Would You Pay $30,000 for a Deck?

[@josephb5677]

I'm always so amazed how people can afford to pay to hire us 😂 I can't even afford to work on my own house for free after work

[@justice4g]

I've got someone coming next week to do some work, I know I should do it myself but there's just too much to do.. I'll be paying more than double I've ever made / hour in IT, that seems like the norm here, you're lucky to get anyone there's such a shortage of tradies.

[@Nagggl]

@@justice4g Hope they do a good job, finding good tradies at lest in Australia is very hard. Most of the time we end up paying a premium price for... horrible workmanship. Don't mind paying premium price if the workmanship is good but its usually not the case.

[@justice4g]

@@Nagggl yeah that's why I prefer paying by the hour, they won't just rush it and get out, they might milk the time but have no excuse to not work to my standard.

[@calebsmith9190]

I often am amazed that people can afford to hire me or my peers.

[@realg.7731]

Exactly how I feel too 😂

[@rhyswilliams9422]

Hi Scott, I am A training advisor, four BCIT0 and I suggest all of my carpentry apprentices watch your channel very well thought out content. Keep up the good work next week I am going to a numeracy and literacy gathering at BCIT0 head office Wellington where I will be suggesting your channel as a learning tool for apprentices with literacy difficulties I hope this makes sense. I’m using voice to text. Regards Reese

[@InstantCasette]

Nice being transparent about the costs.

[@dismafuggerhere2753]

but shocking because of the price. well to me at least and used to work in a UK builders merchants.

[@HotForgeChaos]

If you were to get a chippie to build it for you, you'd be north of 20 grand by the time you're finished

[@Nickvin]

@@dismafuggerhere2753 I'm always shocked when I hear about building prices in the UK, they are SO much cheaper than we get here in Aus (and NZ)

[@dismafuggerhere2753]

@@Nickvin LOL I'm also shocked when a sandwich and milkshake cost 10 aussie dollars on Neighbours

[@OGeorge187]

I think it was great to be transparent about the prices. A lot of people in NZ these days think it’s crazy when you tell them their deck is going to cost more than $20,000 to build. Like there is some kind of 10k standard floating around

[@handidles]

I was quoted 11k + gst for 30m2 kwilla deck build. How big are people building their decks Jesus.

[@Sanutep]

We kiwis are really slow to adjust our pricing expectations, especially given the last few years...

[@ErgonBill]

People get fixated on a current price 20 years ago and forget to raise the bar each year for inflation. And since COVID, well....

[@garethkortegast7002]

​​@@handidles take it bro that's a bargain. $300 s/m isn't enough now days. But you do get what you pay for

[@glennanthony3165]

@@garethkortegast7002 my Builder quoted round the $1000 per sqm mark for building a deck. I think the timber costs almost exceed the labour costs these days on some jobs

[@samsboringchannel]

It took me a lifetime to build my deck, mostly on my own using evenings and weekends, so its brought me comfort to see how long a proffesional builder doing it on his own takes. Thanks for breaking down costs and time bro!

[@devonwainstein9188]

Calm down its a 3 day job

[@samsboringchannel]

@@devonwainstein9188 of course it is expert commenter, thanks for your helpful insight. Looking forward to watching your video where you show us how it's done, you'll have us all in awe.

[@Boncrek]

I didn't know that Commando Scott was what I needed to see today, but I'm glad I did! Good episode Scott. Please keep them coming!

[@matthogan7754]

Commando Scott is fortunately not what I thought you meant

[@sharonadlam3195]

Post of the day - Commando Scott - luv it 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@wobblyplanks]

@@matthogan7754 that would be Scott going commando yer?🤣

[@Monkey_Snot]

I love the fact that you're taking your time getting your deck perfect. I mean, if you're willing to build your deck to perfection, I can just imagine how nice a clients deck will be, or anything for a client for that matter.

[@shoutatthesky]

The clients deck won't get this treatment!

[@RayStarbirdHome]

That tropical hardwood is absolutely gorgeous. I'm a bit envious as I look out at my standard pressure-treated pine deck, which we luckily added just before the pandemic caused lumber prices to skyrocket. Thanks for sharing your costs, too. They make me more thankful for our materials costs in the US.

