Outside Concepts

What Outside Concepts does

Outside Concepts is an Australian outdoor living construction company operating an owner-operated franchise model with 14+ branches across multiple states. Founded in 1991 as Mr Carports and rebranded in 2009, the company designs, supplies, and installs outdoor structures — including carports, pergolas, patios, decks, verandahs, outdoor blinds, roller shutters, and outdoor enclosures — for residential property owners. The business holds builder's licenses in VIC, NSW, SA, and QLD, carries $20M public liability insurance, and provides a 10-year structural warranty. It is a member of the Housing Industry Association (HIA) and has completed more than 18,000 projects since inception.

The company's operations are supported by a proprietary computer software system that handles quoting, engineering, council applications, and cutting lists — a notable technical backbone for a franchise-based construction business. Its commercial model combines franchise license fees ($57,500 + GST for a 20-year term), project-based revenue at each franchise, and consumer financing through Zip Pay. Supply partnerships with LYSAGHT Living, Stratco Patios, and Pinz Blinds extend the product range, while a Houzz marketplace presence provides a third-party digital acquisition channel. A dedicated Custom Carports and Pergolas sub-brand targets a more premium tier within the core category.

Outside Concepts employs between 501 and 1,000 people and serves exclusively residential customers commissioning one-off outdoor living installations. The customer base is highly distributed across households and individual property owners, with no enterprise or B2B anchor accounts. The founder and owner is Brian Rohan; Brett Nitschke is cited as a 20-year franchisee, evidencing long franchise tenure within the network.

Name

Outside Concepts

Legal name

Outside Concepts Franchising Pty Ltd

Website

https://outsideconcepts.net.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Outside Concepts is an Australian outdoor living construction franchise with 14+ branches, designing and installing carports, pergolas, patios, decks, and verandahs for residential customers. Founded in 1991 and rebranded in 2009, it employs 501-1,000 people and has completed 18,000+ projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Living Construction

NAICS

Residential Building Construction (2361)

akta.pro primary industry

Pergolas, Gazebos & Shade Structures (HSAPALAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Patio Construction (Pavers, Concrete & Stone) (HSAPALAB)

Keywords

• Custom carport construction
• Outdoor living structures
• Pergola design build
• Verandah construction services
• Residential decking services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stirling

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Outdoor Structure Design and Construction: Full-service custom design, engineering, council approval management, and construction of outdoor living structures (carports, pergolas, patios, decks, verandahs, outdoor blinds, roller shutters, enclosures). Project-based, one-time revenue model where the same franchise team designs and builds each project end-to-end. Fixed price contracts with no hidden extras. Finance options available via Zip Pay for eligible customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Outside Concepts designs and builds custom outdoor living structures for Australian homeowners, including carports, pergolas, patios, decks, verandahs, outdoor blinds, roller shutters, and outdoor enclosures. Each project is custom-designed for the specific site, home architecture, and council zone, with services covering consultation, design, council approvals, construction, and handover. The company operates through a national franchise owner-operated network with no subcontracting of the construction phase.

Product overview

Outside Concepts is an Australian outdoor living construction company operating since 1991 (originally as Mr Carports, rebranded to Outside Concepts in 2009) through a franchise owner-operated model. The company offers a portfolio of outdoor structure products including carports, pergolas, patios, decks, verandahs, outdoor blinds, roller shutters, and outdoor enclosures. All structures are custom-designed and built by the same team, with services covering design, council approvals, construction, and handover. The company also operates a specialised sub-brand called Custom Carports and Pergolas for premium builds, and offers franchise opportunities for expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Custom Carports and Pergolas: A specialised sub-brand of Outside Concepts, dedicated to designing and building premium outdoor structures including custom-made carports, pergolas, patios and verandahs across Australia.

