How much does a deck or pergola cost in Sydney?

Decks and pergolas are carpentry — our home ground as a licensed Sydney builder (Licence 481876C). Here's what outdoor timber work really costs in 2026, and where the money goes.

Decking: installed cost per square metre

• Treated pine: $200–$350 / m² — the budget workhorse; needs regular oiling or staining.
• Australian hardwood (spotted gum, blackbutt, merbau): $350–$650 / m² — the premium look and lifespan.
• Composite boards: $400–$700 / m² — higher upfront, minimal maintenance.

A standard 20–30 m² ground-level deck commonly totals $8,000–$20,000. Elevated decks cost meaningfully more: engineering, deeper footings and balustrades (required above 1 m) all add up, and decks above certain heights or sizes need council or complying-development approval.

Pergolas

• Basic attached timber pergola: $3,000–$10,000.
• Larger or roofed (polycarbonate, Colorbond, fixed louvres): $10,000–$25,000+.
• Motorised louvre systems: top of the range — the mechanism can cost as much as the structure.

What moves the price

Slope and access, footing conditions (rock is common in Sydney), height and engineering, balustrade choice (timber vs stainless wire vs glass), and roof type. Timber quality matters more outdoors than anywhere else in the house — undersized or poorly fixed structures are among the most common remedial jobs we're called to. Done well, outdoor living space is also a genuine value play — see our guide to renovation ROI and property value and landscaping costs.

Outdoors, the structure is the product. Boards are replaceable; footings, bearers and fixings decide whether your deck is standing straight in fifteen years.

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Cost guide Carpentry Outdoor