Asking what a jetty re-deck involves on the Gold Coast is like asking what a renovation involves — the honest answer depends on the structure underneath, the materials chosen and the condition of the frame. What you can know upfront are the four variables that shape every quote, and the three tiers of work most jobs fall into.
Here’s how a finger jetty re-deck actually gets scoped.
Why “Per Metre” Pricing Doesn’t Exist
Every quote you see is shaped by four things that vary job-to-job: total deck length, timber species or composite brand, the structural condition of the frame underneath, and the fixings spec. Two jetties of identical length can quote a long way apart because one needs new joists and stainless fixings and the other doesn’t. A flat per-metre figure is either marketing or a ballpark — never the real number.
The Four Variables That Shape the Quote
Length is the obvious one — board count and labour both scale with it. Timber species is next: Spotted Gum sits at the entry, Merbau a step up, Ironbark above that, and capped composite sits in its own bracket. Frame condition is the wildcard — a sound aluminium frame stays as-is; tired timber joists become a structural job. Fixings are the small line item with a big multiplier — marine-grade 316 stainless beats 304 on lifespan in salt by a wide margin.
Tier 1 — Re-Deck Only (Frame Sound)
For a typical 8–12m Gold Coast finger jetty with a sound aluminium frame, the job is a one-week sequence — strip the deck, cut and pre-drill the new boards, fix down with marine-grade stainless, oil the lot. No structural work, no scaffolding, no marine-works permit. Most owners are surprised it’s this contained.
Tier 2 — Re-Deck Plus Structural Fixes
When the frame needs work — replacement joists, new bracket fixings, gangway hinge resets — the scope grows by a few days and a few line items. This is the most common job we quote, because most jetties don’t get inspected until the deck is already past saving.
Tier 3 — Full Rebuild
A pylons-up rebuild on a standard finger jetty pulls in new piers, a fresh frame, deck, balustrade and any approvals required. This is the right call when the original structure is past sensible repair, and the only one of the three tiers that needs Maritime Safety Queensland sign-off.
Inside a Hope Island Quote
A Hope Island owner came to us in February with a 12m finger jetty, holding a full-rebuild quote from another contractor. The frame was sound. We scoped a Tier 2 — re-deck plus three replacement joists and bracket re-fixings — and the owner ended up with the same look, the same lifespan, and a far smaller scope of work.
Where Owners Get Quoted Twice
Two patterns to watch. The first is “verbal estimate now, real number later” — by the time the second number lands, the deck is already off. The second is line items like “site allowance” or “marine surcharge” without a defined scope. Every quote we send is fixed and itemised before any board moves.
Honest scoping means knowing what you’re paying for and seeing the line items that drive the work. If you’re after a fixed written quote for a finger jetty re-deck on the Gold Coast, the YardTaskers jetty team will inspect on-site and price the job in writing — Tier 1, Tier 2 or rebuild — before any work starts.
