Fix It Price

Deck Building Cost

National planning ranges, installed: pressure-treated $25–$50 per sq ft, composite $25–$54 per sq ft, ipe hardwood $50–$80 per sq ft. Most decks land at $4,340–$12,653; a 16 by 20 foot composite deck with railings averages $14,000. Railings, stairs and height move the number most. Here is what does.

By HarryUpdated September 2026

Carpenter fastening composite deck boards onto new pressure-treated framing behind a suburban house
AI-generated illustration

Attached deck on a one-story home, pressure-treated or composite, per square foot installed, September 2026

$25 – $60 per sq ft

12 by 12 ft: $3,600–$8,640. 16 by 20 ft: $9,600–$19,200. 20 by 20 ft: $10,000–$24,000. Ipe: $50–$80 per sq ft. Railings $20–$60 per linear foot for wood, vinyl or composite. Permit $230–$500. Tearing out an old deck $5–$15 per sq ft.

Published averages describe a mid-size wood deck. Angi and HomeAdvisor report $4,340–$12,653 with an average of $8,318, and Bob Vila $4,141–$11,713 with a $7,913 average. Fixr's national average is $14,000 for a 320 square foot composite deck with railings, and HomeGuide's newest 2025 comparison prices wood at $40–$80+ and composite at $50–$100+ per square foot in high-cost markets. Our range covers a straightforward attached deck under three feet high; second stories, wraparounds and hardwoods push above it.

Pressure-treated vs composite vs hardwood: what each costs installed

DeckingBoards only, per sq ftInstalled, per sq ftNotes
Pressure-treated pine$2 – $5$25 – $50HomeGuide installed range; Angi's ground-level PT deck is $15–$25. Stain and seal every 1 to 2 years. 10 to 15 year life (HomeAdvisor)
Cedar$3 – $7$30 – $47Naturally rot resistant, soft, scratches. 15 to 20 years
Redwood$5 – $35$28 – $54Grade drives the price. West Coast favorite
Composite (wood-plastic)$12 – $22$25 – $54Angi. HomeGuide sees $40–$80 and Trex $45–$70 with premium boards. 25 to 30 year life, no staining
PVC or mineral-based$5 – $15$25 – $54Angi. Lighter, cooler underfoot, less wood look
Ipe$10 – $20$50 – $80Angi and HomeAdvisor. HomeGuide $50–$70. Dense enough to need pre-drilling and carbide blades. 50 to 75 years
Tigerwood or mahogany$7 – $15$30 – $64HomeGuide. Cheaper hardwoods with 25 to 40 year lives
Aluminum$15 – $20$100 – $125HomeGuide. Gapless systems double as a roof for the space below

Boards are only part of the bill. Angi's breakdown for a 360 square foot composite deck lists the substructure at $1,900–$3,100, posts $750–$1,900, railing $875–$2,800 and hardware $250–$500, or $3,800–$8,300 on top of the decking. That is why Angi's composite surface figure of $15–$32 per square foot reads low next to the installed totals above. Always ask whether a per-square-foot quote includes framing, footings and rails.

Cost by deck size

SizePressure-treated (HomeGuide)Typical pro build (Angi)Ipe (Angi)
10 x 10 ft (100 sq ft)$2,500 – $5,000$4,000 – $6,000$5,000 – $8,000
12 x 12 ft (144 sq ft)$3,600 – $7,200$5,760 – $8,640$7,200 – $11,500
12 x 16 ft (192 sq ft)$4,800 – $9,600$5,400 – $10,800$11,200 – $18,000 (14 x 16)
14 x 20 ft (280 sq ft)$7,000 – $14,000$11,200 – $16,800$14,000 – $22,400
16 x 20 ft (320 sq ft)$8,000 – $16,000$12,800 – $19,200$16,000 – $22,400
20 x 20 ft (400 sq ft)$10,000 – $20,000$16,000 – $24,000$20,000 – $32,000

Fixr calls 16 by 20 the most popular size in the country and prices it at $4,800–$17,600 across all materials and styles, with a bare 100 square foot pressure-treated platform as low as $1,500 and a 500 square foot showpiece at $40,000. The middle column is the safe planning number for a contractor-built attached deck with basic rails.