[@instantalbums]

Tropical hardwood is generally harvested unethically and destroys the vegetation in these poorer countries unfortunately. Much like Merbau. Hope I'm wrong.

[@idontthinkso666]

@@instantalbums Nope, you are right.

[@philliptran7537]

The level of transparency is appreciated 👍

[@cwcollins06]

Did anybody else get all excited when he said "Am I borrowing tools, or what's happening here?" I figured Gaston had showed up. Feels like we haven't seen him in awhile. Surely it's time for Scott to buy more tools. It was also nice to see a real pro dealing with treated lumber moving so much. Every time I use it I have a "Well, this was square and level yesterday..." moment.

[@Noahsamonte31]

I am fully impressed! It’s just a complete kzbin.infoUgkxGqOCINHE0Z0E5gxzSdNi9NWGugRY5Hm2 plan with the best resources and step by step instructions . These shed plans are so satisfying as if the sheds build themselves on their own. Worthy work Ryan!

[@Nothingstutube]

The fly thing at the end cracked me up. I enjoy your videos on my Saturday morning with a coffee, - they not long enough 😀

[@EkimYo23]

I'm a deck and fence builder in NZ. I built my 35sqm deck with pine for around 4-5k last year incl 8m of seating, 2 steps and a 3sqm raised platform, all picture framed. About 8-9 days work on my own. So if you're ok with boards that shrink and wont last as many decades you can definitely save a lot of money DIY the cheap way

[@cameronrolston6099]

I built my own b4 covid. At 30m2 for about 3.5 to 4k not 6m of Seating. Timber has just gone mental aye.

[@windyboy78]

I'm building a Garapa deck right now, and I just couldn't justify Spax screws at NZ$1.10ea! But they are the best! Found an option at 0.40c ea which will do the job. Looking good Scott!

[@strandedinparadise8202]

So let's do some maths. If Scott it installing 350 lineal metres and the boards are 145 mm wide (including for the gap) that means the deck is about 50 sq metres. At a cost of NZ$30,000 that makes it about $600 per sq metre which is not as frightening as I thought it would be. 23 years ago I was allowing $250/m2 for a basic deck . Given that house construction costs have tripled in NZ in that time and this is a fancy deck I say it's not too bad.

[@kiwigrunt330]

I would say about 40 m2, if allowing for offcuts and the decking around the sides. He'll have quite a few offcuts given how short the boards are.

[@JamieVauxnut1]

Coffee on the unsealed deck!!!! Absolutely no way 😂

[@patrickflanagan317]

I built my 76 m square deck before my house, goes around 3 sides of the house in Kwila ,total cost was 20 K materials all to 3604, labour would be about 6 to 7 weeks one guy. It makes our home though. 👍👍 My steps were 4 boards for the tread a 1 for the riser, like yours. Visitors love em as they are easy to use but do go back into the deck some way, mine was all below 1 m from the ground

[@8antipode9]

That was great Scott, definitely made me laugh. Speaking as an American, I must say that gun would be the most American way to season a steak. 😆

[@HotForgeChaos]

Your deck may be rather expensive, but look at the attention to detail you're putting into it! That's going to be the talk of the town once its done

[@dub944]

You’ve got a gift for soundtrack and sequencing… one of the many reasons I love your videos. Nice work on the deck, thanks for sharing your build and sense of humour. Cheers from Vancouver isle Canada 🍻

[@JimmyCeeTV]

The highlight of my Saturday morning breakfast is the next exciting episode of SBC. Beautiful deck mate 👏

[@CLCLTD]

Them material prices are absolutely mental. I taught Ireland was bad

[@kiwigrunt330]

I was taught that too...

[@DR-hx2xc]

Scott, sorry about being a little late to the game here, but w/r to waiting to oil the deck: we put in an ipe deck, waited 6 months to oil after talking to the the oil manufacturer. (Armstrong Clark, I don't know if you can get it in NZ, but it is a brilliant product; low VOC, so they can ship.) He told us that the extra time would give the wood to give up any surface oil of its own (while it greys) and let it take the new oil deeper. We couldn't be happier with the result, have only had to reapply a tiny amount every few years. When we do it looks like new for months, and this is in the tropics where the sun is quite strong.

