Decking in Eglinton
Northern Decking Co builds composite and raised decks in Eglinton, a coastal City of Wanneroo suburb where the Amberton and Allara estates are under construction. Decks are often planned while the house is built, level with the alfresco or raised where the block falls away. Every deck needs a Wanneroo building permit, and the contractor quotes free on site.
- Postcode
- 6034
- Council
- City of Wanneroo
- Coastal lot rules
- Apply
- Last reviewed
- October 2026
Decks that suit Eglinton homes
Eglinton had a name before it had a suburb. The name was approved in 1974, but the land stayed scrub and bushland for decades, and only in recent years have two estates, Amberton and Allara, turned it into a place where people live. The census counted 3,705 residents in 2021, up from 2,365 five years earlier, and the suburb still has houses going up on titled blocks beside houses that are finished. That gives Eglinton deck work a particular shape: the deck is often planned while the house is still a slab, or soon after the keys are handed over.
Planning the deck before the landscaping
On a block where the fences are new and the yard is still sand, the deck can be designed with the rest of the outdoor area instead of squeezed in later. That means setting the stumps before the turf and reticulation go in, running the deck level with the alfresco slab so there is no step, and leaving room for the shed, the clothesline and the path to the side gate. In the City of Wanneroo all decking requires a building permit, regardless of height or floor area, so the permit is applied for once the lot and the house are far enough along, with the quote stating who lodges it. The contractor measures from the plans or the slab and quotes a deck that fits what the yard will become.
Raised decks where the block falls away
Not every Eglinton lot is flat. Where the ground drops toward the back fence, a deck that is level at the door ends up over 500 mm at its far edge, and in the City of Wanneroo decking over 500 mm is treated like a balcony, with a 7.5 m setback to side and rear boundaries unless a reduced setback is approved. Raised decks here go up on posts and bearers with a balustrade where the fall reaches 1 m and a privacy screen on the side that faces a neighbour, and the height is settled with the City before the footings go in.
Composite for new households
Most Eglinton owners choose composite. It needs no oiling, gives no splinters to bare feet, takes hidden stainless clips and holds its colour under the western sun. Lighter boards stay cooler. Hardwood in merbau or spotted gum suits owners who want real timber and will oil it when the colour goes flat.
Sand, with limestone further east
The district plan for Eglinton and Alkimos records calcareous dunes toward the coast and Spearwood dunes further east where limestone often lies within 2 m of the surface. That is a district record, not a house lot. The contractor expects sand and lets the first footing hole settle it.
What to know before you build in Eglinton
City of Wanneroo
- All decking requires a building permit, regardless of height or floor area.
- Planning approval may be required for decking over 500 mm above natural ground level.
- Decking over 500 mm is treated like a balcony, with a 7.5 m setback to side and rear boundaries unless a reduced setback is approved.
Salt air
Eglinton is a coastal suburb, so the fixings, hangers and stirrups are stainless steel and the frame is detailed to dry out. Composite boards suit lots within reach of the sea breeze; hardwood works too when it is oiled and fixed properly.
The ground
The district structure plan for Alkimos and Eglinton records calcareous Quindalup dunes toward the coast and Spearwood dunes further east where limestone usually occurs within 2 m of the surface. That is a district record, not a house lot, so the contractor expects sand and checks the first footing hole for rock.
Bushfire map
Check your lot on the DFES Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas. If it is inside a mapped area the deck is built to the BAL requirements of AS 3959. We do not say here whether Eglinton is or is not bushfire prone, because the map runs through suburbs and is revised.
How it goes in
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Footings
Stumps go into footings in the sand. Some sites in the far north hit limestone close to the surface and need core drilling.
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Joists
Joists go across the bearers at the centres the board maker specifies, typically 450 mm for hardwood and tighter for composite.
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Boards
Boards are laid from the house out with an even gap, fixed with screws or hidden clips.
Questions from Eglinton
Can I plan a deck before my Eglinton house is finished?
Yes, and it is the best time to do it. The contractor can work from the house plans or the finished slab, set the deck level with the alfresco, and have the stumps in before turf and reticulation go down. The building permit is applied for once the lot is titled and the house is far enough along, and the quote should say who prepares the drawings and who lodges.
Do I need a permit for a deck in Eglinton?
Yes. In the City of Wanneroo, all decking requires a building permit, regardless of height or floor area. Planning approval may be required for decking over 500 mm above natural ground level, which can apply on a block that falls away toward the back fence.
My Eglinton block slopes. Can I still have a deck level with the house?
Yes, as a raised deck. The City of Wanneroo treats decking over 500 mm like a balcony, with a 7.5 m setback to side and rear boundaries unless a reduced setback is approved, so the deck may need a privacy screen on the neighbour's side and a balustrade where the fall reaches 1 m. The contractor measures the fall and settles the height with the City before the footings go in.
Will my footings hit limestone in Eglinton?
Possibly, further from the coast. The district structure plan records sand dunes nearer the ocean and Spearwood dunes further east where limestone usually sits within 2 m of the surface, but that describes the district rather than any one lot. The contractor expects sand, checks the first hole, and core drills a footing only if rock is close to the surface.
Nearby areas we cover
Read about composite decking and raised decks, or our guide to deck approvals in joondalup and wanneroo. All areas.
Get a free quote in Eglinton
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