Designed around your garden
Darlington's west end, around Hummersknott, Blackwell and Mowden, is full of generous 1920s and 1930s houses with long, mature gardens. Many have had kitchen extensions with bi-fold doors added, and a deck is the natural next step: a level, dry floor that carries the kitchen out into the garden. In the villages around town the houses are often older and the gardens more traditional, so a deck needs to sit quietly among the planting.
We start every job by looking at the house and the garden together. How high are the doors? Which way does the sun come round? Where does the rain go? Then we design the deck to suit.
Why most people choose composite
Composite is where we start for most gardens. Capped boards don't rot or splinter, keep their colour, and don't need a weekend of staining every year. Under the big trees of the west end, where timber decks go green and slippery, composite stays far easier to live with. More on composite decking.
For period houses and village gardens, a hardwood deck can be just right.
Our services
- Composite decking: our main line, with hidden fixings and neat borders
- Timber and hardwood decking: for a natural look
- Raised and multi-level decking: for sloping or stepped gardens
- Balustrades, steps and lighting: safe, good-looking finishing touches
- Decking repairs and replacement: out with the old, in with the new
The groundwork matters
Darlington has plenty of heavy clay, and that means water sits around after rain. We give every deck a firm, well-drained base with a weed membrane, solid footings and a treated or aluminium frame at the joist spacing the boards need. There's always room for air underneath, the deck stays below the damp-proof course, and it's fixed properly to the house or built to stand on its own.
Questions people ask
Will I need planning permission?
Usually not. Decking is normally permitted development if no part is more than 30cm above the ground and, with any outbuildings, it covers no more than half the garden. Higher decks, listed homes and conservation areas, such as Hurworth and Heighington, may need more, and Darlington Borough Council can confirm. We'll raise anything worth checking at the visit.
Can a deck go under trees?
Yes. We leave room for roots, cut neatly around trunks, and recommend composite, which copes far better with leaf fall and shade.
How do I get a quote?
Use our quote form. We'll be in touch to arrange a free visit.