Deck Building Cost Calculator — Cost to Build a Deck 2026
Deck building cost calculator: Fixr puts most new decks at $9,000–$20,000, or $15–$55 per sq ft installed. Price yours by material, height and railing.
Deck Building Cost Calculator
Length × width. A 16 × 20 ft deck is 320 sq ft. 40–2,000.
Second story = deck off an upper-floor door.
Open sides only, not the house wall. 0 for none.
Steps from the deck down to the ground. 0 for none.
Adjusts the labor share by local construction wages (BLS, May 2025).
Also include:
homeprojectestimator.com · · https://homeprojectestimator.com/calculators/deck-building-cost/
Estimated deck cost
$14,350
Typical range $11,150 – $17,500
Cost per sq ft
$45.00
Where the money goes
- Composite decking, framing and hardware (materials) $8–$20 per sq ft$2,550 – $6,400
- Build labor: footings, framing, decking $20 per sq ft$6,400 – $6,400
- Metal (aluminum / steel) railing, 40 linear ft $45–$85 per linear ft installed$1,800 – $3,400
- Stairs, 4 steps $75–$200 per step (wood, pre-cut stringers)$300 – $800
- Building permit $100 – $500
National average. Pick your state and metro area to adjust the labor share (about 59% of this job) to local wages. Get three written quotes before you commit to a budget.
Prices from Fixr's deck cost data (updated January 2023). Built-in benches, lighting, a roof or pergola and engineered footings for poor soil are not included.
How much does it cost to build a deck in 2026?
Fixr puts most new deck projects at $9,000–$20,000, with most people paying around $14,000 for a 320 sq ft composite deck with railings. Installed, a deck costs $15–$55 per square foot depending on the board, from pressure-treated pine at $15–$25 to ipe at $30–$55. At the small end, a 100 sq ft pressure-treated pine platform can come in near $1,500; at the top, a 500 sq ft ipe deck with an outdoor kitchen and roof reaches about $40,000.
| Project | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Most new decks | $9,000–$20,000 | Fixr |
| 320 sq ft composite deck with railings | about $14,000 | Fixr |
| Deck installation, per sq ft | $15–$55 by material | Fixr |
| Labor only, per sq ft | $10–$35 by material | Fixr |
| Second-story deck, per sq ft | $30–$60 | Fixr, Decks.com |
| Replace a deck, per sq ft | $20–$70 | Fixr |
Sources: Fixr, Cost to Build Deck, updated January 11, 2023; Decks.com, Second Story Deck Cost, March 1, 2023.
The calculator above prices one specific deck. With its defaults (320 sq ft of composite at ground level, 40 ft of metal railing, four steps and a permit) it returns $11,150 to $17,500, typical $14,350, or about $45 per square foot once railing, stairs and permit are counted. That sits inside Fixr's national range and close to its $14,000 headline. Fixr's figures are national averages from January 2023, so check the result against two or three local quotes.
How to use this calculator
- Deck size (sq ft). Multiply length by width of the walking surface. A 12 × 12 ft deck is 144 sq ft, 16 × 20 ft is 320 sq ft. For an L-shaped deck, split it into two rectangles and add them. Leave out the stairs; they have their own input.
- Decking material. The board you walk on. Each option carries its own installed price per square foot, which already includes the frame, fasteners and build labor.
- Deck height. Ground level means a low platform a step or two off the yard. Raised is roughly one story up, typically off a walk-out or a high first floor. Second story means the deck sits off an upper-floor door and needs tall posts, beams and bracing.
- Railing type and linear feet. Measure only the open sides. A 16 × 20 ft deck attached on its long side has 16 + 20 + 16 = 52 ft of open edge, minus the stair opening. Enter 0 if the deck has no railing.
- Stair steps. Count the steps from the deck surface to the ground. A low platform may need two; a raised deck often needs a full flight.
- Building permit and tear out the old deck add their own lines.
- Your state adjusts the labor share to local construction wages.
The result shows the typical cost (the middle of the range), the range itself, the cost per square foot of deck and a line-item breakdown.