Products and services

• Carports Custom-designed carports constructed in flat, gable, Dutch gable, skillion, hip, and double configurations from Colorbond, aluminium, or timber materials for vehicle protection and kerb appeal, sold to Australian homeowners.
• Pergolas Custom-designed pergolas with roof styles ranging from flat and gabled to louvred and retractable, transforming backyards into outdoor rooms for shade and spatial definition.
• Patios Fully roofed outdoor structures delivering year-round outdoor living with shade and weather protection, available in gabled, flat, hip, and curved roof configurations.
• Decks Custom-built decks constructed in hardwood (Jarrah, Spotted Gum, Merbau, Blackbutt, River Red Gum) and composite materials, suitable for flat and sloped blocks including BAL-rated bushfire zone builds.
• Verandahs Fully roofed, weather-protected outdoor structures attached to homes, available in bullnose, gable, flat, skillion, and curved roof profiles, built in Colorbond steel, timber, or aluminium.
• Outdoor Blinds Custom outdoor blinds and awnings including track-guided and motorised options, provided through partnership with Pinz Blinds, offering privacy, noise reduction, and temperature control.
• Roller Shutters Window and outdoor roller shutters available in manual, electric motor, or remote control operation, offered in various sizes, styles, and colours to suit any home.
• Outdoor Enclosures Custom outdoor enclosure solutions including pool enclosures for safety, gazebos for garden features, and screened rooms for UV protection and flexible space configuration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10-year structural workmanship warranty on all completed structures
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HIA (Housing Industry Association)coreOthersOutside Concepts is a member of the Housing Industry Association (HIA). HIA membership is displayed as a credibility signal on the website. HIA is the peak industry body for residential building in Australia.
• Pinz BlindscoreTechnology or IntegrationOutside Concepts has an industry partnership with Pinz Blinds for the supply and installation of outdoor blinds and awnings. Pinz is described as producing 'high-quality awnings and blinds in Australia.' The partnership enables Outside Concepts to offer a comprehensive range of outdoor blinds including track-guided and motorised Ziptrak PVC blinds.
• Zip PayminorOthersZip Pay is offered as a finance option for eligible customers to spread the cost of outdoor structure projects. Available across all Outside Concepts branches.
• Stratco PatiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutside Concepts and Stratco Patios share similarities — both started in Adelaide and are associated with quality home improvements. Outside Concepts builds Stratco Outback verandah/patio products as part of their offering. This is a product partnership rather than a formal co-development arrangement.
• HouzzminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutside Concepts maintains a professional profile on Houzz with 9 reviews. Houzz is used as a customer review and portfolio platform, contributing to brand credibility and customer acquisition through the Houzz marketplace.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stratco: Major Australian manufacturer and installer of outdoor steel structures including patios, verandahs, carports, and pergolas. Directly comparable in product category, Australian geography, and customer segment, and is explicitly referenced as a product partner within Outside Concepts' own offering.
• Pergolas Australia: Specialist Australian pergola, patio, and outdoor structure builder operating across multiple states. Closely comparable on product mix (pergolas, patios, decks) and direct-to-homeowner custom build model.
• Great Aussie Patios: Australian outdoor structure builder specialising in patios, pergolas, decks, and carports for residential homeowners. Closely comparable in scope of products, custom design approach, and Australian geographic focus.
• Patios Plus: Australian patio, pergola, and outdoor structure builder serving residential customers with custom design and construction services. Comparable in product mix and target segment to Outside Concepts.
• Lifestyle Patios: Australian custom outdoor structure specialist focused on patios, pergolas, decks, and verandahs. Comparable in product category, residential customer base, and bespoke design-and-build delivery model.
• Australian Outdoor Living: Australian outdoor living construction company designing and building pergolas, patios, decks, and outdoor entertaining areas. Directly comparable business model serving the same Australian residential homeowner customer with custom design-and-build services.

Broad incumbents

• Reece Group: Australian plumbing and bathroom renovation distribution and services group with adjacent exposure to residential home improvement trades. Comparable as a broad Australian home services incumbent operating across multiple homeowner-facing verticals.
• Bunnings Trade: Australia's largest home improvement and outdoor living retailer, offering DIY kits, materials, and contractor referral services. Represents the broad incumbent alternative serving the same Australian homeowner audience through cheaper, less customised solutions.

Regional players

• Sunstate Patios & Roofing: Regional Queensland-based outdoor structure builder specialising in patios, pergolas, carports, and roofing. Comparable in product mix and custom-build model but concentrated in a regional Queensland footprint rather than national.
• Taylors Patios & Roofing: South Australian outdoor structure and roofing specialist serving residential customers with patios, verandahs, and pergolas. Comparable in offerings and customer profile but operates as a regional single-state player rather than national franchise network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OutsideConcepts
• Facebookfacebook.com/OutsideConceptsLifestyle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/outside-concepts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Outside Concepts