What it costs to have metal posts and a frame fitted for a terrace

What makes up the price of a metal terrace frame

A metal frame job is priced on three things: labour hours, materials, and access. Labour covers marking out, digging or drilling for the posts, cutting and welding the steel, and levelling the whole structure so the decking sits flat. Materials are the posts, brackets, fixings and any paint or galvanising. Access matters because a terrace against a wall in a tight Kalamaja garden takes longer to work in than an open plot.

Hourly work for this kind of job runs from 39 € an hour, with a minimum of one hour and 30-minute steps after that. Welding specifically is charged from 55 € an hour, since it needs its own equipment and a steadier pace than general handyman work. For a full steel structure — posts, frame and bracing sized to the terrace — a fixed quote from 250 € per job is more usual, once we have seen photos or measurements.

A straightforward decking and terrace job, where the frame is simple and the decking goes on the same visit, can start from 90 € per job. Anything with a roof frame, multiple levels, or non-standard spans moves well past that starting point, which is why a fixed quote matters more than an hourly rate for larger work.

Post count and layout drive the price more than anything else

Every extra post is an extra hole or fixing, an extra length of steel to cut and weld, and an extra point to level accurately. A small terrace with four posts is a different job from a wraparound terrace with twelve. Posts spaced further apart also need thicker steel to carry the same load without flexing, which changes the material cost too.

Layout matters as much as count. Posts in a straight line along one edge are quicker to set out than posts on two sides at right angles, or a terrace that steps down with the slope of a garden. Corners, changes in level, and posts that have to clear an existing path or drain all add time before any welding starts.

If you already have a rough sketch of where the posts should go, from the timber-versus-metal decision you made earlier, that sketch is useful to hand over. It lets a quote be based on the actual layout rather than a general estimate.

Ground fixing method: screw piles, concrete, or an existing base

How the posts go into the ground is one of the bigger swings in price. Screw piles (kruvivai) are driven in mechanically, need no curing time, and disturb the least ground — useful where a lawn or existing paving has to stay intact. They are usually quicker to fit than a concrete footing.

Concrete footings mean digging a hole, setting the post plumb, pouring, and then waiting for the concrete to cure before the frame can take any real load. This adds a return visit or a delay of at least a few days, which shows up as extra time on the job even though the pour itself is not long.

Where a terrace is going onto an existing concrete slab or an old foundation, posts can sometimes be bolted straight down with base plates, which is faster than either option above — but only if that base is sound. A cracked or uneven slab needs assessing before anyone commits to bolting into it.

Steel gauge and how much welding the job needs

Thicker steel costs more per metre and takes longer to cut cleanly, but it is what carries a roof frame or a raised terrace without sagging over the years. A frame that only supports decking boards close to the ground can use lighter steel than one carrying a pergola roof or holding up a terrace a metre off the ground.

Welding time depends on the number of joints, not just the length of steel. A frame with bracing at every post, or diagonal supports for a roof structure, has far more joints to weld and grind smooth than a simple four-post frame with a flat top rail. Galvanised or painted steel also needs the weld areas touched up afterwards to stop rust starting at the joint.

What is usually included in the price and what is billed separately

A quote for a steel structure normally includes the posts, the frame steel, fixings, welding, and levelling the finished frame ready for decking. It does not usually include the decking boards themselves, a roof covering, or electrical work such as outdoor lighting, which needs a qualified electrician and is quoted separately.

Steel and fixings bought on your behalf carry a 10% handling fee on top of the material cost, or you can supply them yourself if you already have a source. A call-out fee of 25 € applies within Tallinn for a site visit, and it is deducted from the bill if the job goes ahead.

• Included: marking out, posts, frame steel, welding, fixings, levelling
• Usually extra: decking boards, roof covering, lighting or other electrical work
• Extra if we buy materials: 10% handling fee, or you supply the steel yourself
• Call-out fee: 25 € within Tallinn, deducted from the bill if the job proceeds
• Larger jobs: fixed quote valid for 30 days, based on photos or measurements

What to specify when you ask for a quote

A useful quote request includes the terrace dimensions, the number of posts you expect, whether the frame needs to carry a roof or pergola, and what the ground is like — lawn, paving, or an existing slab. A few photos of the site, including anything close by such as a wall, path or drain, help avoid surprises once work starts.

It is also worth saying whether you have a preference on fixing method, or whether you are open to whichever suits the ground best. A quote that names the steel gauge, the fixing method, and what is and is not included is one you can compare properly against the timber option you already looked at.

Any fixed quote is valid for 30 days, and an appointment can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours ahead if your plans change before work starts.