Deck cost per square foot by material
| Decking material | Materials only, per sq ft | Installed, per sq ft | 320 sq ft deck, installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated pine | $3–$8 | $15–$25 | $4,800–$8,000 |
| Cedar | $4–$9 | $19–$29 | $6,080–$9,280 |
| PVC / vinyl | $5–$13 | $17–$33 | $5,440–$10,560 |
| Redwood | $7–$12 | $27–$38 | $8,640–$12,160 |
| Composite | $8–$20 | $28–$40 | $8,960–$12,800 |
| Ipe (tropical hardwood) | $10–$20 | $30–$55 | $9,600–$17,600 |
Source: Fixr, Cost to Build Deck, updated January 11, 2023. The 320 sq ft column is the per-sq-ft price × 320.
Deck cost by size
Decking, framing, footings and labor all scale with area. These are ground-level installed prices before railings, stairs, permit and tear-out:
| Deck size | Sq ft | Pressure-treated | Composite | Ipe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 | 100 | $1,500–$2,500 | $2,800–$4,000 | $3,000–$5,500 |
| 12 × 12 | 144 | $2,160–$3,600 | $4,030–$5,760 | $4,320–$7,920 |
| 12 × 16 | 192 | $2,880–$4,800 | $5,380–$7,680 | $5,760–$10,560 |
| 14 × 20 | 280 | $4,200–$7,000 | $7,840–$11,200 | $8,400–$15,400 |
| 16 × 20 | 320 | $4,800–$8,000 | $8,960–$12,800 | $9,600–$17,600 |
| 20 × 20 | 400 | $6,000–$10,000 | $11,200–$16,000 | $12,000–$22,000 |
Source: Fixr, Cost to Build Deck (updated January 11, 2023), installed price per sq ft × area. Fixr's own size table runs from $2,160–$7,920 for 12 × 12 ft to $6,000–$22,000 for 20 × 20 ft.
Deck cost by type and height
| Deck type | Installed, per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Platform (ground level) | $10–$30 |
| Freestanding (floating) | $20–$40 |
| Raised | $25–$50 |
| Two-story | $30–$60 |
| Multi-level | $30–$75 |
| Covered | $40–$100 |
Source: Fixr, Cost to Build Deck, updated January 11, 2023. Decks.com (Second Story Deck Cost, March 1, 2023) also gives $30–$60 per sq ft for second-story decks. The calculator prices height but not a roof.
Railings, stairs and other add-ons
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Wood railing | $30–$50 per linear ft |
| Metal railing | $45–$85 per linear ft |
| Composite railing | $80–$165 per linear ft |
| Cable railing | $115–$175 per linear ft |
| Glass railing | $140–$210 per linear ft |
| Wood stairs, pre-cut stringers | $75–$200 per step |
| Wood stairs, custom stringers | $125–$250 per step |
| Metal stairs | $225–$450 per step |
| Building permit | $100–$500 |
| Old deck removal | $5–$15 per sq ft |
Source: Fixr, Cost to Build Deck, updated January 11, 2023. The calculator prices stairs at the pre-cut stringer rate.
What drives the price
- Size. Decking, framing, footings and labor all scale with area.
- Decking material. Ipe costs about twice as much per square foot installed as pressure-treated pine. Composite sits near the top of the range on day one but needs less upkeep than wood.
- Height. A raised or second-story deck needs longer posts, heavier beams, diagonal bracing and larger footings, and the crew works from ladders or scaffolding. The calculator adds $15–$20 per sq ft for raised and $20–$30 for second story: the gap between Fixr's platform range and its raised and two-story ranges.
- Railing. Glass railing costs up to seven times as much per foot as wood ($210 against $30 at the extremes). For the default deck, 40 ft of metal railing is $1,800–$3,400 of the total.
- Stairs. Each step costs $75–$200 in wood with pre-cut stringers, so a long flight off a second-story deck can cost several thousand dollars.
- Labor. Fixr gives labor at $10–$35 per sq ft depending on the material; the next sections show the split.
- Site and footings. Footing depth follows the local frost line and soil. Fixr puts a deck foundation at $50–$500 per post or section depending on type: a poured concrete footer runs $200–$350 installed and a screw pile $250–$400. Clay soil, slopes or a deep frost line can call for deeper or engineered footings. If water pools where the deck will go, fix the grading first; water trapped under a deck speeds up rot.
Cost breakdown
The calculator splits the deck into the lines a contractor's quote usually shows:
- Decking, framing and hardware (materials). Fixr's materials-only price for the chosen board, applied to the whole area. It covers the boards, joists, beams, posts, concrete and fasteners.
