Pricing guide
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck?
A deck is priced per square foot built, driven mostly by the decking material and the size and height of the structure. Wood and composite are compared below at common sizes, since the decking choice sets most of the final number before anyone picks up a saw.
Founder, Smarfle · Published June 27, 2026
Average deck (built)
$30 to $60 / sq ft
Per square foot for a built deck. A typical 300 sq ft deck runs roughly $9,000 to $18,000, less for basic pressure-treated wood.
Quick answer
Building a deck typically costs $30 to $60 per square foot, or $15 to $35 for basic pressure-treated wood and $30 to $60 for composite. A typical 300 sq ft deck runs roughly $6,000 to $18,000 depending on material, height, and railings.
Deck Building price list
| Service | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Pressure-treated wood (per sq ft) | $15 to $35 |
| Cedar / redwood (per sq ft) | $25 to $45 |
| Composite (per sq ft) | $30 to $60 |
| Small deck (~200 sq ft) | $4,000 to $12,000 |
| Large deck (~400 sq ft) | $8,000 to $24,000 |
| Railings (per linear ft) | $20 to $60 |
Prices are typical U.S. ranges and vary by region, scope, and condition. Always get a written quote.
Cost by decking material (per sq ft)
| Material | Per sq ft | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated wood | $15 to $35 | stain every 2 to 3 yrs |
| Cedar / redwood | $25 to $45 | seal yearly |
| Composite | $30 to $60 | low (wash only) |
Cost by deck size (composite)
| Deck size | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| 200 sq ft | $6,000 to $12,000 |
| 300 sq ft | $9,000 to $18,000 |
| 400 sq ft | $12,000 to $24,000 |
What affects the cost
Decking material
Pressure-treated wood is cheapest up front; composite costs more but needs far less maintenance over its life.
Size and height
A bigger deck and a raised deck (with taller posts, footings, and stairs) cost more than a low ground-level deck.
Railings and stairs
Railings add $20 to $60 per linear foot, and each set of stairs adds cost. They are often a big part of the total.
Footings and permits
Concrete footings, a permit, and ledger attachment to the house all add to the structure cost.
What you are actually paying for
The parts of a deck building quote that never appear as a line item, from the side of the business that has to cover them.
The half you never see is most of the labor
Footings, posts, beams and joists take the structural knowledge and the time, while the boards you look at go down comparatively fast. Choosing a cheaper surface material saves less than people expect, because the framing underneath it does not get any cheaper.
An inspection sits in the middle of the schedule
Footings usually have to be seen before the frame can go on, so the build has a mandatory pause in it that nobody can compress. The crew cannot start something else for half a day and come back, which is why the calendar cost of a permitted deck is longer than the labor suggests.
Angles and levels multiply the cut waste
A rectangle is the cheapest deck that exists because almost every board is used whole. Every change of direction or height creates offcuts you pay for and cuts that take time, so shape drives the price harder than square footage on its own.
Where the money goes
Deck cost is the framing structure plus the decking material, with railings, stairs, and footings added on top. Composite shifts more cost to material; wood shifts it to ongoing maintenance. A raised deck with stairs and railings costs well above a simple ground-level platform.
Should you DIY or hire a pro?
A small, low, ground-level deck is a realistic DIY project for a confident builder. Raised decks, anything attached to the house (ledger and flashing matter for safety), and decks that need a permit are best left to a pro, both for code compliance and structural safety.
How to save on deck building
- Choose pressure-treated over composite if the budget leads, but expect a smaller saving than the price gap suggests, because the framing underneath does not change.
- Keep it at ground level to avoid tall footings, stairs and guard railing.
- Keep the shape rectangular. Every change of direction creates offcuts and cuts you pay for twice.
- Ask for the bid split into framing, decking, railings and stairs so you can see where the money actually is.
- Expect a pause for the footing inspection and plan around it rather than paying anyone to compress it.
What the federal data shows
Deck building is carpentry, and the federal carpenter median was $60,580 in May 2025 across a trade projected to stay steady to 2035. Unlike a fence, a deck carries structural work, footings and often a permit, so the labor share of the quote is higher than the square-foot material price suggests.
Run a deck building business? Here is what to charge
If you run a deck or contracting business, price per square foot by material, and quote railings, stairs, footings, and permits as separate lines. Most underbids come from undercounting railing and stair labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a deck?
Is composite or wood decking cheaper?
How much does a 300 square foot deck cost?
Do I need a permit to build a deck?
More pricing guides
Where these numbers come from
The dollar ranges on this page are our own editorial estimates, not survey data. We build them from the federal wage figures cited below, which set the labor floor for the trade, plus the typical job scopes we see in the field. Materials, permits, access and local demand move every one of them. Treat the ranges as a starting point for a conversation with a contractor, not as a quote.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Carpenters (May 2025)National median carpenter wage of $60,580. Deck building is carpentry, so this is the trade rate behind the labor line in a quote.
Last reviewed September 2026.
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