[@ulrichminky9495]

I built a deck in BC Canada in the year 2001. It was roughly the same size but the floor of the deck was 2.5 meters off the ground. The cost was about $20,000 Canadian dollars this was for materials as I did the labour myself. Cheers from Canada. ~ulrich

[@Leo_S94]

Being open and transparent about the costs was super eye opening and really informative, respect !

[@devonwainstein9188]

Anyone can look up the same materials. It's not secret

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

12'x39' deck took me two weeks to build. Built on 10" steel I beams 40" elevation, 2x6 joists with Trex decking. All in about 6k US, the expensive part is the railing 1x4 steel tubing with 5/16" vinyl coated aircraft cables.

[@brycejohnston7806]

thankyou for doing this break down Scott. So many people think I am ripping them off with Quotes but this it the true cost. Especially if you want Quality. I always hate seeing friends DIY jobs and being expected to praise them for shoddy work.

[@JamieVauxnut1]

We'd be around 30% less here in Scotland, a combination of lower material cost and slightly less on labour costs. That's based on Balau decking boards

[@michaelrybak4189]

This video rules. The fun bit at the end was awesome.

[@lukewiles1]

We're filming our raise and build project as owner builders in Australia. Appreciate the breakdown and just materials adds up really quickly!

[@lukewiles1]

@@shoutatthesky someone woke up on the wrong side

[@lancemillward2462]

the pine underneath will move differently when it is wet. i might do a few things differently. probably some batten screws in the joists. and some tar paper along the top of each joist.

[@pipey3000]

Am I the only one that thinks Vitex sounds like a brand of composite decking boards? Love the vids Scott, watching a new one with a cup of coffee is the best way to start my Saturday :)

[@PerkBuilders]

Very comparable pricing to here in Portland, OR, USA. I use primarily 5/4x6” Mahogany, which looks similar to this decking. Not cheap, but 100% worth it. It’s painful, but cost is cost. 30k is average. Beautiful build!

[@Gungho1a]

I've oiled all sides of my own deck, following advice from our builder...lesson learned (for all of us), don't take shortcuts and attempt to oil the planks when still bound together (builder's suggestion, not mine). It sounds like a good idea, but the oil runs between the planks and you end up with horrid stains which then need to be sanded back. I'm afraid if you go down the path of completely oiling your planks, there is no real shortcut. Second thing I learnt was that using a sealer type deck oil, it can be a lot of work to sand back at any point...using a belt sander, which is preferred due to the cross-warping of the planks, the seal type oil heats up and gums up the sanding belt, a lot...my solution was to resort to a heat gun and a 'fine' scraper. It actually saved time, but it was backbreaking work crawling across the thing. Much as I don't like the idea, I'm thinking next time I'll use a chemical solvent to remove the deck oil.

[@spreklfreks]

I have a bug-a-salt! It's wicked fun to obliterate flies! Unfortunately, the salt hopper broke so it doesn't have a lid anymore. definitely adds to the challenge.

[@ijchua]

I remember seeing these bug guns I think more than 10 years ago. A trip down memory lane for sure!

[@uprightcr2744]

The overall craftsmanship on this build appears to be spectacular Scott! Very impressive stuff

[@Analyse_US]

I was quoted $22k NZD for a deck replacement in Auckland. I ended up doing it myself. $7K in materials and 3 days of my time. Simple deck, not elevated, no balastrades, no weedmat, std decking nails, and didn't need to replace existing joists.

[@terrytopliss9506]

The decks looking brilliant Scott,fabulous advert for your building skills. Thanks for the latest exciting episode Scott.👍👍

[@FeedMeAQuarter]

The floating steps could make an excellent place for accent lights too.

[@deathdeny]

I work in a sawmill where we only produce 3/4" boards, and we use a specialty wax on every board end to prevent cracking. We make over 250,000 board feet every day so we use a lot of wax!