- Build labor. Fixr's installed price minus its materials price. For composite that is $20 per sq ft; for pressure-treated pine $12–$17.
- Raised or second-story structure. Only shown when the deck is off the ground.
- Railing, stairs, permit, tear-out. Each priced from the Fixr figures above.
Not included: built-in benches and planters, lighting, a roof, pergola or screen room, an outdoor kitchen, engineered footings for poor soil, grading, and staining a new wood deck. Fixr's high-end example, a 500 sq ft ipe deck with an outdoor kitchen and roof, reaches about $40,000, and most of the gap is those extras.
Labor vs. materials: labor cost per square foot
Fixr gives deck labor at $10–$35 per square foot, depending on the material. Its table lists an installed and a materials-only price for every board, and the difference between them is the labor. The calculator uses exactly that split:
| Decking | Materials, per sq ft | Labor, per sq ft | Installed, per sq ft | Labor share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated pine | $3–$8 | $12–$17 | $15–$25 | 73% |
| Cedar | $4–$9 | $15–$20 | $19–$29 | 73% |
| PVC / vinyl | $5–$13 | $12–$20 | $17–$33 | 64% |
| Redwood | $7–$12 | $20–$26 | $27–$38 | 71% |
| Composite | $8–$20 | $20 | $28–$40 | 59% |
| Ipe | $10–$20 | $20–$35 | $30–$55 | 65% |
Source: Fixr, Cost to Build Deck, updated January 11, 2023. Labor is installed minus materials at each end of the range; the share is taken at the midpoints, as the calculator does.
Labor is the larger part of every deck, and its share is highest for cheap wood: nearly three-quarters of a pine deck is the crew's time. Premium boards raise the materials line, while the framing underneath takes similar work. The height premium, railing and stairs are installed prices that Fixr does not split.
Prices by state and metro area
Material prices vary little between states, but wages do. The calculator multiplies only the labor share of the job by your state's construction wage index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, construction and extraction occupations). The labor share is the one in the table above: 59% for composite and 73% for pressure-treated pine, so wood decks move more with local wages.
For the default 320 sq ft composite deck, national typical $14,350:
| State | Wage index | Typical estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 1.26 | $16,550 |
| Illinois | 1.25 | $16,450 |
| California | 1.20 | $16,050 |
| Texas | 0.84 | $13,000 |
| Arkansas | 0.74 | $12,150 |
The index is a state average. Metro areas usually run above it and rural counties below. See how regional cost adjustments work for the method.
The calculator also prices 387 metro areas from the same BLS survey. The default job comes to $14,350 nationally; in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (wage index 1.34) it is $17,250, and in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL (0.89) $13,400. Choose the metro area below your state for the closest figure.
Deck replacement cost per square foot
Fixr puts replacing a deck of the same size at $20–$70 per square foot: a new deck at its installed price plus $5–$15 per sq ft to tear out and haul away the old one, depending on materials, haul distance and local disposal fees. For a 320 sq ft deck the tear-out alone is $1,600–$4,800. Tick the tear-out box and the calculator adds it as its own line; the default composite deck goes from $14,350 to about $17,550, or $55 per square foot.
Fixr notes that full teardowns are uncommon, because the posts and frame are often still sound and only the decking, railings or stairs need replacing. Have a contractor check the frame and footings before you price a full rebuild. The calculator prices a complete new deck, so a resurfacing job on a sound frame should come in below its result.
Second-story decks: what changes
Fixr prices a two-story deck at $30–$60 per sq ft, against $10–$30 for a ground-level platform. Decks.com gives the same national range and says a second-story deck needs more bracing to stiffen and support the structure, more material and extra permitting. In the calculator, the default 320 sq ft composite deck costs about $14,350 at ground level, $19,950 raised and $22,350 at second story; with a 14-step flight instead of four steps, the second-story deck reaches about $23,700.
Expect:
- Plans and inspection. The building department will usually want drawings of how the deck attaches to the house and how it is supported.
- Bigger footings and posts. Taller posts need bracing against racking, and the footings carry more weight.
- A full staircase. Often the single largest add-on. At $75–$200 per step in wood, a 14-step flight is $1,050–$2,800 before landings; custom stringers run $125–$250 per step and metal stairs $225–$450.
