Custom decks and outdoor living, built for the Eastern Suburbs

PERGOLAS AND PATIOS

Adora Decks build custom timber and composite decks across Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, from Bondi and Bronte to Vaucluse and Paddington. Owner-Director Jason quotes every job in person, licence 451245C runs across the build, and the same team handles decking, pergolas, pool surrounds and transformations. Call 02 4666 3800 or send us photos of the space and we will price it back.

Deck builders across the Eastern Suburbs, what we build

The scope is deliberately end-to-end. Most decking companies stop at the deck. We do not, because the deck usually turns up in the middle of a larger backyard project.

Custom timber decks in Merbau, Blackbutt, Treated Pine and Pine
Composite decks using WoodEvo and Innowood ranges
Rooftop decks over tiles and waterproofing membranes, common on Eastern Suburbs terraces and unit blocks
Pool decks and pool surrounds around concrete and fibreglass pools
Pergolas and patios integrated with the deck level
Privacy screens and decorative fencing, useful on the tight blocks that dominate Upper North Shore, Lower North Shore and Northern Beaches.
Retaining walls and landscaping for stepped and split-level yards
Ongoing deck maintenance, including re-oiling, sanding and board replacement

One licence and one team means fewer trade handovers on site, which is one of the reasons quotes come back inside a business day.

Why Eastern Suburbs decks need a different specification

This is the section where the coast changes the build. Standard bright zinc-plated deck screws will rust inside three to five years within a kilometre of the ocean, so on any job in Bondi, Bronte, Coogee, Tamarama, Clovelly or Maroubra we use marine-grade 316 stainless screws or hidden fixings as the default. It adds a few hundred dollars to the material cost and adds years to the life of the deck.

Timber selection changes near the coast too. Blackbutt holds oil finish through salt spray better than Merbau, so it is our first pick within a couple of hundred metres of the water. Merbau still works well in shaded courtyards further inland, but it leaches tannin heavily in wet coastal conditions and can stain cream sandstone paving badly. If you have paid a landscaper for pale paving, we will not put raw Merbau above it.

WoodEvo and Innawood composites are the other coastal answer. They skip the every-12-to-18-month oiling cycle, they do not leach tannin, and they hold their colour under Eastern Suburbs UV load. The up-front cost is roughly a third higher than Merbau, but on a 10-year view most coastal decks in composite come out cheaper because the salt-air maintenance on timber is real.

Council rules matter here more than in outer Sydney. Woollahra Council’s heritage overlay covers most of Paddington, Woollahra, Bellevue Hill and Double Bay, and decks above 1 m of natural ground level in those areas generally need a DA. Randwick and Waverley apply the NSW SEPP exempt-development thresholds more openly, but they each read the balustrade and drop-off requirements slightly differently. We check the LEP and the heritage schedule at quote stage so the design does not blow the budget on a re-draw.

Rooftop and deck-over-tile builds are common here because the blocks are small and the views are upward. We build these on adjustable pedestals so the composite floats above the existing tiles with the fall built in and the waterproofing below stays untouched. If the membrane below is at end of life, we lift the tiles and price that repair into the quote rather than warranting a build over a failing surface.

How quickly we can get to you

Camden to the Eastern Suburbs is around 55 to 60 minutes via the M5 and Eastern Distributor. Site visits are usually booked in inside three business days, and the written quote typically follows within 30 minutes of the visit. Build slots run four to eight weeks out depending on the season. Spring and early summer are the busiest, so if you want a deck ready for December entertaining, the practical booking window is August or early September.

Recent work and the sort of jobs we take on

Jobs we complete across the Eastern Suburbs regularly:

Replacing 15 to 25 year old Merbau decks that have cupped, split or lost their oil, often converted to composite for lower long-term upkeep
Deck-over-tile builds on failing balcony tiles above garages and living rooms, using pedestals to protect the waterproofing below
Rooftop entertaining decks on terraces in Paddington, Bondi and Surry Hills where the block is four to six metres wide and the view carries the design
Family courtyards in Coogee and Maroubra with kid-safe balustrades, in-built seating and a pergola for shade
Pool surrounds around fibreglass and concrete pools in Vaucluse, Rose Bay and Dover Heights

Suburbs we cover in the Eastern Suburbs

Bondi, Bondi Junction, Bronte, Clovelly, Coogee, Double Bay, Dover Heights, Kensington, Kingsford, Maroubra, Paddington, Point Piper, Randwick, Rose Bay, Tamarama, Vaucluse, Waverley, Watsons Bay and Woollahra. Individual suburb pages are added over time and link out from this list as they go live.

What drives the price

Every quote is written and fixed, and every quote is free. What moves the price is usually one of the following.

Material choice. Composite is around 30 to 40% more up front than Merbau but eliminates the oil-and-sand cycle. Over 10 years the maths usually favours composite on the coast.
Substrate. A brand-new deck on new footings is straightforward. Deck-over-tile needs a waterproofing check first, which either passes and costs nothing extra or fails and needs a repair priced in.
Screens and balustrades. Eastern Suburbs blocks are often overlooked, so privacy screening tends to be a larger share of the build than in outer suburbs.
Access. Rear-lane access or side-gate access for a full material load adds handling cost.
Council approval. Most decks under 1 m off natural ground level in Randwick and Waverley are exempt development. Woollahra heritage areas often need a DA, which adds four to eight weeks to the timeline and a drawings fee.

Finance is available through HandyPay for the up-front cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need council approval for a deck in the Eastern Suburbs?

Most decks under 1 m in height on standard residential lots in Randwick and Waverley qualify as exempt development under the NSW SEPP. Woollahra Council’s heritage-conservation areas are stricter and most jobs there need a DA regardless of height. We check the LEP and the heritage schedule before we quote so you know which side of the line your job sits on.

What is the best decking material for a coastal Eastern Suburbs home?

Within a kilometre of the ocean, Blackbutt or a top-tier composite (WoodEvo, Innawood) will outlast Merbau. Blackbutt holds oil finish through salt spray, and composite skips oiling altogether. Merbau still works well for shaded courtyards further inland like Randwick, Kensington and Kingsford, but we do not recommend it above pale paving because the tannin leach stains.

Can you build a deck over my existing tiles or waterproofing membrane?

Yes, that is one of our common Eastern Suburbs jobs. Adjustable pedestals let composite boards float above the tiles with a drainage fall built in, so the membrane below is not disturbed. We check the membrane condition on the site visit. If it is failing, we price the repair in before we commit.

How long does an Eastern Suburbs deck build take?

Most single-level decks between 20 and 40 m² are on and off inside one to two weeks from demolition to handover, weather allowing. Rooftop decks with waterproofing sign-off and Woollahra heritage-area builds take longer, usually four to eight weeks including approvals and drawings.

Do you replace the old deck or build on top of it?

We almost always demolish the old subframe. Bearers and joists are the cheapest thing to replace new and the most expensive thing to inherit. We would rather price fresh footings than warrant a rebuild on 20-year-old timber. Demolition and cart-away is included in the quote.

Ready when you are.

Send us a few photos of the space and rough measurements and we will price it back inside a business day. Or call 02 4666 3800 and Michelle will book Jason in for a site visit.

Finance is available through HandyPay for terms of 12 to 60 months.