What to Ask Before Quoting a Deck, Patio or Pergola
A practical pre-quote checklist for deck builders, patio builders, pergola installers, and landscapers handling council approval questions.
This article is general planning guidance, not legal advice. Rules vary by property, council, state, overlays, and project details. Confirm the final pathway with council or a qualified professional before you build or lodge.
Outdoor living leads can look simple at first. Then the approval question appears, and the quote slows down.
The fix is not to become a planner. The fix is to ask better questions before you spend time on a detailed quote.
This guide is for tradies and builders. It is general workflow guidance, not legal advice.
1. What is the exact address?
Approval depends on the property, not just the project. Get the full address early, including suburb and state.
Without the address, you cannot reliably check council area, zoning, overlays, bushfire, flood, heritage, or other site constraints.
2. What are they building?
Clarify the actual structure:
Customers often use these terms loosely, so ask what will physically be built.
3. What are the approximate dimensions?
Ask for length, width, height, and total area. A sketch is often enough for early qualification.
For decks, height above ground is especially important. For roofed structures, roof area and attachment can matter.
4. Is it attached to the house?
Attached and freestanding structures can raise different questions. Attachment may affect structural design, fire separation, drainage, and building permit requirements.
5. How close is it to the boundary?
Ask about side and rear boundary distances. If the customer does not know, ask for a rough site plan or use the first visit to measure.
Boundary proximity can affect setbacks, privacy, overshadowing, drainage, and neighbour concerns.
6. Are there known constraints?
Ask whether the customer knows about:
- Heritage
- Bushfire
- Flood
- Easements
- Sewer or stormwater lines
- Protected trees
- Sloping land
- Previous approvals
Many customers will not know. That is the point of doing an address check.
7. What does the customer expect about approval?
Ask whether they already spoke to council, a certifier, designer, or planner. Ask whether they have plans, survey, engineering, or previous advice.
This helps you avoid duplicating work and shows the customer you are organised.
Turn the checklist into a better lead
ApprovalPath automates this front-end check. Customers answer plain-English questions on your website, and you receive a lead with the project details and an approval guide.
That means fewer vague enquiries and better first conversations.
For the planning side of these jobs, see the deck approval guide and the pergola and patio approval guide, or read why approval questions slow down building quotes.
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Do You Need Council Approval for a Deck in Australia?
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