- Guards on every open side. The American Wood Council's deck guide, based on the 2015 IRC, requires a guard on any deck more than 30 inches above grade (IRC R312.1), with openings too small for a 4-inch sphere to pass. On a high deck, budget the railing from the start.
Which decking to choose for your budget
Pressure-treated pine is the cheapest way to get a deck built, at $15–$25 per sq ft installed. Cedar costs a little more, resists rot and insects naturally, and takes a primer before paint because it bleeds through. Redwood is also naturally rot-resistant, at $27–$38. Ipe has the highest ceiling at $55.
On a 320 sq ft deck, composite costs about $4,160–$4,800 more than pine at Fixr's installed prices. Wood needs regular cleaning and staining or sealing to stay in good shape; composite and PVC mostly need cleaning. Fixr expects wood decks to last at least 10 to 15 years and composite 20, and notes that decks stained and sealed on schedule outlast neglected ones.
If the deck is a small ground-level platform, the board choice is most of the price. If it is a second-story deck, the structure, stairs and railing often outweigh the boards, and upgrading from pine to composite adds less in percentage terms than it does on the ground.
DIY deck cost
A DIY deck costs roughly Fixr's materials-only price. For 320 sq ft that is $960–$2,560 in pressure-treated pine, $1,280–$2,880 in cedar and $2,560–$6,400 in composite, plus the permit ($100–$500) and tools. What you save is the labor line: $3,840–$5,440 on a 320 sq ft pine deck.
Fixr says a deck can be a DIY project if you are handy and know construction, and suggests choosing a design you can follow and hiring professionals for jobs such as concrete work or site preparation. A poured concrete footer is $200–$350 per footing installed on Fixr's figures.
A ground-level platform with a simple rectangle and no stairs is the most realistic DIY deck. Anything raised, attached to the house with a ledger, or carrying a hot tub involves load paths and flashing details that inspectors check closely. Get the permit either way; an unpermitted deck can surface during a home sale inspection. If you hire a builder, you can still take on the tear-out or the staining, but clear it first: some contractors will not warranty mixed work. The guide to when DIY saves money covers the trade-offs.
How to cut the cost
- Build ground level. A platform deck ($10–$30 per sq ft on Fixr's figures) avoids the taller posts, bracing and long stairs of a raised deck ($25–$50).
- Choose pressure-treated pine and wood railing, and plan for upkeep. Switching the default deck from composite with metal railing to pine with wood railing drops the calculator's typical estimate from $14,350 to $8,850.
- Keep the shape simple. Rectangular decks are cheaper to frame than curved, angled or multi-level designs; every corner adds framing, waste and hours.
- Check the frame before you replace it. If the posts and joists are sound, new boards and railings cost far less than a new deck.
- Get quotes early. Collecting bids well before you want to build gives you room to compare and to wait for the right crew.
How to compare deck quotes
Ask every contractor to quote the same scope: square footage, board brand and line, railing type and length, number of steps, footing type and depth, and whether the permit and tear-out are included. Check that the quote names who pulls the permit. Compare each quote's line items with the breakdown above; a quote far below the low end usually leaves something out, often the railing or stairs. The guide to hiring a renovation contractor has a checklist.
Is a new deck worth it?
On resale, both deck projects rank in the national top 10 for cost recouped, but they still return less than they cost. In Zonda's 2025 Cost vs. Value Report (national averages, September 2025), a wood deck addition with a job cost of $18,263 added $17,323 in value at sale, 94.9% of its cost; a composite deck addition at $25,096 added $22,199, or 88.5%. Local results vary, so if you are building only for a sale in the next year or two, compare the deck with a simpler patio.
Climate decides how much use you get: very hot summers, long wet seasons or long winters cut the days on an open deck, and a covered deck ($40–$100 per sq ft, Fixr) or a smaller one may suit you better. Steep grades, rocky soil or tight setbacks can add cost to a deck that looked simple, so have the contractor walk the site before you settle on a design.