[@mrz175]

It’s satisfying seeing someone be so OCD when he builds. These days that’s hard too find here Is Australian anyways. good job Scott 👍🏻

[@whittakertable]

Ok I’m shocked at the labour cost, 12k, I’m from New Zealand and highest quote I’ve had is 7k, geez inflation has killed it. Glad I can do my own thing and never have used a builder for anything. Mainly because Scott’s videos have taught me a lot 😂 KZbin is a wonderful tool

[@cameronrolston6099]

Id say most builder's are charging north of 65$ per hour and if there not they should be.

[@whittakertable]

@@cameronrolston6099 way north, be at least $80 if not more per hour. Guess with all the extra detail to attention as Scott pointed out would drive that price up more. I was gonna do a hard wood deck for my next project but may just stick to treaded pine 😂

[@sebastiaanstoffels7565]

@@cameronrolston6099 I assume that would be per person? So if they had 3 guys working on a deck, 8 hours a day for a 2 weeks ( 10 work days ) then that would add up to around $15k. Guess it depends on how fast they can work!

[@JimTom.]

@@sebastiaanstoffels7565 it was 1 guy and Ray a couple days a week. I could do that on my own in 2 weeks. I still cant see how he comes to $15k

[@graemeanderson395]

Blimey! That’s £15000 over here in Scotland. Could build 2 of these using similar timber

[@casesully50]

The string line on the drill blew my fucking mind 🤯. I do pipe lines so we grade with 100's of feet of string. Cant wait pull that one out of the bag at work. The guys are going to freak.

[@cernunnoskali]

At our house, in Australia, the two dogs and two cats, catch all the flies. Open doors and windows, in summer, no flies!

[@rafsh1846]

You also can build the decking frame on temporery scrap timber posts setting away from where the actual post will be, level the frame on these temp. posts, then mount the actual posts hanging away from the hole base couple centimeters , then fill the holes with concrete , it also save you time because you can frame and concrete the posts in the same day also you dont need to worry for cutting posts top to level because in the ground can their length be little shorter or longer ,second day you remove the temp. posts and finish the decking surface .

[@Niberspace]

Thanks for the warning! I wanted to build a deck for my caravan, I had no idea that they were that expensive, 30k$ is double what the entire caravan costs.

[@JimTom.]

hes gone with all the super premium products though. For a standard deck you could easily do it for half

[@Niberspace]

@@JimTom. Aha, thanks

[@slimscudtwo]

I started watching you years ago when building a deck in my backyard for a pool. I actually had 0 knowledge starting it and thanks to you i did it. I spent way less on materials around 2k and i didnt think it would last me more than a year but hey its still here after what 3 years ? so not bad hey. thanks for your content scott!

[@pietervanderwesthuizen2319]

Great to see you building and explaining how-to and why you do what you do.

[@kenzokan167]

Nice works as always SBC. Thanks for sharing the $s and details behind them - we're building (in NZ) at the moment and this provides an extra layer of confidence that our builder's figures are market level. Cheers

[@eggmanbmangman]

One thing my wife and I couldn't understand about new Zealand houses from our road trip was the lack of fly screens. Made it impossible to open windows at night.

[@stepansavelyonok5532]

I built two decks on the sides of my house. The house I built myself from scratch few years ago, only experience I had is what my dad taught me and endless source of the internet. There is so many things I wish I knew before building the house, before building decks, etc. etc. But I love my place where I can go after work to sit on my deck and just enjoy few moments before getting further in building, maintaining and renovating my household.

[@zachcombs6271]

The bug gun is a MUST have. I bought one and now I hope for flys in my house. They even make a laser attachment for that gun too..

[@dennis2376]

The fabric is more of a pain then actually useful, dirt will get on it and seeds will find the dirt. :) Nice deck. :)

[@aaronalquiza9680]

for someone who doesn't have already, TOOLS (rented/purchased) also add to the cost.

[@Macron87]

If you waste half the materials, order the wrong things, have your tools stolen, etc.etc. that can also increase the costs… meanwhile, back to the material costs…

[@ianjamesevans]

I made a small deck with red balau, a similar looking tropical hardwood that also had the recommendation to oil all four sides. I padded on some oil (Star-Brite teak oil) to the bottom before laying the boards, and then oiled the full deck after install. The idea was that adding finish to only one side would cause the boards to cup and warp as the ability of the wood to absorb moisture would be different. I used a Kreg hidden screw jig to attach the boards to the sides so water wouldn't soak into the screw holes from the top. It's been about 3 years and the boards are still pretty flat.

