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01 / 09Cost, bylaws, permits, locates and timelines — answered for the GTA, not in general.
Fencing in the GTA is priced per linear foot of finished run, so the honest answer depends on how long the run is and what it is built from. Pressure-treated cedar-look privacy fencing sits at the accessible end, western red cedar and composite panels at the upper end, and chain link below both. Four things move the number more than anything else: the material and board pattern, the post size, how hard the ground is to dig, and how many gates you need. Gates carry hardware and framing that a straight run does not. We measure the property, confirm the bylaw height, check for utilities and access, and then put a fixed figure in writing before anyone starts. You get one price for the finished fence, not an hourly rate that drifts.
Late spring through late autumn is the easiest window in southern Ontario, because the ground is workable and post holes can be augered cleanly below the frost line. That is also the busiest window, so booking in winter or very early spring usually gets you an earlier install date and a calmer schedule. Winter installation is possible here and we do it, but frozen ground slows digging and wet clay makes backfill messier, so the crew needs more time on site for the same run. If you are replacing a failed fence, the practical answer is whichever season you are in — a leaning fence with rotted posts is a safety problem, not a seasonal one. What matters far more than the month is that posts go deep enough and concrete is allowed to set before panels are hung.
No. Two feet is above the frost line across the Greater Toronto Area, which means the post will heave every winter as the soil freezes and expands, and within a few seasons the fence leans. Our posts go well past that depth, into undisturbed soil below the frost depth for this region, and are set in concrete with the hole belled slightly at the base so frost cannot lift them. Corner posts, gate posts and end posts take the most load and get the most attention — a gate post that moves half an inch stops the gate latching. Depth is the single cheapest thing to get right and the most expensive thing to fix, because correcting a heaved post means removing the panels around it. If a quote does not state post depth, ask what it is.
The ones we get called out to repair repeat constantly. Posts set too shallow, so the first hard winter heaves them. No locate call before digging, which risks gas, hydro and irrigation lines. Building to the wrong height for the municipal bylaw, which can mean taking a finished fence back down. Guessing the property line from a hedge or an old fence instead of the survey, which turns into a neighbour dispute. Using interior-grade fasteners that bleed rust down a new cedar board within a year. And leaving the bottom rail sitting in soil or mulch, which wicks moisture straight into the lumber. Every one of these is avoidable at the planning stage and costly afterwards. We confirm line, height and locates in writing before a hole gets dug.
For raw lifespan, a well-installed composite or PVC privacy fence and a galvanized chain link fence both outlast wood comfortably, because neither rots and neither needs refinishing. Composite and PVC hold their appearance with washing alone. Galvanized chain link is the quiet winner on structure — the mesh and posts can serve for decades — though it gives you no privacy. Western red cedar is the longest-lived wood option thanks to its natural oils, and pressure-treated lumber comes next. Both will last well if they are kept out of standing water and re-sealed periodically. The variable people underestimate is installation, not material: the posts fail first, almost always. A cedar fence on properly set posts below the frost line will outlive a composite fence on shallow ones.
Installed fencing is quoted per linear foot, which is why averages travel badly — a short run with two gates and a hand-dig along a garage wall can cost more per foot than a long open run in soft soil. The material sets the band: chain link is the most economical, pressure-treated privacy fencing sits in the middle, and cedar, vinyl and composite panels sit above it. Then site conditions adjust it. Rock, tree roots, old concrete footings, slope, and access too narrow for an auger all add crew time. Removal and disposal of an existing fence is a separate line, as is each gate. We walk the run, measure it, note the obstacles we can see, and hand you a written fixed price rather than a per-foot figure you have to multiply yourself.
Ask for four things in writing and the field narrows fast. First, post depth and post size — anyone who will not commit to a depth below the frost line is guessing. Second, who calls in the utility locates and who is liable if a line is hit. Third, the bylaw height they are building to and which municipality's rule they checked, since GTA municipalities differ. Fourth, a fixed written quote that names the material, the board pattern, the gate count and what happens to the old fence. Then check that they carry liability insurance and WSIB coverage, and look at completed work in the same material you want, not just their best photo. A contractor who answers all four without hedging will usually also show up when they said they would.
Most residential backyard fences in the GTA are a two to three day job once we are on site. Day one is layout, removal of the old fence if there is one, and digging and setting posts. The concrete then needs time to cure before anything is hung on it, which is why a crew that sets posts and boards the same day is doing you no favours. Day two or three is rails, boards or panels, gates, and cleanup. Longer runs, difficult digging, sloped ground or multiple gates extend that. What usually adds weeks is not the build but the front end — utility locates have a legislated turnaround, and permits where a municipality requires one. We give you a date range at quote time and confirm the start once locates clear.
