Hi - we had a similar problem as sloping gardens can be the norm in South Wales! We originally had wooden decking - which as everyone has said has maintenance and slipping issues - but changed to composite decking after about 10 years. This is terrific as it's non slip and so easy to brush down. The only thing you need to be careful with is rust which can mark it. Having said that if you love wood there are non slip solutions that are quite effective. With regard to the sides we have glass and covered metal supports which not only stop small children flying off the edge but also add a decorative finish. The beams underneath the decking raise it to the same level as the patio doors so it's quite seamless moving from house to garden. The beams are protected by the decking so they just needed a top up coat of something that smelled disgusting when we replaced the wood with plastic. There are two steps down to the garden and again we've never had any problems as they are quite wide and deep. Oh! And I have had a number of cats living here and expected to find corpses of the rats someone else mentioned...nothing just the fattest spiders you've ever seen. Yuck! Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

It's great to see the progress shots here - I'm sure this resulted in some rather happy homeowners!

Have you chosen your indoor tiles yet? There are a few tiles on the market these days that are suitable for both indoor and outdoor. If you have chosen your indoor tiles, would they also be the right colour for outside, and what is their 'cleanability' / longevity for not gathering moss etc ? I think for me, hardwood decking would suit the house as would big slabs.So it's down to personal choice. Smaller slabs may look a little dwarfed outside with such a good size of garden. Slabs will look great sat on top of brick steps. Can I see the outside there being clad in timber due to all the horizontal lines on the plan? If so, then decking would not be my first choice as it would potentially clash with the cladding. You may also end up looking like you have a great big wooden log cabin with the cladding and decking. So, I think for a traditional look, to tie in with the style of house, it would be large slabs on brick to match those in the house already.

Hello, new is always bright and, sometimes, not great but after a few weeks of rain it should dull down the brightness. I have a question - the deck looks very narrow - only seating width 2 persons? Why didn't they take it out to the edge of the dark green mound picture 3? Picture 2 - I would suggest getting some pretty aggregate and making a pathway between the fence and the deck BUT I would seal up the sides of the decking and even concrete the ground under it (or at least put something over the bare earth) to use as storage area (presumably this hasn't been done). I'm going to probably make people comment on this but with a garden like yours I would have taken it down in levels/ terraces (removing the soil for possible use later) and built retaining walls and steps and having a semi-circular stone terrace at the house end if possible (round end facing away from the house) and another at the bottom end (round end facing the house). However, you have what you have so.... you can paint the wood and why not put a board at the road (?) side of the decking (Pic. 3-4) so people cannot see you eating/drinking/sleeping :-) if this is'nt possible then add a curtain of some sort around the whole area so you cannot be seen by neighbours. If the width of the decking is wide enough, and I'm not sure it is looking at the layout, then suggest planting small conifers in pots (or troughs) around the edges of the decking and once these are established and grown to approximately the height of the pergola roof the trail lights through them and around the frame work For a quick and immediate "FIX" get some trellis with artificial ivy, or similar, and attach it to the pergola on the street side - lots of companies offer Artificial Extendable Trellis Hedge Screening - check out the internet or your local garden centre. It will look very pretty, very quickly once the newness has worn off and, almost certainly by summer depending on the weather. Another quick question - did the builders seal the wood? Thompson Morgan