How much does a deck cost?

Published July 21, 2026.

A deck typically costs about $15 to $60 per square foot installed, which works out to roughly $8,000 to $14,000 for a typical project. Fixr puts the national average at $14,000 with a range of $9,000 to $20,000, while HomeAdvisor and Bob Vila land lower, around $7,900 to $8,300 on average with typical ranges starting near $4,100. Your real number swings with the decking material you pick, the size and height of the deck, how many railings and stairs it needs, and local labor rates. These are national planning figures, not a quote, so the goal here is to help you set a realistic budget before you call for bids.

What a deck costs

Two numbers matter: the price per square foot and the total for your project.

Per square foot installed, Fixr gives a range of $15 to $55, and Bob Vila lists $30 to $60 for a standard build. The type of deck matters a lot here. HomeAdvisor puts a ground-level deck at about $10 to $20 per square foot, a floating deck at $20 to $60, a second-story deck at $40 to $50, and a multi-level deck at $30 to $75.

For a whole project, the total depends mostly on the square footage and the material. A small pressure-treated deck can start around $1,500, per Fixr, while an average project lands around $8,000 to $14,000, and a large deck in a premium material can reach $20,000 or more. To get to your own number, decide on the deck’s footprint in square feet, then multiply by a per-foot figure for the material and deck type you have in mind.

Pressure-treated wood is the most common decking and the most budget-friendly, which is why it is the baseline for most estimates. You can get a range for your deck with our deck cost calculator before you make any calls.

What drives the price

Two decks of the same size can cost very different amounts. Here is what moves the needle.

Material. This is the biggest variable. Pressure-treated wood is cheapest, cedar sits in the middle, and composite and tropical hardwoods cost the most (see the table below).
Size and height. A larger footprint uses more material and labor. Height matters even more: a raised or second-story deck needs taller posts, more framing, and stairs, which is why HomeAdvisor prices second-story decks at $40 to $50 per square foot against $10 to $20 for a ground-level build.
Labor versus materials. Bob Vila notes that anywhere from half to about 70 percent of the cost is labor. HomeAdvisor puts labor at $15 to $35 per square foot, with framing labor alone at $9 to $12. Difficult layouts and tight access push labor up.
Railings. Each linear foot of railing adds cost. Fixr estimates $30 to $50 per foot for wood, $80 to $165 for composite, and $140 to $210 for glass. HomeAdvisor gives a similar $35 to $210 range.
Stairs. Steps add up quickly. HomeAdvisor and Bob Vila estimate about $25 to $50 per step for basic wood stairs, while Fixr puts wooden stairs at $75 to $200 per step and metal at $225 to $450.
Footings. Posts have to sit on solid footings below the frost line. Fixr figures $50 to $150 per post for concrete deck blocks and $200 to $350 for poured concrete, and Bob Vila lists $25 to $300 per post depending on the method.
Permits and site access. Most towns require a permit. Fixr puts deck permits at $100 to $500 and HomeAdvisor at $230 to $500. Sloped, rocky, or hard-to-reach yards slow the crew and raise labor. Tearing out an old deck adds about $5 to $15 per square foot, per both HomeAdvisor and Bob Vila.

Cost by material

Material choice is where you have the most control over the budget. These are typical installed costs per square foot from Fixr. Prices vary by region, grade, and year, so use them to compare options, not as firm quotes.

Material	Typical installed cost per square foot	Notes
Pressure-treated wood	$15 to $25	The budget baseline and most common; needs regular staining and sealing
Cedar	$19 to $29	Naturally resists rot and insects; a step up in look and price
Redwood	$27 to $38	Durable and attractive; priciest softwood and hardest to source outside the West
Composite	$28 to $40	Higher up front, very low upkeep; no yearly staining
Mahogany	$35 to $50	A tropical hardwood; rich color, premium price
Ipe (hardwood)	$30 to $55	Extremely hard and long-lasting; heavy and slow to install

Pressure-treated wood costs the least to build but asks for the most maintenance over time. Composite and hardwoods cost more up front and hold up with far less upkeep, which can pay off over the life of the deck if you plan to stay put.

DIY versus hiring a pro

Doing it yourself saves labor, which is the larger half of most jobs. Bob Vila estimates that building a deck yourself runs about 65 percent of the cost of hiring a pro, so you keep roughly a third of the total. Since labor is often half to 70 percent of the price per Bob Vila, that is real money on a big deck.

That said, a deck is more work than it looks, and it is a structure people stand on. You are locating property lines, digging footings below the frost line, setting posts plumb, framing joists to code, and keeping long runs level. A ground-level deck on flat ground with a simple rectangle is the most realistic DIY project, especially if you already own or can rent the tools.

Hiring a pro makes more sense for raised or second-story decks, complex layouts, or anywhere permits, inspections, and structural framing come into play. A licensed builder pulls the permit, builds to code, and stands behind the work. Because a deck’s framing and footings are structural, confirm your plan with a licensed contractor and your local building department, and call 811 before you dig so buried utility lines get marked.

How to budget

Start by deciding the deck’s footprint in square feet and picking a material and deck type. Multiply the square footage by a per-foot range from above to get a rough total, then add for railings, stairs, footings, and a permit. A pressure-treated ground-level deck sits at the low end; a raised composite deck with lots of railing sits at the high end.

From there, get two to three written bids from local builders. Deck prices vary a lot by region and by year, and a national average cannot capture your ground conditions, your town’s permit fees, or what crews charge locally. Ask each bid to itemize decking, framing, railings, stairs, footings, and permits so you are comparing the same scope. If one bid is far below the others, find out what it leaves out.

A deck touches setbacks, height limits, structural framing, and sometimes shared-property rules. Confirm the details with your local building department and a licensed contractor, and check any HOA rules, before you commit. The figures here are a planning range to size up the project, not a quote for your yard.

Sources

Fixr · Cost to Build a Deck. fixr.com/costs/build-deck
HomeAdvisor · How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck? homeadvisor.com/cost/outdoor-living/build-a-deck
Bob Vila · How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck? bobvila.com/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-to-build-a-deck

Deck cost calculator →

Frequently asked questions

How much does a deck cost per square foot?

Installed, most decks run about $15 to $60 per square foot including materials and labor. Fixr puts the overall spread at $15 to $55, and Bob Vila lists $30 to $60 for a standard build. Ground-level decks sit at the low end, around $10 to $20 per square foot per HomeAdvisor, while raised, second-story, or multi-level decks push toward the top of the range. The material you choose and your local labor rates move the number as much as anything, so treat any per-foot figure as a planning range, not a quote.

Is composite or pressure-treated wood cheaper for a deck?

Pressure-treated wood is cheaper up front. Fixr puts an installed pressure-treated deck at about $15 to $25 per square foot and a composite deck at $28 to $40. The board material alone is a bigger gap: HomeAdvisor lists pressure-treated at about $2 to $5 per square foot versus $12 to $22 for composite. Composite costs more to build but skips the yearly staining and sealing that wood needs, so over many years the gap narrows. If staying in the home long term, that lower upkeep is worth weighing against the higher first cost.

Do you need a permit to build a deck?

Usually yes, and it depends on your city or county. Fixr estimates deck permits at about $100 to $500, and HomeAdvisor puts them at $230 to $500. Many areas require a permit once a deck reaches a certain height or is attached to the house, and they inspect the footings and framing for safety. Confirm the rules with your local building department, and check any HOA covenants, before you buy materials or start digging.