Carpenter CanberraDecks, pergolas, doors & timber repairs across Canberra
Carpentry for Canberra homes: deck building in hardwood, merbau and composite decking, deck repairs and oiling, timber pergolas, and door installation and repairs, from Gungahlin to Tuggeranong.
- Built-in wardrobes, skirting and architraves
- Timber window, weatherboard and floorboard repairs
- Timber fencing, paling fences and side gates
Tell us about your carpentry job
- Deck and door prices Canberra prices per m² and per door.
- ACT approval rules What a deck or pergola can be without approval.
- Older Canberra homes Asbestos checks for homes built before 2003.
A Canberra carpenter for decks, doors and timber repairs
Carpenter Canberra builds low timber decks and pergolas, hangs and replaces doors, fits built-in wardrobes, skirting and architraves, and repairs the timber that's gone soft or split in Canberra homes. We work across Belconnen, Gungahlin, the inner north and inner south, Woden, Weston Creek, Molonglo and Tuggeranong, from 1920s cottages in Braddon and Griffith to new townhouses in Coombs and Taylor.
A lot of Canberra was built between the late 1960s and the 1980s, and those homes are now at the age where decks need new boards, doors stick, sills rot and old carpet comes up to show hardwood floors. Tell us about the job with the details that change the price, and we'll check whether it needs an ACT approval before anything is quoted.
Carpentry services in Canberra
Decks, pergolas, doors, robes, trims and timber repairs for homes from Gungahlin to Tuggeranong.
Decks
We build low timber decks off the back door: hardwood or treated pine, on posts and stirrups, with steps down to the lawn. Most Canberra back decks sit within a metre of the ground, which keeps them out of the building-approval system.
More about decks
Deck repairs & oiling
Split, cupped or loose boards, rusted nails lifting, wobbly steps and grey timber that hasn't seen oil in years. We replace the boards and fixings that have gone, then sand and oil the deck so it lasts.
More about deck repairs and oiling
Pergolas
Timber pergolas over the patio or deck, open-topped or with a small roof, fixed to stirrups on footings or to the house where the fascia can take it.
More about pergolas
Door installation & repairs
Internal doors hung in existing frames, pre-hung doors and jambs fitted, sliding and cavity doors adjusted, and front doors replaced in the same opening. We plane doors that stick, swap worn hinges and fit new handles and locks.
More about doors
Built-in wardrobes
Built-in wardrobes and robe fit-outs: shelves, drawers, hanging rails and sliding or hinged doors, built into an alcove or across a bedroom wall.
More about built-in wardrobes
Skirting & architraves
New skirting boards and architraves after new floors or a repaint, damaged lengths matched and replaced, and old profiles swapped for square-edge or modern styles.
More about skirting and architraves
Timber window & rot repairs
Rotten window sills and frames, soft weatherboards, fascias and door jambs. We cut out the decayed timber, splice in new and leave it ready to paint, so the window or wall doesn't have to be replaced.
More about timber window and rot repairs
Floorboard repairs
Damaged, lifted or squeaky tongue-and-groove floorboards, boards burnt or stained by a leak, and patches where a wall or heater has come out. We match the timber and fit new boards into the old floor.
More about floorboard repairs
Timber fences & gates
Timber paling fences, side gates, screens and repairs to leaning posts, broken rails and sagging gates. Gates rehung on heavy hinges and given latches that close.
More about timber fences and gatesHow much does a carpenter cost in Canberra?
Carpentry is priced per job after seeing it. As a guide, here are published Canberra deck prices and door installation prices, with who publishes each.
Deck building costs in Canberra
Merbau, hardwood and composite deck prices per m²
| Deck | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Merbau deck, installed | $250 – $350 per m² | MS Decking & Repairs, Canberra |
| Australian hardwood deck | $200 – $350 per m² | MS Decking & Repairs, Canberra |
| Composite deck, installed | $250 – $400 per m² | MS Decking & Repairs, Canberra |
| Composite deck, standard boards, installed | $250 – $350 per m² | Compotech Solution (ACT supplier) |
| Composite deck, premium boards, installed | $350 – $500 per m² | Compotech Solution (ACT supplier) |
Published by a Canberra deck builder (MS Decking & Repairs, page published October 2024 and updated August 2025) and a composite decking supplier that installs across the ACT (Compotech Solution, 9 March 2026), checked 8 October 2026. Neither says whether GST is included. MS Decking doesn't say whether its hardwood figure includes installation. Compotech's figures are for composite only and it sells the boards. A deck's own price is set after seeing the site: height, steps, access and the timber change it.
Door installation costs
Internal and front door installation prices
| Door | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Internal door swap on an existing frame, Canberra (labour only) | $180 – $350 per door | Mates Rates (national guide, Canberra row) |
| Internal hollow-core door, labour only | $150 – $280 | Mates Rates (national) |
| Internal hollow-core door, supply and install | $250 – $450 | Mates Rates (national) |
| Internal solid-core door, labour only | $200 – $350 | Mates Rates (national) |
| Internal solid-core door, supply and install | $400 – $800 | Mates Rates (national) |
From a national jobs marketplace's 2026 price guide, last reviewed June 2026, checked 8 October 2026. It says the figures are "informed by real carpentry and handyman jobs posted" on its marketplace, "cross-checked against current published tradie rate cards", and doesn't say whether GST is included. Its typical quote includes removing the old door, hanging and trimming the new one and fitting the handle; the door itself, a new frame and painting usually aren't. We couldn't find a Canberra business that publishes per-door prices.
