What you are actually paying for
A deck is four cost lines, not one. First, the boards themselves, quoted per square metre of finished surface. Second, the sub-frame that carries them — steel or recycled plastic, sized to your span and load. Third, fixings and fabrication: stainless or galvanised screws, edge trims, steps, ramps and any bespoke joinery. Fourth, logistics and labour: delivery to site and installation, either by our crew or by your own fundi following our fixing detail.
Publishing a single all-in rate would be dishonest, because a flat garden deck in Arusha and a raised tented-camp platform at Lake Natron with ramps and level changes are not the same job. What is fixed and public is the supply rate.
Working out your own area
Measure the finished surface in square metres — length × width for a rectangle, or sum the rectangles for an L-shape. Add roughly 10% for cutting waste, more if the deck has curves, angles or lots of penetrations. That gives you the area to price.
Our calculator converts the area into running metres of 4×1.5 inch plank and an indicative supply figure in Tanzanian shillings, so you can sanity-check a budget in about two minutes before speaking to anyone.
| Typical deck | Area | Indicative supply at TSh 160,000/m² |
|---|---|---|
| Small balcony or bathroom platform | 6 m² | TSh 960,000 |
| Domestic garden terrace | 20 m² | TSh 3,200,000 |
| Tented-camp room deck | 40 m² | TSh 6,400,000 |
| Lodge lounge and bar terrace | 100 m² | TSh 16,000,000 |
How this compares with timber and imported composite
Hardwood decking looks cheaper on delivery day and stops being cheaper quickly. Budget for sanding and re-oiling every season, board replacement where water sits, and a rebuild inside a decade. Add the operational cost of closing a terrace at a working lodge while that happens.
Imported composite is quoted in foreign currency, then carries freight, duty, clearing and a lead time measured in months. A specification change or a shortage mid-project means another container, not another production run.
Recycled plastic decking made in Arusha removes both problems: the price is fixed in shillings, stock profiles can be collected from the factory, and the maintenance line in your budget is a hose.
How to get a firm price
Send us the area, a sketch or photo of the site, the height above ground and whether you need steps, ramps or balustrade. If the deck is over water, sand or a slope, tell us — it changes the sub-frame.
You will get a written quotation with the board quantity, sub-frame specification, fixings, fabrication, delivery and, if you want it, installation. Quotations are issued from Arusha, usually within 24 hours on working days.
