house and from the lawn. Mark the dining area and walking route separately, including the space needed to pull chairs out. Show the door threshold, side access, existing paving and changes in level. If replacing an old deck, include loose boards and the underside only where safely visible. Discuss sun, shade and neighbouring sightlines before selecting samples; the board finish and layout should suit how the terrace will be used.

If the work includes a patio or new fencing, share the full brief so the adjoining levels and access can be coordinated.

See a completed decking project elsewhere in Kent.

Our Sittingbourne decking project shows a terrace and broad garden steps connecting the house with the lawn. The hero photograph comes from that completed Sittingbourne work, rather than a project in Tenterden.

Use the project to discuss the layout and finish you like. Your own garden needs its own assessment of supports, levels, steps and access; the photograph does not establish a construction specification for another site.

The subframe is part of the installation.

The visible boards rely on a suitable supporting structure. Ground preparation, foundations or supports, frame materials and connections need to suit the dimensions, height and intended use. Drainage and ventilation beneath the boards should be considered within the installation plan.

The selected board system determines joist spacing, fixing details and movement allowances. Changing timber boards to composite does not establish that an existing frame is compatible. Assess the support structure and follow the chosen manufacturer’s installation guidance.

Agree fascia, board ends and junctions at doors or adjoining paving. Those details affect appearance and usability as well as the material quantity.

What should you put under decking?

Start with the existing ground and the support design, rather than specifying a membrane for every site. The space beneath the deck needs suitable preparation, drainage and ventilation. Foundations or supports must carry the frame and intended use, while the selected board system determines fixing and spacing requirements.

Where a membrane or stone layer is proposed, ask what it is intended to do and how it works with the drainage and supports. It does not replace the frame or foundations. Retained paving, soil and an old deck structure can require different preparation, so show the existing surface in your enquiry.

Include access to covers and services, the junction with the house, and how debris will be cleared beneath or between boards. These details should be agreed before the surface boards conceal the construction.

Connect a raised deck to the rest of the garden.

A raised deck can create a useful terrace over changing levels, but supports, access steps and guarding need to be designed together. Consider how people reach the garden and whether the underside needs access or finishing.

For examples of different finishes, our St Margaret’s Bay composite deck shows glass balustrade with steel posts. The Deal decking and railings project shows an alternative arrangement with inset steps. These photographs illustrate work elsewhere in Kent; your garden needs its own specification.

Replace old decking without hiding a failing frame.

Soft boards, loose fixings or movement underfoot may indicate damage below the surface. Establish which supports can remain before specifying new boards. Agree how deterioration discovered during removal will be handled.

The Ashford timber deck replacement project includes construction photographs as well as the finished terrace. They show why clearance and frame work should form part of a replacement quote.

What is the typical cost of installing decking in Tenterden?

A useful decking quote starts with the measured area, preferred boards and condition of the site. Supporting construction, height and access can make two decks of the same area different projects. Old deck removal, steps, fascia and guarding all need to be included where required.

For example, a 4m by 5m rectangle is 20m². That footprint does not establish a supply-and-fit price: a low terrace over suitable ground and a raised deck with steps or guarding can require different construction. Compare quotations including:

• Dimensions, finished height and board layout.
• Removal, clearance and waste disposal.
• Ground preparation, supports and frame construction.
• The named boards and fixing system.
• Steps, edges, fascia and guarding where needed.
• Labour, VAT treatment, exclusions and provisional items.

For your 20m² decking quote, confirm whether steps, fascia and guarding sit within the stated area or are priced separately. Include the access route, old deck removal and any supports proposed for reuse. Compare timber and composite at the same finished height and with the same edge details; a board-only rate leaves the supporting construction and fitting to be accounted for.

Compare timber and composite on the same installation scope.

Request the two board options at the same dimensions and finished height, with the same steps, edging and access requirements. Identify any frame changes required by the selected boards rather than assuming the existing support works for both.

A square-metre price needs to state whether it covers boards alone or a complete fitted deck. For a 20m² design, confirm what is included before multiplying a quoted rate by 20. Check separately priced stairs, guarding, fascia, waste disposal and VAT. Ask for the named board range and frame specification so cost and care can be compared together.

What is the 30cm rule for decking?

For houses in England, decking can fall within permitted development when it is no more than 30cm above ground, meets the relevant 50% coverage limit together with other development and is not forward of the principal elevation.

Height is only one condition. Listed buildings, designated land and restrictions on permitted development can affect permission. These allowances do not apply to flats, maisonettes and certain converted houses.

Read the Planning Portal decking guidance and confirm requirements with Ashford Borough Council before work, particularly where sloping ground or a raised design makes the proposal less straightforward.

Compare service life and care for the actual boards.

Softwood, hardwood and composite describe broad material groups. They do not establish a fixed lifespan for every deck. Species or product range, treatment, support design, exposure and care all affect performance.

Ask for the named board and frame specification, care instructions and any written warranty conditions. Compare the work needed to keep the appearance you want, including cleaning and any timber refinishing. A long warranty headline should not be treated as a maintenance-free service-life promise for the whole deck.

What are the downsides of composite decking?

Composite is not maintenance-free. The initial board cost and product-specific support and fixing requirements should be compared with timber. Surface heat, grip, staining, scratching and weathering vary between products, so assess the actual board range rather than assuming one specification covers every composite.

Compare samples in the intended position and ask about heat in direct sun. Look at the cleaning method and written warranty conditions, including what happens if a board needs replacing. Timber gives natural grain and can require treatment or refinishing, depending on the wood and appearance you want.

Clear leaves and debris, keep drainage gaps open and follow the selected manufacturer’s washing guidance. Pressure-washing limits and suitable cleaners vary. Damp shade and algae can affect grip; ask about wet-slip performance and keep the surface maintained.

Questions about decking in Tenterden