Deck costs in detail Door installation costs Carpenter rates
What you can build in the ACT without a building approval
Plenty of carpentry needs no building approval, as long as it stays within the ACT's limits. The planning rules add their own limits near boundaries and in front of the house, and anything bigger or structural needs a licensed ACT builder.
- 1 m
Low decks
No roof or walls, the floor no more than 1 m off the ground, no more than 3 m high and no span over 4 m.
- 25 m²
Pergolas
No walls, no more than 3 m high, no span over 4 m, and a roof of no more than 25 m².
- 1.8 m
Timber fences
Up to 1.8 m high. The planning rules treat fences in front of the house separately.
- 2 m
Doors and windows
Replaced in openings up to 2 m wide, plus most non-structural fit-out inside the house.
Asbestos, heritage and bushfire rules for Canberra homes
Asbestos in older homes
WorkSafe ACT says any property built before 2003 must be assumed to contain asbestos. It's identified before old linings, trims or sheeting are cut.
The loose-fill register
Homes on the ACT's Affected Residential Premises Register have extra rules for any work, and several approval exemptions don't apply there.
Heritage precincts
Parts of Braddon, Reid, Ainslie, Kingston, Griffith and Forrest have register rules on fences, verandahs and windows.
Bushland edges
Blocks near bush may have a Bushfire Attack Level that sets the materials for a deck attached to the house.
Carpentry across Canberra
We work in every district from Gungahlin to Tuggeranong. Each district page covers its homes, heritage rules and what to check.
Choosing a carpenter in Canberra
Six things to check, whether it's a new deck or one sticking door.
The approval question first
Ask whether the job is exempt from building approval. If it isn't, it needs a licensed ACT builder. See the approval guide.
A written price and scope
The price, the materials and what's included should be in writing before work starts, with any extras agreed first.
Asbestos in older homes
For a home built before 2003, ask how asbestos will be identified before anything is cut or pulled off.
The right timber for the job
Ask what timber and fixings will be used outside: decks and fences take Canberra's frost and summer sun.
Who removes the waste
Old decking, doors and offcuts add up. Check that taking them away is in the price.
Licence checks for licensed work
For anything structural, check the builder's licence on the ACT public register before you sign.
Carpentry questions from Canberra homeowners
What does a carpenter do that a handyman doesn't?
A carpenter builds and repairs in timber: decks, pergolas, door frames, wardrobes, trims, floors and fences, cut and fitted to the house. Small odd jobs around the house often go to a handyman; the timber work is ours.
Do carpenters need a licence in the ACT?
Carpentry isn't a licensed occupation in the ACT, but "builder" is. Building work that needs a building approval, and structural repairs, must be done by a licensed builder. Work that's exempt from building approval, such as a low deck, an open pergola, a fence up to 1.8 m and internal fit-out, sits outside the builder licence.
How much does a carpenter cost in Canberra?
Most carpentry is quoted per job after the carpenter has seen it or photos of it. We couldn't find a Canberra carpenter who publishes an hourly rate; a national quotes marketplace lists $85 to $155 an hour for carpenters in metro areas, excluding materials. See carpenter rates in Canberra.
Do I need approval to build a deck in Canberra?
Not if it's a low, unroofed deck within the ACT limits: no walls, the floor no more than 1 m off the ground, the structure no more than 3 m high and no unsupported span over 4 m for the building rules, plus the planning rules near boundaries. See the deck and pergola approval guide.
My house was built before 1990. Is that a problem?
Not a problem, but it changes the order of the job. WorkSafe ACT says any property built before 2003 must be assumed to contain asbestos, and the business doing a refurbishment must have it identified and removed before work starts. See the asbestos guide.
Can you work on a house on the loose-fill asbestos register?
Homes on the ACT's Affected Residential Premises Register have their own rules: the owner must give anyone working there the current contamination report, work that may disturb the roof space, wall cavity or subfloor needs five business days' notice to WorkSafe ACT, and several building exemptions don't apply, so the work needs a licensed builder. Tell us if your home is on the register.
Can you do several small jobs in one visit?
Yes. A list of small jobs, such as a sticking door, a damaged skirting run and a sagging gate, is often cheaper done together than as separate call-outs. List them all in your enquiry.
Do you supply the timber and materials?
We can supply them, or fit materials you've already bought, such as doors, a robe system or decking boards. Tell us which, and we'll check what you've chosen suits the job.
Which parts of Canberra do you cover?
Belconnen, Gungahlin, Canberra's inner north and inner south, Woden Valley, Weston Creek, Molonglo Valley and Tuggeranong.
Request a carpentry quote in Canberra
Describe the job, the size or quantity, and where it is on the property. Photos help, and mention if the home was built before 2003.