Every patio, carport and deck we build starts with a visit. A builder comes out, walks the site with you and measures up. There is no salesperson and no obligation. The point is to design something that fits your house, your lot and the council rules, and to give you a fixed price for it rather than a guess off a phone call.
Here is what happens at that visit, what is worth having ready, and what you get afterwards.
Before we arrive
When you book, we ask for the address, what you want built and a rough size if you have one. Before the visit we look your lot up on the council mapping. That tells us the lot size, the zone and whether flood, bushfire or landslide overlays touch your block, so the conversation on site starts from the real rules.
Walking the site
On site we look at the things that decide the design and the price:
- Where the roof can fix to the house: the fascia, the eave, the roof itself, or not at all.
- The height you need under the gutter, and whether a flyover would give better head height and air flow.
- The ground or slab: whether an existing slab can take posts, or whether new footings are needed.
- Sewer, stormwater and water lines, manholes and inspection openings near where posts will go.
- Boundaries, the distance to the neighbours and the street, and anything the council setbacks affect.
- Access for materials and the team: side gates, driveways, steps and trees.
Measuring up
We measure the area you want covered, the house walls and heights, and the fall of the ground. Width runs along the house; projection is how far the roof comes out. If you are not sure of the size, we mark it out so you can stand under it and see how a table, a lounge or a barbecue fits.
Choosing the roof and style
This is where most of the talk goes. We bring samples so you can feel the difference between a single skin roof and an insulated panel, and see the ceiling side of the panel. We also go through the styles: attached, flyover, freestanding, gable or a louvred roof. Each one suits some houses better than others, and we will tell you which we think suits yours and why.
Colours in daylight
Screen colours are only a guide. We bring real COLORBOND® steel colour samples so you can hold them against your roof, gutters and walls in daylight. Many people match the roof colour to the house and choose a light ceiling such as Surfmist under an insulated panel.
Lights, fans and power
If you want downlights, a ceiling fan or power points, we plan them at the quote. With an insulated roof the cables run inside the panel, so the layout needs to be known before the roof goes on. Your licensed electrician does the wiring; we tell you the right day to book them.
What is worth having ready
- Any site plan or house plans you have, even a photo of the plan from your contract.
- Estate design guidelines or body corporate by-laws, if your lot has them.
- Photos of patios you like, or a sketch of what you have in mind.
- A rough idea of how you will use the space: dining, a lounge, a spa, the car or the caravan.
- Questions about anything that worries you, such as the neighbours, the pool fence or the sewer.
How long it takes
Allow about an hour for a standard patio or carport. A bigger job, a sloping block or a deck with stairs can take longer. It helps if whoever is making the decision can be there, so the design is settled on the day.
What you get afterwards
After the visit we work up the design and send you a fixed price. It covers the design, the site plan, the engineering and Form 15, the approval and the build in genuine COLORBOND® and BlueScope steel. If something on site needs a council referral, such as a carport in the front setback or a post near the sewer, the price and the quote say so, rather than it turning up later.
Comparing quotes
If you are getting more than one quote, compare them line by line: the roof product and its thickness, the steel, the post and beam sizes, the footings, whether the approval and engineering are included, and who does the build. Two quotes for the same size patio can describe very different structures.
After you say yes
Once you accept, we draw the plans, get the engineering and lodge the approval. When it is approved, materials are ordered, and we book the build. We keep you posted at each step, so you know what is happening and when the team will arrive.
COLORBOND® is a registered trade mark of BlueScope Steel Limited.