Composite Decking Bradford
Decks built around the garden you have got: the slope behind a stone semi, the walled yard of a terrace, the lawn the kids have worn bare. Low-upkeep boards that cope with Pennine rain.
Ask for a quoteBefore
After
Which garden have you got?
Most Bradford gardens fall into one of four kinds, and each needs something different from a deck. Pick yours for the layouts, the prices and the things to get right.
A garden that slopes
You've got: Falls away from the back door, or climbs up behind it.
What works: A level deck on posts at door height, or two smaller decks stepped down the bank.
From about £1,800 for 15 m² raised
A small yard or courtyard
You've got: Stone walls, cracked flags, the bins by the gate.
What works: One level of light boards wall to wall, a built-in bench and a screened bin store.
About £800 to £1,600 for 8 m²
A family garden
You've got: A worn lawn and a patio too small for the table.
What works: A deck off the back door big enough to eat on, with a long low step to the grass.
About £1,800 to £3,600 for 18 m²
An old patio
You've got: Slabs that have sunk, tilted or gone black.
What works: Boards on adjustable pedestals over the top. No digging and no skip.
From about £100 per m²
What composite decking costs
Fitted on level ground with a new frame, composite decking typically costs £100 to £200 per m². Hollow boards sit at the bottom of that range; solid capped boards with hidden fixings at the top.
Raised decks add about 20% to 60%. Steps are £80 to £200 each and a glass balustrade £200 to £500 a metre.
| Size | Room for | Typical fitted price |
|---|---|---|
| 3 × 3 m 9 m² | Bistro table for two | £900 to £1,800 |
| 4 × 3 m 12 m² | Table for four | £1,200 to £2,400 |
| 6 × 3 m 18 m² | Table for six | £1,800 to £3,600 |
| 5 × 5 m 25 m² | Dining and loungers | £2,500 to £5,000 |
Where these figures come from
Typical UK fitted prices from published price lists we reviewed, October 2026. They are national figures, not Bradford-specific, and some lists do not say whether VAT is included. A guide, not a quote.
Why composite, round here
Bradford gardens get a lot of rain, and many of them sit in the shadow of the house, a wall or the hill for half the day. That is the worst place for timber decking: it stays damp, grows algae and turns slippery, and the stain has to go on again every year or two.
Capped composite boards are made of wood fibre and plastic with a hard outer shell. They do not rot or splinter, keep their colour for years and come clean with a brush and soapy water. They cost more to buy, but over ten years the gap with a well-kept timber deck is much smaller than the price per board suggests.
Planning with Bradford Council
A deck in a back garden does not normally need planning permission if no part of it is more than 30 cm off the ground and, with any extensions and sheds, it covers no more than half the garden.
On a slope, the far edge of a deck taken out level from the door is often higher than that, so raised decks usually need a householder application. Listed buildings and conservation areas, such as Saltaire, Haworth and parts of Ilkley, have tighter rules. Check with the council's planning team before you build.
A typical job, day by day
A 4 × 3 m composite deck on a gentle slope, from the first visit to the last sweep.
Visit
Someone comes out, measures up, checks the fall of the ground, the access and the drains, and brings board samples to look at in your own light.
Day 1
Clearing: turf, old timber or loose flags lifted, the ground levelled and a weed membrane laid. Footings dug if the deck is raised.
Day 2
The frame goes in, set level from the door sill. On a slope this is the slow part, because every post is a different height.
Day 3
Boards clipped down with hidden fixings, fascias fitted round the edges, steps built.
Day 4
Balustrade, lights, planters or a bench if you asked for them. A sweep, a walk round together and it is yours.
Across the Bradford district
From the terraces of Manningham and Great Horton to the semis of Idle, Wibsey and Allerton, and out along the Aire valley through Shipley, Saltaire, Bingley and Keighley to Silsden. North over the moor to Ilkley and Burley-in-Wharfedale, and west up the hill to Thornton and Queensbury.
The higher and further west you go, the steeper and more exposed the gardens get. Up there, a raised deck usually needs a solid balustrade or a screen against the wind as much as against the drop.
Before you ask for a price
- Measure roughly how far the ground drops from the back door to the end of where the deck would go.
- Note where the drains, gullies and air bricks are.
- Check whether materials can come in down the side or over the back wall, or only through the house.
- Think about where the sun is at teatime. That is where people end up sitting.
Composite decking questions
How much does composite decking cost in Bradford?
Fitted, composite decking typically costs £100 to £200 per square metre, including the frame and labour. A 4 × 3 m deck is usually £1,200 to £2,400. Raised decks on sloping gardens cost about 20% to 60% more. Try the composite decking cost calculator.
Is composite decking worth it in a wet climate?
Yes, that is where it earns its money. Timber in a damp, shaded Pennine garden goes green and slippery within a couple of winters and needs treating every year or two. Capped composite boards resist algae, never need staining and do not splinter.
Will Bradford Council want a planning application for my deck?
Not usually, if no part of the deck is more than 30 cm above the ground and, with extensions and sheds, it covers no more than half the garden. Raised decks, and decks at listed buildings or in some conservation areas, need permission from Bradford Council. Read does decking need planning permission.
Can composite decking go on a sloping garden?
Yes. The frame is built level on pedestals or posts and the boards go on top. See decking on a slope for the layouts and prices.
How long does composite decking last?
Good capped boards usually carry manufacturer warranties of 20 to 25 years or more, and a properly built frame lasts as long. The weak point is normally the frame, not the boards.
How long does it take to fit?
Two to four days on site for most gardens. Raised decks on posts take longer, because the concrete footings need to set before the frame goes on.
Which areas do you cover?
The whole Bradford district: the city and its suburbs, Shipley and Saltaire, Baildon, Bingley, Keighley, Silsden, Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Queensbury, Thornton and the villages in between.
Tell us about your garden
Three quick steps. A rough idea of the garden is plenty: the slope, the size, what you'd like to use it for.
Free to use. We are an introduction service: we find an independent local decking installer for the job and tell you who they are before anyone contacts you.
Thanks, that's with us.
- We look for an independent decking installer near you and let you know who, normally by the next working day.
- Your details stay with us until you say yes to that firm.
- They come and look at the garden, then price the job. No newsletters, no sales calls from us.