Sources
- Fixr, Cost to Build Deck — national range $9,000–$20,000 and $14,000 headline; installed and materials-only prices by material; labor $10–$35 per sq ft; platform, freestanding, raised, two-story, multi-level and covered deck ranges; size table; railing and stair prices; permit fee; removal $5–$15 per sq ft; replacement $20–$70 per sq ft; foundation costs per footing; DIY advice; deck lifespan (updated January 11, 2023). link
- Decks.com, Second Story Deck Cost — $30–$60 per sq ft national range for second-story decks; bracing and permitting as cost drivers (published March 1, 2023). link
- American Wood Council, Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide (DCA 6), based on the 2015 IRC — guard required on decks more than 30 in above grade (R312.1); openings must not pass a 4 in sphere (2015 edition, © 2018). link
- Zonda, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report — national job cost, value at sale and cost recouped for wood and composite deck additions (September 18, 2025). link
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — mean hourly wage for construction and extraction occupations by state, used for the state adjustment (May 2025). link
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to build a deck?
Fixr puts the typical project at $9,000 to $20,000, with most people paying around $14,000 for a 320 sq ft composite deck with railings. A 100 sq ft pressure-treated pine platform can come in near $1,500, while a 500 sq ft ipe deck with an outdoor kitchen and roof reaches about $40,000. Size, material and height move the price the most.
How much does a deck cost per square foot?
Installed, Fixr lists pressure-treated pine at $15–$25 per sq ft, cedar $19–$29, PVC or vinyl $17–$33, redwood $27–$38, composite $28–$40 and ipe $30–$55. Those prices cover decking, framing and labor. Railings, stairs, permits and removal of an old deck are priced separately, which is why this calculator lists them as their own lines.
What is the labor cost to build a deck per square foot?
Fixr gives deck labor at $10–$35 per square foot depending on the material. Subtracting its materials-only prices from its installed prices gives $12–$17 for pressure-treated pine, $20 for composite and $20–$35 for ipe. That makes labor about 73% of a pine deck and 59% of a composite one, which is why the calculator shows build labor as its own line.
How much does a second-story deck cost?
Fixr prices a two-story deck at $30–$60 per sq ft against $10–$30 for a ground-level platform, and Decks.com gives the same $30–$60 national range. The extra money goes into taller posts, beams, bracing and bigger footings. For a 320 sq ft composite deck the calculator's typical estimate rises from about $14,350 at ground level to about $22,350 on the second story.
How much does it cost to replace a deck?
Fixr puts replacing a deck of the same size at $20–$70 per square foot: the new deck's installed price plus $5–$15 per sq ft to tear out and haul away the old one. For a 320 sq ft deck, removal alone is $1,600–$4,800. Fixr adds that full teardowns are uncommon, because the posts and frame are often sound and only the boards, railings or stairs need replacing.
Can I build a deck myself, and what does a DIY deck cost?
A DIY deck costs roughly Fixr's materials-only price: $3–$8 per sq ft for pressure-treated pine and $8–$20 for composite, or $960–$2,560 and $2,560–$6,400 for 320 sq ft, plus the permit and tools. That skips the labor line, about 73% of a pine deck. A simple ground-level platform suits DIY; raised decks and decks attached to the house with a ledger are best left to a builder.
How much does a 12x12 deck cost?
A 12x12 (144 sq ft) ground-level deck costs about $2,160–$3,600 in pressure-treated pine, $4,030–$5,760 in composite and $4,320–$7,920 in ipe, at Fixr's installed prices per square foot. Those prices cover decking, framing and labor. Railings ($30–$210 per linear foot by type), stairs ($75–$200 per step in wood) and a permit ($100–$500) are extra.
Is composite decking worth the extra cost?
On a 320 sq ft deck, composite costs about $4,160–$4,800 more than pressure-treated pine at Fixr's installed prices. Fixr expects wood decks to last at least 10 to 15 years and composite 20, and composite needs less upkeep. Resale does not favor it: in Zonda's 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, a wood deck addition recouped 94.9% of its cost and a composite deck addition 88.5%.
How much do deck railings cost per linear foot?
Installed railing runs $30–$50 per linear foot for wood, $45–$85 for metal, $80–$165 for composite, $115–$175 for cable and $140–$210 for glass, according to Fixr. Forty feet of railing therefore costs $1,200–$2,000 in wood but $5,600–$8,400 in glass, so on a small deck the railing choice can matter as much as the decking.
Do I need a permit to build a deck, and what does it cost?
Most areas require a permit for any addition to a home, and Fixr says a deck permit starts at $100 to $500 depending on the area. Some places exempt small, low decks, so ask your building department before you order lumber. Raised and second-story decks almost always need plans and inspections because they carry more load and stand higher above the ground.