HOW TO HIRE · GARDEN & OUTDOOR

How to hire a deck builder in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No register covers deck builders. In England a deck over 0.3 metres high needs planning permission. Check that, the frame and the timber.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a deck builder in five steps

  1. Decide the heightOver 0.3 metres off the ground is a raised platform in England, and needs planning permission.
  2. Ask about the frameJoist size and spacing, posts or pads, and how it is fixed to the ground.
  3. Choose the boardsSoftwood, hardwood or composite — and the fixings to match.
  4. Ask about drainage and airGaps under and between boards so the frame does not rot.
  5. Get it in writingArea, materials, height, steps and handrails, with VAT.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

There is no licence or statutory register for deck builders in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. TrustMark, the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme, is optional. The law reaches a raised deck's height under the planning rules.

Ask for references from recent jobs and check any scheme membership on the scheme's own search. trustmark.org.uk →

Raised platforms (England)

The General Permitted Development (England) Order 2015 excludes a verandah, balcony or raised platform from the Class E rights for garden structures, and defines raised as over 0.3 metres. A deck higher than that needs planning permission.

Ask the deck builder for the finished height above ground at the highest corner. legislation.gov.uk →

Waste carrier registration

If the deck builder loads offcuts and dug-out soil into their van, they are carrying waste for a business and must be on the register kept by the Environment Agency (England), Natural Resources Wales, SEPA (Scotland) or the NIEA (Northern Ireland).

Check the number on the public register for your nation, and that the name matches. environment.data.gov.uk →

Public liability insurance

Public liability insurance is voluntary for a deck builder, and it is the cover that pays out when a dropped post or a cut cable is expensive to fix.

Get the insurer and limit in writing with the quote.

VAT

Building a deck is standard-rated at 20%. A deck builder turning over more than £90,000 a year must register, charge it and set the 20% out as its own line on the written quote.

Ask for the deck builder's VAT number and check that the 20% is a separate figure below the itemised deck price. gov.uk →

“How high will the deck be at its highest point?”

A good answer: A measurement; over 0.3 metres in England means planning permission.

“What size and spacing will the deck joists be?”

A good answer: Joist size and spacing named, suited to the span and the boards.

“How is the deck frame supported and fixed?”

A good answer: Posts concreted in or on pads, with the timber treated for ground contact.

“Which boards and fixings will you use?”

A good answer: Board type named, with stainless or coated screws or hidden fixings.

“How will water drain off the decking?”

A good answer: A slight fall, board gaps and a weed membrane underneath.

“Are steps and handrails included?”

A good answer: Listed and priced, with handrails on a raised deck.

“What guarantee do you give on the decking?”

A good answer: Workmanship guarantee in writing, plus the board manufacturer's.

Getting the quote right

  • Area, height and shape
  • Frame timber, joist spacing and supports
  • Board type and fixings
  • Steps, handrails and lighting, itemised
  • Waste removal
  • Who actually attends to build the frame and lay the boards, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and 20% VAT shown separately from the timber and labour

Walk away if

  • A raised deck with no mention of planning
  • Joists sitting directly on soil
  • Untreated timber for the frame
  • Full payment before materials arrive
LOW
£80
TYPICAL
£140
HIGH
£220

What a deck builder costs: £80–£220 per m²

Decking is priced per square metre built; height, the frame, the board and extras such as steps and rails set the price. Decking Construction price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Deck builders near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Set outArea marked, height checked against the planning limit.
  2. GroundWeed membrane down, supports set.
  3. FrameBearers and joists fixed level with a slight fall.
  4. BoardsBoards fixed with even gaps, ends cut straight.
  5. FinishSteps, rails and fascia fitted, the site cleared.

Joist
A timber beam the boards are fixed to.
Bearer
A heavier beam that carries the joists.
Raised platform
In the planning rules, a platform over 0.3 metres high.
Composite decking
Boards made from wood fibre and plastic.
Hidden fixings
Clips that hold boards without screws on the surface.
Fascia
A board fixed round the edge of the deck.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and guaranteesAnd the planning permission if it needed one.
Walk every boardNo bounce, no proud screws, no wide or tight gaps.
Check the handrailFirm when pushed, on every edge that needs one.
Review the jobSay how the deck builder did — on Locufy only a booked job can be reviewed, and a problem goes through the make-it-right step first.

STEP 1Put it to the deck builder in writingDescribe the fault in the deck, add photos and give a date to reply. Reasonable care and skill is part of every service contract under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
STEP 2Make it right through LocufyGive fewer than four stars and you are asked whether the deck builder should get the chance to fix it first; we follow it through before the review goes up.
STEP 3Planning or building control problemsIf the deck builder's work breaks planning or building rules, the council's planning or building control team is the authority, and an enforcement notice can require the work to be undone. Citizens Advice (0808 223 1133, England and Wales), Advice Direct Scotland (0808 800 9060) and Consumerline in Northern Ireland (0300 123 6262) advise and can refer a trader to Trading Standards.
STEP 4Small claims as the last stepWhere the deck builder still will not pay, the limits are £10,000 in England and Wales, £5,000 in Scotland (simple procedure) and £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a deck builder: questions people ask

In England, if any part is more than 0.3 metres above the ground, yes; lower decks are usually permitted development.

No licence is required and no register exists for deck builders.

Usually £80–£220 a square metre, with £140 typical. The decking construction price guide sets out the reasons; your town in the search box above shows local deck builders.

It lasts longer with less upkeep but costs more.

Treated softwood around a decade or more with care; hardwood and composite longer.

A low garden deck usually does not; ask the deck builder if it is attached high up or forms a balcony.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in garden & outdoor

How to hire: Patio LayingHow to hire: Pergola & GazeboHow to hire: LandscapingHow to hire: Garden DesignHow to hire: Outdoor KitchenHow to hire: Summer House InstallationHow to hire: Fencing InstallerHow to hire: Raised BedsAll 701 hiring guides →

Deck builders near you

Deck builders in LondonDeck builders in ManchesterDeck builders in BirminghamDeck builders in GlasgowDeck builders in BelfastAll deck builders on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, Schedule 2 Part 1 — outbuildings and hard surfaces
  2. gov.uk — register as a waste carrier, broker or dealer (England)
  3. Environment Agency — public register of waste carriers
  4. TrustMark — the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 54 — what you can ask for when a service falls short
  6. Civil Procedure Rules Part 26 — the small claims track (England and Wales)
  7. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money (simple procedure)
  8. nidirect — the small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  9. Buildings and construction (VAT Notice 708) — 2.1 Construction services: work to an existing building is normally standard-rated
  10. GOV.UK — VAT rates
  11. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register