Enclosed Outdoor Living Spaces in Hobart
Decking Hobart Specialist
Hobart’s Trusted Enclosed Outdoor Living Spaces
Here’s the thing about Hobart’s weather – you spend thousands on that beautiful deck or patio, and then you’re stuck watching it through the window half the year because it’s too cold, too windy, or just plain miserable to be out there. We’ve seen this story play out dozens of times with homeowners across Greater Hobart.
That’s where professional enclosed outdoor living spaces in Hobart come in. We’re talking about turning that underused outdoor area into a year-round retreat you’ll actually use. Whether it’s adding glass panels to block that brutal southerly wind, installing café blinds so you can still enjoy Christmas lunch without freezing, or creating a fully enclosed room with proper heating and lighting – we help Hobart homeowners extend their living space without the cost and hassle of a full renovation.
We work with glass, polycarbonate, and screen options. Full enclosures, partial walls, retractable systems – whatever makes sense for your property and budget. And we service all of Greater Hobart, from Sandy Bay to Glenorchy, Kingston to Lindisfarne.
Enclosure Options
Glass Enclosures are the premium option – frameless or framed, they give you maximum views while keeping the weather out completely. Perfect if you want that uninterrupted outlook across the Derwent. These are properly weather-sealed and built to handle Tasmania’s conditions.
Polycarbonate Panels offer excellent light transmission at a more budget-friendly price point. You still get weather protection, and the natural light makes the space feel open even when it’s sealed up tight.
Café Blinds and PVC Screens are popular in Hobart for good reason. They roll up when you don’t need them, roll down when that wind picks up. Available in clear or tinted options, and they’re surprisingly effective at blocking that coastal wind.
Retractable Screens give you flexibility – use them seasonally, keep the insects out in summer, provide some wind protection in autumn. Not as robust as solid enclosures, but they work well for properties that don’t cop the full force of the weather
Solid Wall Enclosures are basically permanent rooms. You’ll need Council approval for these, but you get full insulation and year-round comfort. We can also do hybrid solutions – maybe glass on two sides, solid walls on the others. Whatever makes sense for your site.
Roofing integration matters too. Insulated roof panels provide thermal comfort, polycarbonate roofing keeps natural light flooding in, or Colorbond gives you complete weather protection. For climate control, we can integrate outdoor heaters (electric or gas), ceiling fans for summer, and LED lighting throughout.
Our Enclosed Living Space Service
We don’t do cookie-cutter solutions. Every property in Hobart has different exposure, different wind patterns, different challenges. So we start with a proper consultation – come out to your place, look at the wind direction, the views you want to keep, how you actually plan to use the space.
From there, we design an enclosure that works for Tasmania. That means quality materials that won’t fall apart in our UV levels, won’t go brittle in our cold winters, and won’t leak when we get those sideways rain events.
Professional installation is a given – we’ve been doing this long enough to know what holds up and what doesn’t. If you want heating and electrical integrated (most people do), we bring in licensed sparkies. Everything’s properly weatherproofed and sealed.
We’ll match your existing architecture too. No point having a beautiful Federation home with a modern glass box stuck on the side unless that’s the look you’re after.
Council permits? If you’re going permanent structure, yeah, you’ll likely need them. We’ll tell you upfront what’s required. Building compliance, full insurance coverage – all sorted.
Decking Hobart Specialist
Hobart Considerations
Let’s be honest about Hobart’s climate. Our winters are cold – not freeze-your-pipes cold like Melbourne, but cold enough that an unheated outdoor space is pretty much unusable from June through August. That’s where proper enclosures make the difference. Add a decent heater, and suddenly you’ve got a usable room for 12 months instead of 6.
Wind protection is huge here, especially if you’re coastal or on an exposed site. Even properties that seem sheltered can cop a hiding when the southerlies come through.
Rain sealing matters in a city that gets 600mm+ rainfall annually. We see a lot of badly installed enclosures that leak at the joins – we seal everything properly.
Condensation management is something people don’t think about until they’ve got it. Enclosed spaces can build up moisture, especially with heating. We design ventilation into the system.
Council approval requirements vary. Temporary structures like café blinds usually don’t need permits, but permanent enclosures often do. We’ll tell you what applies to your situation.
FAQs About Enclosed Outdoor Living Spaces
Depends on what you’re building. Retractable café blinds or temporary screens? Usually fine without permits. But if you’re adding permanent walls, glass enclosures, or creating what’s essentially a new room, you’ll likely need Council approval. The rules get tricky around things like boundary setbacks and site coverage. We can tell you what applies to your specific property and help with the application if needed.
Gas heaters are popular because they throw serious heat quickly – good for those cold winter evenings. Electric strip heaters or infrared panels work well too, especially if you’ve got good insulation. Some people go with underfloor heating if they’re doing a full enclosure. The key is matching the heater to how well-sealed your space is. A café blind enclosure needs more heating power than a fully insulated room. We’ll recommend what suits your setup and budget.
Yeah, most of the time. We do this regularly with existing timber decks and concrete patios. The main things we look at are the structural capacity (can your deck support the additional weight of glass panels or walls?), the existing roof (does it need reinforcement or replacement?), and access for installation. Sometimes older decks need some work before we can safely enclose them, but that’s usually straightforward. We’ll assess what you’ve got and tell you honestly what’s involved.
They’re better than nothing, but let’s be realistic – café blinds aren’t the same as proper glass enclosures. They’ll block wind pretty effectively, and they’ll keep some warmth in if you’ve got heating running. But they’re PVC, not insulated glass, so you will lose heat. Where they work really well is shoulder seasons – autumn and spring – when you just need to knock the edge off that cold wind. For proper winter use, we’d usually recommend glass or polycarbonate panels, maybe with café blinds on one or two sides. Gives you options depending on the weather.
Honestly, it varies massively depending on what you want. Café blinds for a standard deck might start around a few thousand dollars. Full glass enclosure with heating and lighting? You’re looking at significantly more. The size of the area, what materials you choose, whether you need structural work, Council permits, electrical – it all adds up differently for each project. Best thing is to get us out for a free quote. We’ll look at your space, talk through options at different price points, and give you accurate numbers for what you actually want to build
Enclose Your Deck and Enjoy Outdoor Living in Every Season
Tired of Hobart’s weather dictating when you can use your deck? Enclosing your deck is the smartest way to turn an underused outdoor area into a comfortable, year-round living space. With the right enclosure, you can block cold winds, keep the rain out, and create a sheltered space that’s warm in winter and usable even on Hobart’s less-than-perfect days.
We design and install deck enclosures built specifically for Tasmania’s climate. From frameless glass panels that protect your view, to polycarbonate walls, café blinds, and retractable screens, every solution is tailored to your home, exposure, and budget. Whether you want full weather protection or flexible seasonal coverage, we build enclosures that look like they belong—not an afterthought bolted on.
Our team considers wind direction, drainage, ventilation, and condensation control, ensuring your enclosed deck stays comfortable and durable long term. Heating, lighting, and roofing integration can also be added to maximise usability.
