Decks and outdoor areas

Outdoor living is where small homes feel like full homes. Knowing what counts toward your 60m² and what does not lets us push the indoor space further while still delivering generous outdoor areas.

Open decks and verandas

Open decks and verandas generally do not count toward the 60m² limit because they are not enclosed habitable area. That makes them an excellent way to extend the usable footprint without using up the area budget that defines the SSD pathway.

Roofed but unenclosed outdoor rooms

Pergolas, alfresco roofs, and covered decks usually remain outside the 60m² total provided they are not enclosed with walls or sliding doors. Where a wall is added on more than one side, councils may begin to read the area as habitable, which can change the calculation. We design the line carefully.

Eaves and overhangs

Roof eaves and overhangs do not count toward the dwelling area. We use generous eaves both for passive shade and to give the dwelling a settled, residential look from the street.

Decks with built-in roofs

• An open deck off the living area is the most common pattern and stays outside the 60m².
• A roofed deck attached to the dwelling is generally also outside the 60m², so long as it is not enclosed.
• Once walls go up on more than one side, council interpretation begins to vary; we confirm during the site assessment.

Putting it together

The smartest small homes use the outdoor area as a second living room. Done well, a 60m² dwelling with a 20m² open deck feels like an 80m² home and only the indoor portion counts against the SSD threshold.