Across the GTA, three account for most of what we install. Wood privacy fencing is the default for backyards — pressure-treated or cedar, in vertical privacy, shadowbox or board-on-board patterns — because it gives full sightline blocking at a reasonable cost and can be stained to suit the house. Chain link is second, chosen for perimeter, pet containment and commercial sites where visibility is fine and budget matters. Third is the low-maintenance group: vinyl and composite panel fencing, picked by homeowners who do not want to re-seal anything and are willing to pay more upfront for that. Aluminum picket sits just behind them, mostly around pools, where the bylaw requires a climb-resistant enclosure with vertical members and self-closing gates.
The GTA is a per-linear-foot market and the range is wide, because the same hundred feet can be a simple open run or a tight urban job with no rear access. Material choice moves the figure most, then post size, then digging conditions — much of the region sits on heavy clay, and older neighbourhoods hide buried concrete and tree roots that slow an auger down. Municipal rules add cost in specific cases, particularly pool enclosures, corner lots with sightline restrictions, and properties where a permit is required. Removal and disposal of an existing fence, and each gate, are quoted separately so you can see what they cost. Rather than publish a number that will not match your yard, we measure on site and issue a fixed written price you can hold us to.
A hundred linear feet is a common backyard run and a useful unit to quote against, because it is long enough that per-foot pricing behaves predictably. The total comes down to the material and board pattern, the post size and spacing, the number of gates in that hundred feet, and whether an old fence has to come out and go to disposal first. Site conditions then adjust it: clay, roots, old footings, slope, or access too narrow for a machine all add crew hours. A hundred feet of chain link and a hundred feet of cedar board-on-board are very different jobs for the same footage. We measure the actual run — corners and steps add footage people forget — confirm the bylaw height, and put a fixed price in writing before work starts.
National figures are close to meaningless for a fence, because the two biggest inputs are regional: lumber supply and frost depth. In southern Ontario, posts must be set below a frost line that is much deeper than in coastal British Columbia, which means more digging, more concrete and longer posts for the same fence. Local bylaws differ too, and they dictate height, gate hardware and pool enclosure requirements. So the sensible comparison is within your own municipality. What is consistent everywhere is the cost structure: material and pattern first, post size and depth second, gates third, then site conditions and disposal of the old fence. We quote against your measured run and your municipality's rules rather than a national average.
On paper yes, because labour is a real share of any fence quote. In practice the savings get eaten by the parts that are easy to underestimate. Post holes need to reach below the frost line in GTA clay, which is hard work without an auger, and rental plus concrete plus disposal of the spoil adds up. You are responsible for calling in utility locates before you dig, and for the fence meeting your municipality's height bylaw — a fence built too high can be ordered down. Keeping a long run plumb and true across sloping ground is the part that catches most people, and a fence that reads crooked from the patio is not fixable without pulling posts. If you have the tools and the time, a short straight run is a reasonable DIY project. A full perimeter with gates usually is not.
A post costs far more installed than it does on the shelf, and that gap is where most DIY budgets go wrong. The installed cost of one post includes the timber or steel itself, the hole dug below the frost line, the concrete that sets it, disposal of the excavated soil, and the labour to get it plumb and in line with every other post on the run. Post size matters: a six-by-six carries more load and resists twisting better than a four-by-four, and it costs more in both material and concrete. Corner, end and gate posts do the structural work and are often upsized for that reason. Because posts are priced inside the per-linear-foot rate rather than counted separately, the quote you get reflects spacing and post size without you having to tally them.
Two hundred linear feet is usually a full property perimeter or a large rear yard, and at that length two things start to matter. First, per-foot efficiency improves — the crew is set up once and works continuously, so a long open run is better value per foot than a short awkward one. Second, long runs cross more variation: a change in grade, a section along a driveway that has to be hand-dug, a neighbour's existing fence that partly stays. Those sections are quoted on their own conditions. Gates, corner posts and disposal of an old fence are itemised so nothing is buried in a single number. Runs past two hundred feet move into volume pricing, which we handle as a custom quote rather than a calculator estimate.
