Landscaping · Updated September 2026
Decking Cost UK 2026: Timber & Composite Per m²
Built decking costs £80–£140 per m² in softwood timber and £120–£220 per m² in composite, including the frame. A typical 15m² deck lands at £1,500–£3,300 depending on the boards and how far off the ground it stands.
Decking cost by build — 2026
Supply and build including a standard frame on level ground. Raised decks, steps and balustrades price separately below.
| Build | Typical cost | Lifespan | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Softwood deck (per m²) | £80–£140 | 10–15 years | Annual treatment keeps it honest |
| Hardwood deck (per m²) | £140–£220 | 20–25 years | Ipe and balau; heavier, harder, pricier |
| Composite deck (per m²) | £120–£220 | 25+ years | No treatment; hollow boards are the budget tier |
| Typical 15m² softwood deck | £1,500–£2,200 | — | The common starter size |
| Typical 15m² composite deck | £2,200–£3,300 | — | The common upgrade |
| Balustrade (per metre) | £60–£150 | — | Required above 600mm fall |
| Steps (per step) | £80–£200 | — | Each riser is a small build |
Indicative 2026 UK prices, compiled from published installer pricing (Checkatrade, MyJobQuote, MyBuilder and BookaBuilder cost guides, August 2026). BestBuilders has no quote history in this category yet, so treat these as a budgeting guide and confirm against three written quotes.
What changes the cost
| Cost factor | Typical impact | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Height off the ground | +20–60% | A raised deck is a frame structure with posts, bracing and a balustrade - ground-level is carpentry, raised is construction |
| Board choice | the visible variable | Softwood is cheapest to buy and dearest to keep; composite reverses the trade |
| Ground preparation | +£150–£600 | Sloping or soft ground needs more substructure than the boards sitting on it |
| Old deck removal | +£150–£400 | Dismantling and disposal before anything new goes down |
| Planning rules | usually none | Permitted development unless the deck is over 300mm high or covers over half the garden - then it counts against the same allowance as extensions |
Decking cost per m² by UK region — 2026
Modelled from regional labour rates rather than measured in this category - materials cost much the same everywhere, the labour does not.
| Region | Typical installed cost | vs UK average |
|---|---|---|
| London | £130–£230/m² | +25–30% |
| South East | £120–£210/m² | +15–20% |
| South West | £100–£190/m² | +5% |
| Midlands | £100–£180/m² | baseline |
| North England | £90–£170/m² | −5–10% |
| Scotland | £90–£160/m² | −10% |
| Wales | £90–£160/m² | −10% |
| Northern Ireland | £80–£150/m² | −15% |
Getting it priced properly
1. Decide the maintenance you will actually do
A softwood deck oiled every autumn outlives its warranty; one that never sees treatment is grey in two years and soft in eight. Composite exists for the honest answer.
2. Check the 300mm rule
Decking above 300mm needs planning permission. Most platform decks sit under it by design - confirm yours does in the quote.
3. Ask what the frame timber is
The boards get the attention but the C16/C24 treated frame is what decides whether the deck is level in a decade.
What this costs at a glance
The same table, drawn.
Timber, composite and where the cost sits
The board is the headline choice — softwood at £80–140 a square metre, composite at £120–220 — but it is rarely what decides the final bill. Height off the ground does. A deck sitting just above the lawn is a simple frame; one raised to meet a back door two steps up needs posts, bracing and often a balustrade, and the labour climbs with it. Composite costs more up front and hands it back in not sanding, staining or replacing boards, so it suits a deck you will use hard and would rather not maintain; softwood suits a smaller budget and someone happy to re-oil it each spring.
Ask any builder how the frame is built and whether the timber is treated for ground contact, because a cheap frame is where a deck fails first, long before the boards wear out. Price your own size and material with the decking calculator, and if the deck is one piece of a bigger garden redesign, the landscaping hub covers the trades for the rest of it.
Decking — frequently asked questions
Built: £80–£140/m² for softwood, £140–£220 for hardwood and £120–£220 for composite, including a standard frame. Raised builds and balustrades add to that.
If you will not oil timber every year, yes - composite costs roughly 50% more up front and nothing thereafter. Budget hollow boards can creak and fade; solid-core mid-range is where the value sits.
Not if it sits under 300mm high and, together with outbuildings, covers no more than half the garden. Above 300mm - a raised deck - needs an application.
10–15 years for maintained softwood, 20–25 for hardwood. The frame usually outlives the boards; re-boarding an existing sound frame costs roughly half a new deck.
Related cost guides
Patios, full redesigns and hard landscaping priced.
Brick and block boundary walls per metre.
Hourly and day rates for the green side.
Registered members: Landscaping
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Abercraft Drives And Patios Ltd✓ Companies House number given · Est. 2017Also: DrivewayView profile →Active PavingAlso: DrivewayView profile →AJF BuildersAlso: House Extension · Roofing · DrivewayView profile →Steve Bebb Building Services LtdAlso: House Extension · Loft Conversion · Kitchen RenovationView profile →Wirral Joinery & ConstructionAlso: Carpentry & Joinery · House Extension · Loft ConversionView profile →Oakridge Roofing And Home ImprovementsAlso: House Extension · Loft Conversion · Bathroom RenovationView profile →All registered trades · Recent projects · Run a landscaping business? Add your free profile
Reviewed by the BestBuilders editorial team · Last updated: 4 September 2026 · Next scheduled review: December 2026 · See our editorial standards.