[@tjnicholas]

Good job not messing about before answering the question in the title!

[@jamesblair4709]

That’s a mad amount of money! I’ve just done a similar sized decking and those exact screws were less than £100 GBP!

[@alliao82]

nz building suppliers own the market so ppl can't afford anything nice

[@Punkyrooster6]

That is probably the most well built deck I’ve ever seen. People can enjoy a nice deck for a lot less.

[@chrisbaylis4733]

We put a pergola over our deck. Big span and glulam posts and Simpson fixings, over $12k for materials all in. It does have clears for a roof too which added up. Timber costs ain't no joke here in the land of the long white cloud

[@katrinabell7684]

Another great video SBC. Your deck looks amazing . I love the Vitex tropical wood and the steps look very classy!! Thanks for sharing the cost too. Always interesting to know the cost!😎

[@nathangriffiths6218]

I built a deck in NZ about 7 or 8 years ago, my neighbour helped me by buying the timber through his trade account. Beware, if you don't have access to a trade account you could end up paying the standard retail price which is anywhere from 20-30% up to 100% more expensive!

[@iammattbarker]

Took me two years. Including double hip surgery and a blown out ankle. The company that supplied the stain and boards went out of business. After a lot of sleepless nights I managed to buy a pack of leftover boards to ensure I had enough for any damage and a matching smaller deck out the back. But... I learned some good skills and saved a huge amount of money. Sheesh

[@Re5ist_ance]

NZ might be the most perfect place (in my opinion). Love the nature found there and the vibe of the people. I'd move there, but citizenship is impossible (outside of marriage or just being born there).

[@JL-hn6hi]

Thx. Appreciate the cost data and conversion table.

[@matthewguthrie7675]

I would but that is why I always do it myself. Lol! No pain no gain. Also, there’s something to be said for knowing that you did it yourself and you did it right.

[@michaelrose9949]

Brilliant work and attention to detail as normal. I dnt know if you have any but bench top adjustable rollers are really handy I work on my own a lot and if using portable table saw a clamp 1 to the top of a stool and it helps hold the timber once been through the saw

[@flyingcrocodile4630]

As a retired and broken down old builder, watching these two videos has made me feel a hell of a lot better about my $30K 30m2 deck (incl 28 face m2 of keystone retaining wall/foundation but only $9k labour). $15K labour for a basic deck seems obscene to someone who used to build whole houses for that sort of money based on $20 and hour. Seems that building is a much slower process than when I was a young man.

[@Hunterkey123]

I like that you're gluing the mitered edges on the skirt. I see those open up over time, and it looks bad.

[@moanahughes3593]

Really enjoy watching you all work together, family and friends, only way to do it💥💥💥💚Awesome job👍 Good to see materials becoming readily available at last🤗

[@evagnz]

That fly shooter gun ist a must have!

[@Eggscuse]

Honestly that seems hella expensive. I am a hardwood carpenter in the netherlands, we build alot of decks and everything straight up class A hardwood(azobe, massaranduba, kapur) will only come out to about 200 a square meter. Thats the price we sell it for to the customer. Then again we order containers of hardwood and not per job like you do so that probably has to do something with the price too

[@ducati9962001]

You get satisfaction working on your house and completing projects like building a deck but the older I get , the less I want to doing things like that and more time relaxing and working on my toys.

[@theunknownunknowns256]

I'd be interested in a price comparison to a nice ground level patio using pavers.

[@rickb4384]

Awesome video as always Scott. Your mate has an awesome sense of humour 😂

[@nbmufc94]

Nelson looks beautiful and tropical at this time of year.

[@alliao82]

Thanks for the pricing transparency!

[@Jasonsix4]

The most transparent renovation video on KZbin

[@Hunterkey123]

A deck like this in the states would be 15-30% more $. If it's more than 18"(450mm) tall, it would need a handrail where I live. Looks good!