Per-foot pricing is the standard way fencing is quoted, and the band is wide because it has to cover everything from galvanized chain link to cedar board-on-board on six-by-six posts. Material and board pattern set the starting rate. A shadowbox pattern uses more boards than a plain vertical privacy fence; board-on-board uses more again, and buys you no gaps as the wood dries. Post size steps the rate up. Then regional reality applies: in southern Ontario the frost line is deep, so the digging and concrete behind every post are a real part of the rate. A per-foot figure is only useful once it names the material, the pattern, the height and the post size, which is why we quote yours after measuring rather than from a table.
Measure the run properly first, because that is where most estimates go wrong. Walk the perimeter you intend to fence and measure each straight section separately, following the ground rather than cutting corners — steps, angles and jogs around a shed all add footage. Subtract nothing for gates; they cost more per foot, not less, so count them as their own items. Then take your quoted per-foot rate for the specific material, pattern, height and post size you want, multiply it by the measured footage, and add the gates, the removal and disposal of any existing fence, and any hand-dig sections. A rate quoted without naming the pattern and post size cannot be compared against another one. Our quote does that arithmetic for you against measurements taken on site.
Three hundred linear feet is a large residential perimeter or a small commercial run, and at that scale the pricing conversation changes. The crew works continuously, so the per-foot rate is more efficient than on a short job, but a run that long almost always crosses varied ground — a grade change, a section with no machine access, tree roots, an old footing. Those sections are priced on what they actually require rather than smoothed into one rate. Material choice dominates the total at this length: the difference between chain link and cedar over three hundred feet is substantial. Runs above two hundred feet go to custom volume pricing with us rather than an automatic figure, so you get a measured written quote that itemises gates, disposal and any difficult digging.
Four hundred feet is commercial or acreage territory and we quote it as a custom job, not from a rate card. At that length the drivers shift. Material volume dominates, so the choice between galvanized chain link and a wood privacy fence changes the total dramatically. Access matters more than on a small yard — whether a machine can reach the whole line, or whether sections have to be dug by hand, can swing the labour significantly. Grade changes over that distance usually mean stepped or racked sections. Gate count, gate width and whether any gate needs to take vehicle traffic all get priced individually. Site survey is not optional at this scale: we walk the full line, note the conditions section by section, and issue one written fixed price covering the whole run.
Professional installation is priced into the per-linear-foot rate rather than billed as an hourly labour line, which means the figure you approve is the figure you pay. What you are buying beyond the materials is the part that determines whether the fence is still straight in ten years: utility locates called in before digging, post holes taken below the frost line, posts set in concrete and left to cure, and a run kept plumb and true across sloping ground. It also covers liability and workplace coverage while people are working on your property, and disposal of the old fence and the excavated soil. We measure on site, confirm the bylaw height for your municipality, and give you a fixed written price before any work begins.
For a hundred feet of wood fence, three choices set the price before site conditions are even considered. The species: pressure-treated lumber is the accessible option and western red cedar sits above it, with better natural rot resistance and a finish most people prefer. The board pattern: plain vertical privacy uses the least material, shadowbox more, and board-on-board the most — but board-on-board stays gap-free as the wood shrinks. And the post size, where a six-by-six resists twisting better than a four-by-four over a long run. On top of that comes gate count, removal and disposal of the existing fence, and any section that has to be hand-dug. We measure the real run, confirm your municipality's height limit, and issue a fixed written price.
Six feet is the common backyard privacy height across the GTA and it is what most of our wood fence work is built to. Cost tracks the species, the board pattern and the post size, then adjusts for your site. At six feet the fence catches real wind load, so post size and depth matter more than they do on a low fence — this is not the place to save money on a four-by-four where a six-by-six belongs. Check the bylaw before committing to a height: municipalities in the region set their own maximums for rear and side yards, and front yards are usually restricted further. A lattice or decorative top can sometimes add visual height where the bylaw allows it. We confirm the applicable limit for your address as part of the quote.
In most Ontario municipalities a residential fence built within the bylaw height does not need a building permit, but it does have to comply with the local fence bylaw, and those differ from city to city across the GTA. The bylaw governs maximum height in rear, side and front yards, what is allowed on a corner lot where sightlines matter, and materials in some cases. Pool enclosures are the significant exception: they are separately regulated, require a permit in most municipalities, and have specific rules for height, climbability, gate self-closing and self-latching hardware. Heritage districts and some site-plan-controlled properties add their own approvals. Utility locates are legally required before digging regardless of whether a permit is. We confirm what applies to your address before the job is booked.
