Outdoor Living Adelaide
Outdoor living builds across Adelaide — alfresco areas, decks, outdoor kitchens, pergolas and shade. Tell us about your project for a free, itemised quote.
Outdoor living covers the built spaces you use outside: decks, pergolas, verandahs and alfresco roofs, outdoor kitchens, fencing and shade. In Adelaide, most single outdoor-living projects run from about $10,000 to $40,000 depending on size, materials and approvals. Tell us what you're planning and we'll get back to you within 24–48 hours with a free, itemised quote.
The rooms outside your house. Decks, pergolas, alfresco areas, outdoor kitchens, fencing, shade. The highest-value category in landscaping — single jobs run $10,000 to $40,000 — and the one that turns a backyard from “the bit behind the house” into where you actually live nine months of the year.
What we cover
Decking
Hardwood (merbau, spotted gum, blackbutt), treated pine and composite. Pool decks, elevated decks, raised platforms, low-level patios. Subframe build, decking install, finishing.
Pergolas
Timber, steel, aluminium. Attached to the house or freestanding. Open-roof, slatted-roof, polycarbonate, louvred (motorised), Colorbond.
See our pergola quotes for Adelaide homes page for materials, roof options, costs and council approval.
Verandahs and alfresco
The line between pergola and verandah is fuzzy in South Australia — we group them together. Solid roofed, flyover, gable, hip. Insulated panels, Colorbond, polycarbonate.
Outdoor kitchens and entertaining
BBQ areas, pizza ovens, outdoor benches, plumbed sinks, wood-fired ovens, fire pits. Built into pergola structures or freestanding.
Fencing and gates
Colorbond, timber, glass pool fencing, automatic driveway gates, courtyard screens, privacy screens. Often the last piece of an outdoor job — and the one homeowners forget to budget for.
Shade and screens
Shade sails, ziptrak blinds, café blinds, retractable awnings, outdoor blinds. Adds usable hours to an alfresco; survives Adelaide summers if you spec the right material.
Typical pricing
| Project | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Timber deck (small, ~20sqm) | $4,000–$9,000 |
| Composite deck (~20sqm) | $6,000–$13,000 |
| Pergola (attached, 4×4m, before roofing) | $4,500–$16,000 |
| Pergola (motorised louvred roof) | $20,000–$40,000+ |
| Insulated alfresco roof (~30sqm) | $12,000–$25,000 |
| Outdoor kitchen (bench, BBQ, sink) | $8,000–$25,000 |
| Pool fencing (glass, ~15m) | $4,500–$9,000 |
| Colorbond fencing (per linear metre) | $90–$150 |
The big variables are size, material, and council approval requirements. Most pergolas need council approval; some small, open-topped designs can be exempt — we’ll check before quoting.
What separates a good outdoor-living build
- Council approval checked up front. Most roofed pergolas and alfrescos, and many raised or attached decks, need development approval. We check your property before quoting and can include the lodgement in the price.
- Subframe spec to AS 1684. Timber framing standard. Don’t skimp on bearer/joist sizing.
- Drainage on alfrescos and pergolas. Where the water goes when it rains harder than it has in five years.
- Fixings rated for SA conditions. Stainless steel for coastal, hot-dipped galvanised inland minimum.
- Material grade. Composite is not all the same. Cheap composite cups, fades, and grows mould. Spec brands.
How an outdoor living project comes together
- Brief and site check. How you’ll use the space, how many people, which way it faces, where the sun and wind come from, and what’s underground (stormwater, power, gas).
- Design and approval check. We sketch the layout and confirm whether the structure needs development approval. If it does, drawings and engineering are prepared before anything is ordered.
- Itemised quote. Structure, roofing, flooring, kitchen, electrical and plumbing items are listed separately, so you can stage the work if the budget needs it.
- Build. Footings and the frame go in first, then roofing, flooring and fit-out. A pergola or deck usually takes two to four weeks on site once approved.
- Handover. We walk you through care of timber, roofing and fixings so the space keeps looking right.
Designing for Adelaide’s climate
- Western sun. West-facing alfrescos cop the harshest afternoon heat from November to March. An insulated roof, café blinds or a ziptrak screen on the western side make the biggest difference.
- Winter sun. On north-facing areas, a louvred or polycarbonate roof lets low winter sun in while still shading in summer.
- Rain and drainage. Roofed areas need gutters and downpipes connected to stormwater, and paving or decking underneath needs fall away from the house.
- Coastal suburbs. From Semaphore to Brighton, salt air attacks fixings and steel, so specify stainless or hot-dipped galvanised hardware and a coastal-rated powder coat.
- Hills properties. In the Adelaide Hills, bushfire overlays can affect materials and spacing for structures close to the house. We check the overlay before we quote.
Pergola quotes, deck quotes or the whole space
If you’re only after a pergola, see our pergola builds in Adelaide page for materials, roof options and costs; for a floor, see decking in Adelaide. Planning a cooking area? Our outdoor kitchen cost guide breaks down benchtops, appliances and plumbing. Many people combine all three into one project, which is usually cheaper than building them separately because footings, drainage and electrical work can be shared.
Get a free quote
Request a free outdoor living quote — tell us about your project and we’ll get back to you within 24–48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an outdoor living area cost in Adelaide?
Most single outdoor-living projects land between about $10,000 and $40,000. As a guide, an attached 4×4m pergola is $4,500–$16,000 before roofing, an insulated alfresco roof of around 30 square metres $12,000–$25,000, and an outdoor kitchen with bench, BBQ and sink $8,000–$25,000.
How long does a pergola or alfresco build take?
Two to four weeks on site once approved, depending on size and complexity. Where development approval is needed, allow several more weeks at the front for drawings, engineering and council assessment.
Timber or composite decking?
Timber is cheaper upfront and looks great, but needs oiling every year. Composite costs more upfront and keeps its look with an annual wash. Over a decade, the maintenance gap closes much of the price gap.
Do I need a permit for a deck or alfresco?
Often, yes. Low, freestanding decks may be exempt, but higher decks, decks attached to the house and any roofed structure commonly need development approval. Check with your council or PlanSA; we check your property before quoting and can include approval in the price.
Can you build the pergola, deck and outdoor kitchen as one project?
Yes. Quoting the structure, floor, kitchen and shade together lets us sequence the work, share footings and drainage where it makes sense, and give you one itemised price instead of piecing trades together.
Outdoor Living services we quote
Outdoor Living guides for Adelaide homeowners
Last updated 8 October 2026
Quick quote request
Request a free Outdoor Living quote
Tell us about your project and we'll get back to you within 24–48 hours. No obligation.