[@michaelnichols7669]

Gotta say, the deck your building and other's you've built in the past look great. I love the hardwood decks, in my area NC/SC in the US, the only decks I've built have been either regular Pressure treated or Trex, which is a recycled plastic made to look like wood.

[@honeheke1128]

Still blows my mind not putting a verandah over decking in nz to use space all year round, obviously cost is the main factor, having a outdoor area you can use all year round is the dream

[@JamesBond-fg2zk]

Can you give some smal detail about span table and pile set out. And also what's your go to/no thought set out. Cheers!

[@mikesionu]

Appreciation for the content! It's always fun to see how you do stuff outside what we do here in the sates. Keep on keeping on and again, Thank You! 🤘

[@sirrox8080]

good video scott just finished my apprenticeship haven't paid much attention to material prices the whole time I've been building except that they are ridiculous but man oh man what a surprise that was

[@SmallWonda]

Don't s'pose that'll sort rabbits?!! We were thinking a deck was what we needed, but just before your cost's expose we thought a patio would work - least the snakes & rabbits can't get under that. But if we were building a deck, yours is the one I'd want - looks superb. I'm pretty scared to think what we can buy for our renno budget... Keep safe & enjoying your work!

[@ianjenkins1905]

Scott. love to you and your wife from the UK. Yes you could build your deck cheaper, and some people do (use less exotic timber) but if you want it, why compromise. Even though I'm not a builder (do dabble in DIY) I love your vids. All the best for the future and keep up the good work.

[@lukedaffey2113]

Looks magnificent Scott

[@efenili]

Do you find your are more/less precise with your own work? I feel like builders can go one of two ways. 1. They are always more precise with others work because its what they're paid for and generally just get it done for themselves 2. They are still very precise with others work but are precise to a fault with their own stuff and add details nobody will ever see but because you are the one building it you'll know it exists even if there is no reason to overbuild it in X way. Either way, it looks amazing! Each video helps me update my plans :). If you really think about it, a well build deck isn't that far off from building the base for a house

[@jasonthomas6072]

Omg KZbin has been good to you my friend . Good job

[@franzfanz]

You should come back up to Auckland, Scott, plenty of flies up here at the moment.

[@craigsealy4294]

My Deck with a colorbond roof and down pipe cost me $6,500 for materials and labour. There was no concrete used but it is also 2 metres by 2 metres. So not very big. I am in Australia.

[@omegabyuu]

Love the Bug-a-salt aye, very satisfying to get flies with.

[@graemescott990]

I love your pictures of the amazing scenery. (As well as the woodwork of course 🙂)

[@justice4g]

I'd always choose raised paving over decking, don't want to worry about maintenance..

[@terrystephens1102]

You are doing a fantastic job, the decking looks beautiful. Great job 😁👌👌👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️

[@QBRX]

Wow, I can't believe how much those materials cost. My deck was just pressure treated 2 X 6's. Certainly not pretty like yours, but functional.

[@Billybob-go8hn]

Yea I did a few rap arounds on a apartment complex each deck came out to around 17k a piece, on a slope. Was commercial so it was beefed up a little more with concrete foundation instead of running posts into the ground. 2x6 decking looks great, I prefer it over trex on top of the strength you get out of it.

[@jamesmadson3242]

Just did a $100k (USD) deck end of last season, its crazy what people will spend for a deck.

[@ParalelCosmos]

I built my own d(i)eck in Maryland, US ... 1/2 around a 36 US FT round pool ... me and my dad really. Took 2 weeks, off and on in the afternoons after my work (I'm not a contractor or builder, though am an engineer.) We used standard US materials with Trex Select as planks, grey color. It was nearly $7000.00 cash from Lowe's and was absolutely not nearly near the quality you did this. That was some 2018 and the deck is still standing, so I guess we did OK (my dad was a carpenter back then, now he is retired.) I'd pay you $17K US for that kind of deck in no time and probably close to 20K US! Because after watching last video, I want rip out my deck out lol.

[@rerolley]

I recognize the bird @9:39. I saw my first European Goldfinch a couple of weeks ago in our backyard in Wisconsin.