Skip to main content
Tool Belt Calc

Cost

Deck Cost Calculator

What a new deck costs, by size, material and railing.

Your measurementsEvery assumption editable01

Boards, joists, hardware and footings. Check current prices locally.

Typically $10–20 per square foot depending on region and complexity.

Installed. Wood is cheaper; cable and glass considerably more.

Estimated costCalculated live02

Result

$5128–8547estimated

Midpoint $6838 — about $35.61 per sq ft

Deck area
192 sq ft
Materials
$1728
Labour43% of the subtotal
$2688
Railing
$1800
Subtotal
$6216
Contingency10%
$621.6
Midpoint estimate
$6837.6
Likely range±25%, the usual concept-stage spread
$5128 – $8547
Cost per sq ft
$35.61

This is a budgeting figure, not a quote. Regional labour rates vary by a factor of two or more across the country, and the same job priced in a busy season and a quiet one can differ by a third. Get three local quotes before committing to anything.

The range matters more than the midpoint. Construction estimating works to roughly ±25% until a scope is drawn and priced, and a single confident number would be pretending to a precision that does not exist at this stage.

Labour is usually the larger half and the more variable half. If the figure looks wrong, the labour rate is almost always the input to revisit first — material prices are far more consistent between regions than crews are.

Enter the deck size and pick a decking material. Railing is separate because it is often a quarter of the whole job, and every rate is editable because what a crew charges varies enormously by region.

Why use this tool?What it does differently03

Why use this tool?

Railing priced separately

It is frequently a quarter of the total and gets left out of quick estimates entirely.

A range, not a number

±25%, which is the honest spread for a figure derived from area and an average rate.

Four material tiers

Pressure-treated through hardwood, each with a starting rate you can override.

Labour share shown

Usually around 40% of a deck. If the total looks wrong, that is the input to revisit.

How this worksThe method04

How this deck cost calculator works

Deck area drives both the material and labour figures, each at a per-square-foot rate. Railing is calculated separately by the linear foot because its cost bears no relationship to deck area — a long narrow deck needs far more railing per square foot than a square one.

A contingency percentage is added on top, then the whole thing is bracketed at plus and minus twenty-five per cent. That spread is the conventional concept-stage estimating accuracy, and quoting a single figure would imply a precision that does not exist before a scope is drawn.

Footings, framing and hardware are inside the material rate rather than broken out, because they scale with area and are rarely priced separately by a builder.

How to use itStep by step05

How to use it

  1. Step 1: Enter the deck size

    Length and width in feet.

  2. Step 2: Pick the decking

    Pressure-treated, cedar, composite or hardwood. Override the rate with a local price if you have one.

  3. Step 3: Measure the railing

    Total linear feet. Skip any side that meets the house.

  4. Step 4: Get three quotes

    This is a budgeting figure. Local quotes are the only real number.

Example usageWorked figures06

Example usage

A 16 by 12 cedar deck
192 sq ft with 40 ft of railing: $1,728 materials, $2,688 labour, $1,800 railing — about $6,838 midpoint, or $5,128 to $8,547. That is $35.61 per square foot.
The same deck in composite
Raising the material rate to $16 takes the midpoint to roughly $8,180. Composite roughly doubles the material cost while labour stays put.
Where the railing bites
Drop the railing and the same deck falls to about $5,458. On a small deck the railing really can be a quarter of the job.
Frequently asked questionsCommon questions07

Frequently asked questions

How much does a deck cost per square foot?

Broadly $30 to $60 per square foot installed for a straightforward deck, depending on decking material and regional labour rates. Railing, stairs and complex shapes push it higher.

Is composite decking worth the extra?

It roughly doubles the material cost while labour stays similar, so expect perhaps a 30 to 40 per cent increase overall. Whether that pays back depends on how long you keep the house and how much you dislike sanding and staining.

Why is the estimate a range?

Because construction estimating works to about ±25% until a scope is drawn and priced. Regional labour rates vary by more than a factor of two, and a single number would be pretending otherwise.

Does this include stairs?

No. Stairs are priced per flight and vary with height and width. Add them separately — they are rarely trivial.

Do I need a permit for a deck?

Usually, above a certain height or area, and requirements vary by jurisdiction. Permit and inspection fees are not included here.

Related toolsElsewhere on the site08

Browse every tool in Project Cost Calculators.