Cost Guide

How much does decking cost in Wollongong?

By The WTD Editorial Team · Last verified October 2026 · Methodology

Updated October 2026 · Independently researched · 14 min read

Most decking in Wollongong costs $5,400–$17,300

for a standard 15–25 sqm deck

A small 15 sqm hardwood deck in Wollongong costs $5,400–$10,800. A medium 25 sqm deck runs $8,650–$17,300. Per-sqm rates range from $195/sqm for treated pine to $755/sqm for composite.

+3.6% Decking costs in Wollongong are up around 3.6% over the past year, re-verified against 90+ sources in October 2026. Year on year

A treated pine deck in Wollongong runs $195–$380 per square metre, supplied and built, merbau $325–$595 and spotted gum $380–$650, with composite boards at $300–$755. For complete hardwood decks, 15 m² costs $5,400–$10,800, 25 m² $8,650–$17,300 and 40 m² $14,050–$28,100. Wollongong's housing is 71.3% separate houses, with three-bedroom homes at 41.6%, compared with 39% across Australia (ABS 2021 Census). On the sloping streets toward the escarpment, the height of the frame matters as much as the boards. Prices include GST.

Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Decking cost in Australia.

Quick answerDecking in Wollongong costs $195–$380 /sqm, with most averaging $280 /sqm. GST included — verified October 2026. Get free Wollongong quotes →

Detailed Pricing — Decking Cost in Wollongong 2026

Service	Low	Typical	High
Treated pine deck (per sqm)	$195/sqm	$280	$380
Hardwood deck — merbau (per sqm)	$325/sqm	$455	$595
Hardwood deck — spotted gum (per sqm)	$380/sqm	$520	$650
Composite deck (per sqm)	$300/sqm	$595	$755
Small deck (15 sqm, hardwood)	$5,400total	$8,100	$10,800
Medium deck (25 sqm, hardwood)	$8,650total	$12,950	$17,300
Large deck (40 sqm, hardwood)	$14,050total	$20,500	$28,100
Deck steps (per step)	$195/step	$325	$430
Deck balustrade / railing (per lm)	$160/lm	$300	$485
Deck sanding + oiling (per sqm)	$27/sqm	$43	$65
Old deck demolition + removal	$22/sqm	$38	$59
Pergola over deck (basic timber or aluminium, about 4 x 4 m to 4 x 6 m)	$5,400total	$8,650	$16,200
Deck stairs (per flight, installed)	$1,075installed	$2,150	$4,850
Elevated / high-set deck surcharge (per sqm)	$54/sqm	$110	$195
Deck re-oil only (clean + 2 coats, no sanding, per sqm)	$16/sqm	$32	$49
Hardwood deck — blackbutt (per sqm)	$355/sqm	$485	$670
Composite deck — premium capped / solid-core, Trex class (per sqm)	$485/sqm	$615	$970

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Prices verified October 2026 · Cross-referenced against 90+ Australian trade pricing sources · See methodology

Prices include GST. Based on Wollongong metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.

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What Affects Decking Costs in Wollongong

Picking a board

Pine is the cheapest board here, usually $280 per square metre, but needs oiling more often. Blackbutt runs $355–$670. Standard composite, at a typical $595, typically costs more to lay than any of the three hardwoods in our table, and the top capped or solid-core composites reach $485–$970; the return is years without sanding or oil.

When approval is needed

NSW treats a deck as exempt development, free of planning consent, only within limits: a floor height of 1 m or less above existing ground, an area of 25 m² or less, nothing over 3 m above the ground at its highest point, positioned behind the building line of any road frontage and, in most zones, 900 mm or more from the lot boundary. The 25 m² deck in our table matches that limit; the 40 m² deck exceeds it.

Sloping blocks and tall frames

Where a Wollongong block falls away from the back door, one edge of the deck can end up well off the ground. Longer posts and extra bracing carry a high-set surcharge, $54–$195 a square metre. A floor more than 1 m up also falls outside the exemption and must have a balustrade, at $160–$485 per lineal metre, plus stairs at $1,075–$4,850 a flight.

Bushfire-prone lots

Homes backing onto escarpment bushland can sit on land mapped as bushfire prone. Under the NSW exempt development standards, a deck on bushfire prone land less than 5 m from a house has to be built from non-combustible material to stay exempt, which leaves out ordinary timber framing and boards. Check the lot with Wollongong City Council before choosing materials, because the answer can change the whole quote.

Rain and timber movement

Rain at the Wollongong University station peaks in late summer, 156.4 mm in February and 160.4 mm in March, and bottoms out in July at 63.4 mm (BOM averages). The city is NCC climate zone 5, a warm temperate zone, where boards take up moisture through wet months and dry out again, so ask the builder to space and fix them to suit the timber chosen.

