Raised deck...worth the $...?

[ArJay]

Howdy Folks..

About to start renoing the exterior of our little 2brm weatherboard IP.
My question is we’ve got the option of putting in a raised deck or paving the rear entertaining area which is under a pergola.

What are your opinions on adding value via both avenues?
Is putting in a deck good bang for buck valuation wise?

Thanks
Rory

 

[toony]

good question - Not sure

I was wondering the same thing the other day.

I dont really see the appeal of decking, however, its seems somewhat popular now. I personally would prefer brick paving as its better in the long run and does not require annual decking oil etc.

 

[Rixter]

Alot more maintenance required on a wooden decking as compared to paving.

 

[Lucyinthesky]

Pavers wins for me hands down. Had decking for an outdoor entertainment area before. High maintenance and food scraps fall down between deck and attract mice and other lovelies.

 

[Sootygirl]

A deck is far better in my opinion as it becomes an extension of the interior {so to speak}. A timber deck is much softer under foot than pavers. My deck is the best thing I ever did {about a 6inch step down from the back door and about 2 feet off the ground}. Its been up for about 15 years and only been oiled once since then. {Could do with a coat now but still looks fine} A railing around the whole thing sets it off nicely. I would image it would add more value than just a paved area.

 

[luce.rocks]

if you have the time for plants, covered paved areas with border plants are always nice. especially nice when the pergola has something nice growing over it (wisteria and jasmine always look and smell lovely, but they attract bees and wisteria gets into pipes, so we usually plant potato creeper instead - less/no bees grows plus quickly and looks pretty)

 

[twodogs]

What about the cost? Does anyone have guestimates of the per metre costs of concrete, pavers and timber decking ?

 

[ArJay]

Cheers for the replies guys...

I guess what I'm really wondering is if it's worth the extra expense to go ahead and do the deck ie. will the bank valuation be significantly higher compared to the pavers option...

I know the pavers will be much cheaper, easier to install and maintain but am willing to forfeit these benefits if it gives the property more value and potentially a better yield in going for the deck....

R

 

[Dazz]

I know the pavers will be much cheaper, easier to install and maintain but am willing to forfeit these benefits if it gives the property more value and potentially a better yield in going for the deck....

Hi Rory,

We just put up a jarrah deck. That's the royally "we", as I got tradesmen to do the lot.

Total cost for the structural materials and labour was 5K. The jarrah itself cost another 2K. Deck is 9m x 4m, so I suppose it cost $ 194 per sqm. We thought that was quite expensive, but then a team of four carpenters put it up within a day, and we know with the bearers being at only 800mm centres, the deck could easily withstand a huge party of big fat sumo wrestlers and still be fine.

We didn't want to muck around doing it ourselves, as it is literally the centrepiece of our new extension, and I thought it would be a bit silly having spent all the money on the renovation - to have a crack at the deck and either stuff it up or have it all wonky and crooked.

It's now the centrepiece of the entertaining area, and has already had extensive use over the festive season. We got the chippies to build in a little trapdoor to the deck, so that in the unlikely event something valuable gets droped through the 8mm gap between the boards (say a ring or earring or key), we have easy access to the underside.

We find paving to be less than acceptable over the years as the weeds, ants building sand mounds and other time related issues to wreck the effect a nice paving job initially exhibits.

As for the perceived value increase.....I never believe the bricks and mortar and any of the"bits" hanging off the place ever add any value. When you get into a reasonably good area, the dirt is so expensive, that it doesn't matter whether there is a 4x2 two storey house or a vacant block of dirt - they are both the same value, especially to the bank valuers who typically do the ol' kerbside valuation. New kitchen / decking / paving / extra bedroom, you may get extra rent from these added features but personally I don't reckon they add $ 1 to the value of the dirt.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[cava]

We have a dumpy 10 sq 1960's weatherboard with a large undercover timber deck which everyone raves about and is a contributing factor, IMHO, that it rents so easily. The block has a slight slope and is perfectly suited to a deck over paving.

 

[wylie]

In Brisbane we find that the house with the huge deck rents much more easily than the identical house without. Some people will not even look once they realise there is no deck.

For me, the cost (about $15K) of adding a 3 metre covered deck across the whole back of the house was well worth it in the added rent it brought, and the added value when we had to revalue for the next house purchase.

Wylie

 

[Peter Parker]

A deck is far better in my opinion as it becomes an extension of the interior {so to speak}. A timber deck is much softer under foot than pavers. My deck is the best thing I ever did {about a 6inch step down from the back door and about 2 feet off the ground}. Its been up for about 15 years and only been oiled once since then. {Could do with a coat now but still looks fine} A railing around the whole thing sets it off nicely. I would image it would add more value than just a paved area.

I'd imagine that a crucial factor would be the height of the back door off the ground.

If it's a low-set 1980s house then paving would be fine.

But many 1960s brick houses had their back door opening up onto a small concrete landing with steps going down to the ground. There might be a drop of about 2 feet.

This concrete landing isn't useful for anything and just wastes precious space. Especially given that the house is small, to me some sort of cheap deck (even if the door to it is from the laundry) could add more value than it costs.

Peter

 

[ArJay]

Cheers again for the input folks...

The info on costings and the points about weeds and ants were good Dazz. We're inundated with both here...
As far as the additions to the exterior not adding much value, I'm not sure it's the case for the area the house is in. It's a bit of an "up and comer" area so think there is some value to be added thru bettering the house in general. Landscaping and adding carports etc in my experience always add to the value so this was why adding a deck was in our interest. As for valuations we're going for a full val even if we have to get and independent one done before hand.

Peter you're correct in the house being a couple feet off the ground and this is why I thought that the deck might suit it well. There's a sliding door off the kitchen in the rear which opens onto the backyard via a couple of steep concrete steps... Your comment on the size of the house is right on as well as it is only a 2brm. The addition of a nice outdoor entertaining area be it pavers or decking will very much increase the appeal of the house for renters and the valuer I reckon...

Rory

 

[Sootygirl]

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p194/dingoblue/IMG_0075.jpg

Spiderman, yes there was a small concrete {totally useless} landing that we left intact and decked over. The pergola was up for a couple of years before we built the deck {it faces west!}. We hardly ever utilized the area under the pergola pre deck. {If the photo works} you will see a garden in the top left of the pic that was built into the deck. Some of those plants have been there since day one so they obviously like the position.
I will shortly be seeking quotes to build a deck on a rental as I believe its a big drawcard.

 

[skater]

Having some form of outdoor entertainment area will certainly add to the appeal for tenants. As many others have mentioned, with a deck you will be adding some maintenance costs, so be prepared for that if you do decide to go that way.

Having built a couple of decks, I think I would only now put a deck on a home that was either a nice home in a nice up-market area, or to tart something up prior to selling. Or, of course, for the PPOR.

If it was me, & a small 2 bed fibro place, then, no, I wouldn't spend the extra money.

 

[sailor]

I'm all in favour of having a deck. I think it adds value and appeal to tenants. In terms of PPOR...I couldn't live without it in the heat up here. In my new PPOR I'll be raising the house and putting a deck around two sides to take advantage of the view, using beneath the deck as 2-car accomm, and extending the liveable area of the house.

 

[lizzie]

for appeal i would put on as big a deck as you can fit/afford. decks are the new lawn as far as outdoor living space in concerned. imo a deck needs to be large enough for a dining setting for 6, a large bbq, a few pot plants and still be able to move around it with ease. if you could also fit in an outdoor bench seat or daybed (under cover) then even better.