Ontario's Line Fences Act sets out a process for sharing the cost of a fence built on the boundary between two properties, and the general principle is that a division fence benefits both owners. In practice, most GTA neighbours simply agree between themselves on the material, the height and the split, and that agreement is worth putting in writing before the build. Where agreement is not possible, the Act provides a fence-viewer process through the municipality. Two things change the answer: if the fence sits entirely on one side of the line it is that owner's fence and cost, and if one owner wants an upgrade beyond a basic division fence, the extra is usually theirs. We can build to a boundary line agreed by both parties and quote each side separately if that helps the conversation.
Generally not without approval, because GTA municipalities cap residential fence height and seven feet is above the usual rear and side yard maximum. The exact limit and the way height is measured — from which grade, and whether a lattice top counts — are set by the local fence bylaw, so the answer depends on which city the properties are in. Where a neighbour wants extra height there is normally a variance or minor exemption process through the municipality, and it involves notice. Corner lots are often restricted further for driver sightlines, and a pool enclosure is governed by its own rules. If a fence has already gone up and you think it exceeds the limit, municipal bylaw enforcement is the route. We build to the verified limit for your address and put that height in the written quote.
Vinyl, also sold as PVC fencing, costs more per linear foot than pressure-treated wood and less than the top cedar and composite options, and the trade you are making is higher upfront cost for near-zero maintenance. For a hundred feet, the price is driven by the panel style and height, the post size, and the fact that vinyl is a panel system — it wants regular post spacing, so an awkward run with many short sections is less efficient than an open one. Gates need reinforced posts and proper hardware, and they are quoted individually. Removal and disposal of an existing fence is separate. Vinyl also carries a minimum practical order length, below which the setup cost dominates. We measure the run and issue a fixed written price for the finished fence.
Vinyl's weaknesses are specific and worth knowing before you choose it. It costs more upfront than pressure-treated wood. It is a panel system, so it is less forgiving on sloped or irregular ground than a board fence you can rack or step board by board. Colour choice is limited, it cannot be stained afterwards, and lighter colours show dirt until they are washed. In cold weather the material is more brittle, so a hard impact is more likely to crack a rail than dent it, and a cracked section usually means replacing a whole panel rather than a single board. Long sections in strong sun can develop a slight wave if the posts were not set properly. Against all that, it does not rot, does not need sealing, and washes clean, which is exactly why people pick it.
Pressure-treated wood is cheaper to install; vinyl is usually cheaper to own. A wood privacy fence has the lower upfront number, but it needs cleaning and re-sealing every few years to hold its appearance, individual boards cup or split over time, and the bottom rail is vulnerable where it sits near soil. Vinyl costs more on day one and then needs washing and nothing else — no stain, no rot, no fasteners bleeding rust. Cedar sits between them: more expensive than pressure-treated, better natural rot resistance, and still a finish you maintain. The honest way to decide is how long you intend to keep the property and whether you will actually do the maintenance a wood fence needs. If the answer is a long time and probably not, vinyl wins on total cost.
Galvanized chain link is the most economical fence to install per linear foot, and for perimeter marking, pet containment or a commercial boundary it is a sensible choice rather than a compromise — the mesh and posts last a long time and need essentially no maintenance. It gives you no privacy, which is the whole trade. If you need sightlines blocked, the cheapest option that does that is a pressure-treated vertical privacy fence on four-by-four posts. Below that, costs only come down by cutting things that matter: shallower posts, wider post spacing, thinner pickets. Those savings reappear as a leaning fence within a few winters. A shorter run of good fence is a better use of a tight budget than a long run of a fence that will not stand. We are happy to quote a phased perimeter for that reason.
Vinyl is a manufactured panel system, so post spacing is set by the panel length rather than chosen on site — the rails arrive cut to a fixed span and the posts have to land exactly where they meet. That is the key difference from a wood fence, where rails can be cut to any length and spacing can absorb an obstacle. It means layout accuracy matters far more with vinyl: a post a couple of inches out of position will not accept the rail. It also means an irregular run needs planning, because leftover sections shorter than a full panel have to be cut down and finished properly. Gate posts are upsized and set deeper than line posts because they carry a swinging load. Our crews lay out the full run and confirm the panel count before any hole is dug.
A deck is priced on its footprint, its height off the ground, and what it is built from, and those three interact. Height is the one people underestimate: once a deck sits above a certain height it needs guards, and the framing, footings and stair runs all grow, so a raised deck costs considerably more per square foot than a ground-level platform of the same size. Material sets the next band, from pressure-treated framing and decking at the accessible end through cedar to composite and PVC surfaces. Railing is effectively its own budget line, especially in aluminum or glass. Then site conditions: footings in GTA clay have to reach below the frost line, and difficult access or a sloped yard adds crew time. We measure, confirm what the municipality requires, and quote a fixed written price.