Licence, contract and HBC cover

A deck job worth over $5,000 once labour and materials, GST in, are added up must be carried out by someone holding an NSW contractor licence, and it comes with a written contract. On a project above $20,000, confirm the builder has home building compensation insurance for it before any money changes hands, the deposit included. The Service NSW licence check shows whether a licence is current.

Upkeep and the old deck

Once a hardwood finish wears through, a full sand-back and re-oil is $27–$65 per square metre. Catch it earlier and a wash with a double coat of oil, $16–$49, is the cheaper option. Replacing a worn-out deck instead? Pulling up the old one and carting it away adds $22–$59 per square metre.

How to Save Money on Decking Cost in Wollongong

Before calling builders, mark out the deck and check three numbers: no more than 25 m², a floor no higher than 1 m, and at least 900 mm to the boundary.

Ask each builder to price identical boards, the same joist spacing and the same subframe treatment, so you are comparing like with like.

On a lot near the escarpment bush, find out from council whether it is bushfire prone before you fall for a timber board.

With July averaging just 63.4 mm at the university gauge (BOM averages), mid-winter is a sensible window to set footings and oil new boards.

Ask how the deck ties into the house and how that join is flashed, so rain runs away from the wall rather than into it.

Thinking about shade later? Price it now: a pergola above the deck is $5,400–$16,200 and counts toward the same exempt floor-area limits, so plan both at once.

Decking Cost in Wollongong by Deck Size

Quick answerWollongong board rates, per square metre: treated pine $195–$380, merbau $325–$595, blackbutt $355–$670 and composite $300–$755. Complete hardwood decks are $5,400–$10,800 for 15 square metres, $8,650–$17,300 for 25 and $14,050–$28,100 for 40.

A 32 square metre merbau deck at $325–$595 a square metre comes to $10,400–$19,040, between the medium deck at $8,650–$17,300 and the large deck at $14,050–$28,100. Stairs are $1,075–$4,850 a flight, with balustrade at $160–$485 a lineal metre.

What moves a deck of that size in Wollongong: a block that drops away behind the house can leave one edge well off the ground, and longer posts with added bracing bring a high-set surcharge of $54–$195 per square metre. Boards take up moisture through the wet months, so spacing and fixing matter.

Decking Cost in Wollongong: What the Quote Should Include

A Wollongong block that drops away behind the house changes what a decking quote should show: height, bracing and the join with the house. Splitting the quote into lines separates the boards from the slope.

The finished floor height at its highest edge, since one edge of a deck on a falling block can stand well off the ground.
The high-set line at $54–$195 per square metre, paying for longer posts and added bracing, shown apart from the boards.
Boards and rates: treated pine at $195–$380, merbau at $325–$595, blackbutt at $355–$670 or spotted gum at $380–$650 a square metre; composite at $300–$755.
Board spacing and fixings named to suit the timber, as boards take up moisture in wet months and dry out again.
The tie-in to the house and the flashing at that join described, so rain drains off the wall.
Shade planned now, with a pergola at $5,400–$16,200 priced on the same quote as the deck.
Stairs at $1,075–$4,850 a flight, steps at $195–$430 each, and balustrade at $160–$485 a lineal metre along the open edges.
Sanding and oiling at $27–$65 per square metre or a re-oil at $16–$49, and an old deck removed at $22–$59 per square metre.
Dates, payment stages, warranty and GST in writing, with the builder's licence number and insurance asked for.

Frequently Asked Questions — Decking Cost in Wollongong

What does removing an old deck cost in Wollongong?

In our Wollongong table, removing an old deck runs $22–$59 a square metre, and $38 is typical.

How much does the surcharge for an elevated deck cost in Wollongong?

The surcharge for an elevated deck is $54–$195 a square metre in our Wollongong table, typically $110.

How much should I pay for a deck balustrade in Wollongong?

Our Wollongong prices for a deck balustrade start at $160 and reach $485 a metre, with $300 typical.

Do I need a permit for a deck?

In NSW a deck can be exempt development, needing no planning approval, if its floor is no more than one metre above existing ground level, it is no more than 25 square metres in area, it sits behind the building line and it is at least 900 millimetres from the boundary (5 metres in some rural zones). A deck outside those limits needs planning approval.

What is the price of treated pine decking in Wollongong?

Going by our Wollongong table, expect $195–$380 a square metre for treated pine decking; the typical price is $280.

How much is composite decking in Wollongong?

Composite decking runs $300–$755 a square metre in our Wollongong table; $595 is the typical price.

Our Methodology

These are independent estimates from public cost guides, marketplaces and industry rate data, and no tradesperson can influence them, so always get a few quotes. Last reviewed October 2026. Read our full methodology →