What drives the price

DriverImpactNotes
Height and type$15 – $75 per sq ftAngi pressure-treated data: ground-level $15–$25, floating $20–$60, second-story $40–$50, multi-level $30–$75. Height means bigger posts, beams, stairs and rails
Labor$15 – $35 per sq ftAngi, HomeAdvisor and Bob Vila agree. Framing alone is $9–$12 per sq ft. Labor is 50–70% of a wood deck bill
Railings$20 – $600 per linear footHomeGuide: wood $20–$50, vinyl and composite $25–$60, aluminum $50–$200, cable $60–$500, glass $100–$600. A 16 by 20 deck has about 72 feet of rail, $720–$3,600 in basic materials per Angi
Stairs$15 – $25 per sq ftHomeAdvisor. HomeGuide prices a new stair run at $1,400–$2,600. Stair rail is $20–$250 per foot
Footings and site prep$150 – $300 per postAngi. Leveling the yard $500–$1,000 (HomeGuide). Frost-depth footings in the North cost more than pads in the South
Permit and inspections$230 – $500Angi and HomeAdvisor. Any deck with footings or a ledger is a permitted structure. Some cities charge $350–$1,800 for large or covered decks
Removing an old deck$5 – $15 per sq ftHomeAdvisor. Sound footings can sometimes be reused
Extras$1,000 – $10,000Roof $3,000–$10,000, screened enclosure $1,000–$1,900, lighting $8–$30 per fixture, outlets $130–$300 each (Bob Vila, HomeAdvisor)

Railings and permits: the two lines people forget

Any raised deck needs a guard rail, and the rail is often the single biggest add after the frame. Angi's railing project average is $2,500 with a range of $400–$4,800, and installation labor runs $10–$50 per linear foot on top of the material. Composite and vinyl at $25–$60 per foot are the value pick; cable and glass at $60–$600 per foot can cost more than the deck under them.

Permits run $230–$500 in most cities. The inspector will want to see the footing holes before concrete, the framing and ledger attachment before boards go down, and the finished rails. A contractor who suggests skipping the permit is setting you up for a forced teardown at resale, and HomeAdvisor notes a new deck can raise your homeowners premium, so tell your insurer.

DIY vs pro

A ground-level pressure-treated deck is the classic DIY build. Labor is $15–$35 per square foot of a contractor's price, so a 12 by 12 deck quoted at $5,760–$8,640 might run $1,500–$3,600 in lumber, hardware and concrete if you build it yourself over two or three weekends with a helper. Angi prices the materials for a pressure-treated deck at $10–$25 per square foot. Pull the permit yourself, rent a post-hole auger, and use a joist hanger nailer. Composite is DIY-friendly too but less forgiving of sloppy framing because it shows every dip.

Leave second-story, multi-level, hot tub and ipe decks to a pro. The ledger connection to the house is where decks fail, hardwood needs specialty fasteners and tooling, and a raised deck's beam sizing is engineering, not carpentry. Maintenance is the other half of the choice: HomeGuide puts wood upkeep at $400–$600 a year and composite at about $50, and Angi prices sealing at $0.75–$4 per square foot every one to two years. HomeAdvisor's resale data says a deck recoups about 82.9% of its cost.

Quote warning: the classic gap is a per-square-foot price that covers boards and framing but not rails, stairs, footings or the permit. Get three written quotes that name the decking brand and line, board thickness, framing lumber and joist spacing, footing type and depth, ledger attachment and flashing, fastener type (hidden clips add cost), railing style with linear footage, stairs, permit and inspection fees, demolition of any old deck and site cleanup. Ask each builder for the load rating if a hot tub is in the plan. A quote without a drawing is a quote you cannot compare.

Quick answers

How much does it cost to build a deck in 2026?

Plan on $25–$60 per square foot installed, as of September 2026: $25–$50 for pressure-treated pine, $25–$54 for composite and $50–$80 for ipe. Angi and HomeAdvisor put most decks at $4,340–$12,653 with an average of $8,318, and price a 16 by 20 foot deck at $12,800–$19,200. Fixr's average is $14,000 for a 320 square foot composite deck with railings.

Is composite decking worth the extra cost over wood?

Usually, if you will keep the house 10 years or more. Composite boards cost $12–$22 per square foot against $2–$5 for pressure-treated, roughly $3,000–$5,000 more on a 300 square foot deck. HomeGuide puts wood upkeep at $400–$600 a year for staining, sealing and repairs against about $50 for composite, and wood decks often need replacing at 15 to 20 years. The premium pays back in roughly six to fourteen years of avoided upkeep.

Can I build a deck myself?

A ground-level pressure-treated deck is a realistic project for a capable DIYer with a helper. Labor is 50–70% of a pro's price at $15–$35 per square foot, so a 12 by 12 deck that a contractor builds for $5,760–$8,640 might cost $1,500–$3,600 in materials. You still need a permit ($230–$500) and inspections of the footings, framing and ledger. Raised, multi-level and hardwood decks are pro work.

Before you sign: get the decking brand, railing footage and footing depth in writing, confirm the permit and inspections are included, and ask what happens to the price if the inspector requires deeper footings or a different ledger detail. See how to read a contractor quote. Fencing the yard at the same time? See fence installation cost.

Sources

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