For a Canadian climate the practical shortlist is pressure-treated softwood and western red cedar. Pressure-treated lumber is the workhorse — treated to resist rot and insects, strong enough for framing, and the most economical decking surface. Its drawback is movement: boards cup, check and twist as they dry, so it needs fastening well and re-sealing periodically. Western red cedar is dimensionally more stable, has natural oils that resist decay, stays cooler underfoot and simply looks better, at a higher cost. A common and sensible combination is pressure-treated framing below with a cedar walking surface above, since the frame is not what you look at. Whichever you choose, the detail that decides lifespan is keeping end-grain and the underside ventilated and out of standing water. Composite is the alternative when you want no refinishing at all.
It is the quickest way to confirm a corner is square, and it comes from the right-angle triangle. Measure three units along one edge, four units along the adjoining edge, and if the diagonal between those two points measures exactly five units, the corner is a true ninety degrees. Any consistent unit works — three, four and five feet on a small layout, or six, eight and ten on a larger one for better accuracy. Deck builders use it when setting out footings and again when squaring the frame, because an out-of-square frame shows up later as tapering board gaps and a railing that does not line up. On a rectangular deck the other check is that both diagonals measure the same. It takes a minute at layout and saves a day of correction.
There is no single number, because footing count comes out of the structural design rather than the square footage. What determines it is the beam and joist span for the lumber size being used, the height of the deck, the load it has to carry, and whether anything heavy such as a hot tub or an outdoor kitchen is planned. A larger beam spans further and needs fewer footings; a smaller one needs more. On a twenty by twenty deck you are typically looking at multiple beam lines rather than one. What is not negotiable in this region is depth: every footing has to bear below the frost line on undisturbed soil, or the deck will move with the seasons. We size the framing and footing layout to the Ontario Building Code for your specific deck and submit it with the permit application where one is required.
The failures we are asked to repair are consistent. Footings too shallow for the frost line, so the deck lifts and racks over a winter. Ledger attachment to the house done without proper flashing, which lets water behind the cladding and rots the rim joist — this is the one that causes real structural damage. Guards built without checking the height at which they become mandatory, or with spacing that fails inspection. Interior-grade screws and hangers that rust and stain within a season. Boards butted tight with no gap for drainage and expansion. And no permit where the municipality required one, which becomes a problem at resale. None of these show up in the first month, which is exactly why they get made. We build to code, flash the ledger properly, and handle the permit.
Four hundred square feet is a large deck and the cost spread on it is wide. Height drives it hardest: at ground level you need no guards and short or no stairs, while a deck raised to a second-storey door needs taller posts, more footings, a full guard system and a longer stair run, which can approach a significant share of the build on its own. Material for the walking surface sets the next band, from pressure-treated through cedar to composite and PVC. Railing choice — wood, aluminum, glass — moves the total more than most people expect at this size. Then footings below the frost line in clay, access for materials, and any grade change. A deck this size will usually require a permit. We quote a fixed written price after measuring and confirming what the municipality needs.
A twelve by twelve is the most common size we are asked about and it is a good value footprint, because the frame is simple and a single beam line often does the job. Cost depends on whether it sits at grade or is raised. At grade with no guards required and one or two steps down to the lawn, you are paying mostly for footings, frame and surface. Raised high enough to need guards, the same footprint costs noticeably more, because the guard runs the full perimeter and the stairs get longer. Material choice is the other lever — pressure-treated surface at the accessible end, cedar above it, composite and PVC above that. Footings still have to reach below the frost line regardless of size. We measure the intended location, check the permit threshold, and issue a fixed written price.
A poured concrete patio at grade is usually cheaper than a deck of the same area, because there is no framing, no footings below the frost line, no guards and no stairs. It is also very low maintenance. But it only competes on cost where the ground is already close to level and near the door height. As soon as you need to bridge a drop — a walkout that sits well above grade, or a sloping yard — concrete needs retaining and fill, and a deck becomes both cheaper and better. A deck also lets water and air through, works over utilities and tree roots, can be built to meet a door threshold exactly, and can be modified later. Concrete cracks in this freeze-thaw climate and is difficult to alter. The honest deciding factor is the height difference between your door and your grade.
