Garden decking costs depend on boards, the supporting frame, size and ground conditions. Compare complete supply-and-installation figures rather than board prices alone. A low rectangular deck with easy access is a different job from a raised platform with steps, balustrades and substantial groundwork.
Sources and figures checked 12 October 2026. Publication dates and product-specific limits are identified where relevant.
Current UK guide prices
Checkatrade’s June 2026 guide lists indicative installed rates for 15–30 m² decks of £80/m² for treated softwood, £120/m² for hardwood and £100/m² for composite. It identifies these as ballpark, AI-generated figures based on past jobs. They are starting points, not independently verified local averages or quotations from ALG Gardening And Landscaping Ltd.
A worked budget for 20 m²
Multiplying those rates by 20 m² gives illustrative totals of £1,600 for softwood, £2,400 for hardwood and £2,000 for composite. This assumes the guide’s basic low-level installation. It does not establish that removal, ground preparation, disposal or steps are included. Ask for exclusions and VAT before treating a published figure as your project budget.
Do not overlook the frame
Supports, foundations, fixings and edge details affect the total. Premium boards over an unsuitable frame are poor value. Request the frame material, treatment specification and fixing system in writing. Raised decks may need structural design and additional supports that a simple square-metre estimate misses.
Ground preparation and access
Removing an old deck, excavating unsuitable material and preparing foundations may be separate charges. Narrow access can mean carrying materials by hand. Sloping ground requires different support heights and detailing. A site visit distinguishes a straightforward installation from a project where preparation dominates the price.
Price optional features separately
Steps, guarding, fascia, seating and lighting add components and labour. Diagonal layouts and detailed borders can increase cutting and waste. Get a price for the essential deck and separate prices for extras. Reducing decoration is a better way to save than weakening the frame or omitting appropriate access.
Include upkeep and contingency
Timber may need periodic compatible finishing products; composite still needs washing and inspection. Decide which tasks you will do yourself. As an illustrative budgeting choice, a 10% reserve on a £3,000 project is £300; it is not a measured industry average. Agree how concealed defects will be evidenced, priced and approved.
Compare complete quotations
Give each installer identical dimensions and scope. Compare removal, delivery, foundations, edging, steps, disposal and VAT, as well as boards. Obtain warranty and care documents. A contingency does not authorise unspecified charges, and a manufacturer’s warranty is not a promise of maintenance-free service.
Board price is not a square-metre installation price
A supplier may advertise a price per linear metre of board, while an installer quotes per square metre of completed deck. These figures cannot be compared directly without the board’s usable width and the layout. Framing, fixings and labour remain separate from the visible board calculation. Ask whether the quantity includes cutting waste and how leftover boards will be handled. A board-only offer can appear much cheaper than an installed quotation while describing only a small part of the work.
Check how a change affects the total
Suppose you reduce an illustrative 20 m² layout to 16 m². The board area falls by one fifth, but the total price may not: mobilisation, delivery, steps and some edge details still need doing. Ask the contractor to reprice the revised drawing instead of reducing the original total proportionally yourself. Conversely, enlarging the footprint may change the supporting structure or drainage requirements. Keep each accepted quotation tied to a dated plan so everyone knows which version the price describes.
Summary
Use guide prices to establish a range, then replace assumptions with a site-specific quotation. Measure the area and discuss essential features and the complete decking specification with ALG Gardening And Landscaping Ltd so the budget covers the installation you need.
