Long, narrow and walled
The classic York garden runs out behind a Victorian or Edwardian terrace: long, narrow, with a high brick wall on each side and a rear offshoot taking a chunk of light. You'll find them across South Bank, Clifton, The Groves, Heworth and Leeman Road. They're lovely gardens, but they can feel like corridors.
A deck can change that. Rather than running decking the full length, we often build a platform outside the kitchen or garden room, sized for a table, with built-in benches along the wall to save space. Sometimes a second small deck at the sunny far end gives you somewhere to sit in the evening, with a path between.
Respecting the house
Many York houses have soft old brickwork, airbricks low in the wall and a damp-proof course that's easy to bridge. We keep decks clear of the wall, below the damp-proof course and never over airbricks, so the house can breathe. For period homes, the material matters too: a hardwood deck or a warm woodgrain composite often sits better than a modern grey.
Large parts of the city are conservation areas, and some homes are listed. We explain what that can mean for a deck in our guide to decking in conservation areas.
Access through the house
Many terraces have no side access, so boards, timber and tools come through the house or along a back lane or ginnel. We plan for it: we protect floors and doorways, cut materials outside where we can, and keep the mess away from your rooms.
Out in the villages
Bishopthorpe, Copmanthorpe, Haxby, Wigginton, Strensall and the Poppletons have bigger, more open gardens, many from the 1960s onwards. Here there's room for larger decks, raised decks where the ground falls and capped composite in a wider range of colours.
Common questions
Can materials come through a terraced house?
Yes. We lay protective sheets, take doors off if needed and bring materials through carefully, cutting outside wherever possible.
Can you build near the Ouse or the Foss?
Often, yes. Some riverside homes are in flood zones, so we keep decks low, avoid blocking flood routes and check anything the council or the Environment Agency might need to see.
What suits a long, narrow garden?
A deck near the house sized for a table, built-in seating along the wall and planting to soften the edges. A second small deck at the far end often works well.