On most decks it is the structure you never see plus the railing you do. Footings and framing take the largest labour share, because every footing has to be dug below the frost line, poured and set before any deck board is laid, and in GTA clay that is real work. If the deck is raised, the guard system becomes the other big number — it runs the entire perimeter, and aluminum or glass costs considerably more per foot than a wood picket guard. Stairs are expensive per square foot too, since a run needs its own footing, stringers and a handrail. The walking surface material matters, but it is a smaller share of the total than people assume, which is why upgrading the surface is often better value than it looks. We itemise these so you can see where the money goes.
At around two hundred and eighty square feet this is a full outdoor living space, and in Canada the regional factor that matters is frost depth. Footings here have to bear below a frost line that is deep in southern Ontario, so the foundation work behind a deck this size is more substantial than it would be in a milder climate. Beyond that, the same drivers apply everywhere: height off grade and therefore guards and stairs, the walking surface material, the railing system, and access to the site. A deck of this size will normally require a building permit in GTA municipalities, and the drawings and review are part of the timeline. Rather than quote a national figure, we size the framing to code for your actual deck and issue a fixed written price.
A composite deck costs more than a pressure-treated one and the premium sits almost entirely in the walking surface and the fasteners, not the frame — composite decking is laid over conventional pressure-treated framing. Within composite there are real tiers: entry-level boards, capped composite with a protective outer layer, and PVC boards, each step up costing more and holding its appearance better. The other cost drivers are the same as any deck: height off grade and therefore guards and stairs, footprint, railing choice, and footings below the frost line. Hidden fastener systems add a little cost and a much cleaner surface. Composite also requires slightly tighter joist spacing than wood on some products, which adds framing. We quote the specific board tier you choose as a fixed written price after measuring.
Composite has genuine drawbacks. It costs more upfront than pressure-treated wood — often substantially. Darker boards get hot underfoot in direct summer sun, more so than cedar. It cannot be sanded or refinished, so a deep scratch or gouge is permanent and the fix is replacing a board. Lower-tier uncapped boards can fade or stain from grease and leaf tannins; capped and PVC products handle this much better, which is part of what you pay for. It is heavier than wood and less forgiving to work with, and some products need closer joist spacing, which adds framing cost. It also never looks quite like real wood up close. What you get in return is no sanding, no staining and no rot for decades — which for most of our clients is the whole point.
The composite surface itself will typically outlast a wood deck by a wide margin — several decades of service with nothing more than washing, and capped and PVC products hold colour longer than uncapped ones. That is the number the decking industry advertises, and it is broadly fair. The part that decides whether your deck lasts that long is underneath it. Composite boards are laid over pressure-treated framing, and the frame, the footings and the ledger connection to the house are what actually fail on a neglected deck. Footings that did not reach below the frost line will move, and a ledger flashed badly will rot the house rim joist long before the boards wear out. So a composite deck's real lifespan is the lifespan of its structure. We build the frame to code and flash the ledger properly for exactly that reason.
For a hundred and forty-four square feet in composite, expect to pay more than the same deck in pressure-treated and less than one in PVC. The surface material and the board tier you choose is the largest single variable, followed by whether the deck is raised high enough to require a guard around the perimeter — at this footprint, a full guard system is a significant share of the total. Hidden fasteners, fascia and picture framing around the edge are common choices on composite and are quoted as options, since they change both look and cost. The frame beneath is conventional pressure-treated lumber on footings below the frost line, and some composite products require closer joist spacing than wood. We measure the location, confirm the permit threshold, and give you a fixed written price.
It depends on span, and that is a structural calculation rather than a preference. Deeper joists span further: a two-by-eight carries further between beams than a two-by-six, so choosing the smaller size means adding beams and footings to keep spans within code. For most residential decks in Ontario, two-by-eight joists are the common choice for the main frame, with two-by-six appearing on short spans and low platforms. Composite decking complicates it, because several products require tighter joist spacing than wood — so the joist size and the spacing have to be set together with the board you have chosen. Ontario Building Code span tables govern all of it, and a permit application will be reviewed against them. We size the frame for your deck's spans and loads instead of defaulting to a lumber size.
Four hundred square feet of composite is a major deck and the surface material alone is a large line item, because composite is priced well above pressure-treated per square foot and the tier matters — entry-level, capped composite, and PVC are three distinct price points. On top of the surface, the cost drivers are the same as any deck this size: the height off grade, which decides whether a full perimeter guard and a long stair run are needed, the railing system you choose, the footing count set by the framing design, and access for delivering material. At this footprint a permit will normally be required in GTA municipalities. Hidden fasteners and picture-framed edges are usual on a deck this visible and are quoted as options. We measure and issue one fixed written price.
Composite decking is imported and distributed regionally, so board pricing varies less across Canada than the cost of building the deck underneath it does. The regional factor is the structure: in southern Ontario every footing has to bear below a deep frost line, so the foundation work behind the same square footage is more substantial than in a mild coastal climate. Snow load also influences framing design. Within the surface itself, the tier you choose — uncapped, capped composite or PVC — moves the price more than geography does. Railing choice, deck height, stairs and site access then complete the picture. Because a national average tells you almost nothing about your own yard, we size the frame to Ontario code for your deck and quote the specific board you select as a fixed written price.
Five hundred square feet is a large surface, and at that area the board tier you choose has the biggest effect on the total — the gap between entry-level composite and PVC across five hundred square feet is considerable. Beyond boards, you are paying for the framing and footings that carry them, and some composite products require closer joist spacing than wood, which adds lumber at this scale. Waste matters too: board lengths, the deck's shape and any picture framing or diagonal pattern change how much material is actually ordered versus the bare square footage. Fascia to close the edges, hidden fasteners, and the railing system are quoted separately because they are real choices. We calculate the board order from the actual layout rather than the nominal area and put one fixed price in writing.
Per-board pricing is how suppliers sell composite, and a twenty-foot board costs more than a sixteen-foot one of the same product — but board price is a poor way to budget a deck. Two boards at the same length can differ substantially because of the product tier: uncapped composite, capped composite with a protective outer shell, and PVC are distinct price levels, and grooved boards for hidden fasteners differ from square-edge boards. Longer lengths also cost more per foot to buy but generate less waste and fewer butt joints on a long deck, so they can work out better overall. What we quote is the installed deck, with the board order calculated from your actual layout, because that is the number that decides your cost rather than a shelf price per stick.
It depends what you are optimising for. For the lowest maintenance and the best colour retention, PVC decking sits above composite — it has no wood content at all, so it will not absorb moisture or stain, and it is lighter, at a higher price. For natural appearance and feel underfoot, western red cedar beats composite outright, stays cooler in sun and can be refinished when it weathers, but it needs re-sealing to stay that way. For lowest cost, pressure-treated lumber is still unbeaten. There is no single best surface, only the right trade between upfront cost, maintenance you are willing to do, and how you want the deck to look in ten years. We build in all of them and will walk you through the trade for your specific deck rather than steer you to one.
Chain link is the most economical fence per linear foot, and its pricing is driven by specification rather than style. Mesh gauge and the size of the diamond matter — a heavier gauge wire costs more and lasts longer. So does the finish: plain galvanized is the base, and black or green vinyl-coated mesh costs more and looks considerably better on a residential property. Height steps the rate up, as does post and rail diameter, which is where commercial-grade fence separates from residential. Then the same site factors as any fence apply: digging conditions, post depth below the frost line, gate count and gate width, and removal of an existing fence. Because chain link is often specified for long runs, footage efficiency helps. We measure and issue a fixed written price.
Chain link is cheaper to install and cheaper to own than a wood fence, and it is not close. The material costs less per linear foot, it goes up faster, and once it is in there is nothing to stain, seal or replace — galvanized mesh and posts simply keep working. A wood privacy fence costs more upfront, needs cleaning and re-sealing every few years to hold its appearance, and will eventually need boards replaced. The reason people still choose wood is the one thing chain link does not do: block sightlines. If privacy is the requirement, chain link is not really a competing option. If the requirement is a secure boundary, pet containment or a commercial perimeter, chain link is the better engineering answer as well as the cheaper one.
A properly installed galvanized chain link fence is one of the longest-lived fences you can buy — decades of service with essentially no maintenance, because there is nothing to rot and the zinc coating protects the steel. Vinyl-coated mesh adds another barrier over the galvanizing and typically lasts longer still, as well as looking better. What actually ends a chain link fence's life is rarely the mesh. It is the posts: a post set too shallow for the frost line will heave, and once the line goes out of true the tension across the mesh is lost and gates stop latching. Corrosion tends to start where the coating was damaged, often at cuts made on site. We set posts below the frost depth and finish cut ends properly, which is what makes the advertised lifespan real.
The obvious one is that it offers no privacy — you can see straight through it, and that rules it out for most backyards where screening is the goal. It also reads industrial, which is why many residential installations use black vinyl-coated mesh instead of plain galvanized, since dark coating visually recedes against planting and looks far less utilitarian. Chain link is climbable, so it deters less than a solid fence of the same height. It blocks no wind and dampens no noise. And the mesh can be deformed by a hard impact, leaving a visible dent that is awkward to pull back true. Privacy slats woven through the mesh are a partial answer and change the appearance considerably. For perimeter, pets and commercial boundaries, none of these matter much.
For residential properties, black vinyl-coated mesh is the best-looking choice by a clear margin. Dark coating visually disappears against shrubs, trees and shade, so the fence reads as a boundary rather than a barrier, while plain galvanized catches light and draws the eye. Green coating works well against dense hedging and mature planting but can look out of place against hard landscaping. Plain galvanized remains the right call where cost is the priority or where the site is industrial or utilitarian, and it is perfectly durable. Beyond appearance, the coating is a second protective layer over the galvanizing, so a coated fence generally outlasts an uncoated one. Whichever colour you choose, match the posts, rails, fittings and gate frames to it — mixing a coated mesh with bare galvanized posts undoes the effect entirely.
Railing is quoted per linear foot and the material sets the band. A wood picket guard built to match a deck is the most economical. Powder-coated aluminum costs more and is the most common upgrade, because it never needs painting and the slim profile blocks less of the view. Glass panel systems, whether framed or frameless, sit at the top, with tempered glass and the hardware to hold it driving the cost. Cable and steel systems fall between aluminum and glass. Then the details adjust it: stair sections cost more per foot than level runs because of the angled cuts and terminations, corners and posts add hardware, and a code-compliant graspable handrail on stairs is its own component. We quote the specific system and the measured run as a fixed written price.
Under the Ontario Building Code, a stair in a house generally requires a handrail once it has more than two risers, so from three steps up you need one. That is separate from the guard requirement, which is about fall height rather than step count: a guard is required where a walking surface, including a deck or a landing, is more than six hundred millimetres — roughly two feet — above the surrounding grade. So a low deck can need no guard while its three-step stair still needs a handrail. Guards also have their own rules on height and on opening sizes, so a child cannot pass through. Requirements differ between a house and other building types, and municipal inspection will check both. We confirm what applies to your specific deck height and stair run before building it.
For exterior residential railing in this climate, aluminum is usually the better choice. It does not rust, so a scratch in the finish is cosmetic rather than the start of corrosion, and with a powder-coated finish it needs no repainting. It is light, which makes for slim profiles that block less of the view, and it is straightforward to install and to extend later. Steel is stronger and stiffer, which matters on long spans, commercial guards and heavy architectural work, and it can be fabricated into shapes aluminum cannot. Its weakness is corrosion: any breach in the coating on an outdoor steel railing will rust eventually, and galvanizing or regular maintenance is the price of using it. For a typical GTA deck or porch guard, aluminum wins on cost of ownership.
Judged on cost of ownership, powder-coated aluminum is the best all-round outdoor railing material in southern Ontario. It does not rot or rust, survives freeze-thaw without complaint, needs no refinishing, and its slim members keep the view open — which matters more on a deck than people expect. Glass is the best choice where the view is the point, at a higher cost and with cleaning to do. Wood is the most economical and can be built to match a deck exactly, but it is the one material that needs ongoing sealing and will eventually need parts replaced. Steel belongs where strength or a custom fabricated shape is required. Whatever the material, the railing has to meet Ontario Building Code requirements for guard height and opening sizes, and that is not a place to economise.
Powder-coated aluminum and glass systems outlast wood railing comfortably, because neither rots nor needs refinishing and both shrug off freeze-thaw cycles. Between them, aluminum is the more forgiving long-term choice: there is no glass to crack and nothing to keep clean for the system to look right. Cable systems last well too, though the cables need periodic re-tensioning to stay code-compliant. Wood railing has the shortest life, and it fails in a predictable place — the posts and the bottom rail, where water sits and end-grain is exposed. What shortens any railing's life more than the material is how it is attached: a guard is a structural element and its post connections carry real load, so posts through-bolted into properly blocked framing outlast anything surface-fixed. We build the connection to code, not to the fastest method.
We are an installation contractor, not a manufacturer or a materials retailer. We build decks and fences on your property across the Greater Toronto Area: layout, footings below the frost line, framing, boards, railings, stairs and gates, finished and inspected. Composite boards are a surface option we install, alongside pressure-treated lumber and western red cedar, and the boards themselves are made by manufacturers we do not represent and whose brands we do not resell. If you already have material on site we can build with it; if you do not, we specify and source what suits the deck and include it in the written fixed price. What you are buying from us is the build and the crew that stands behind it, not a product off a shelf.
