Deckwright
Budget

Deck Cost Calculator

Two honest ways to budget: a quick per-square-foot range with named sources, or an itemized total from your own store’s prices.

1 Deck
ft
ft
Decking
2 Rates per sq ft
$/ft²
$/ft²
Who builds it
3 Extras
$
$
Ask your building department
%
Deck area
192ft²
Materials
$2,880
to $5,760
Labor
$0
DIY
Budget
$3,168
to $6,336 incl. 10% contingency
The default composite range is $15–$30 per sq ft for materials, including framing, decking, hardware and fasteners. That is Trex’s published estimate, which excludes its premium line. Trex also notes that on professionally installed projects, materials are “up to one third” of the total cost.
For a number you can trust, build the itemized list in the Deck Planner and enter your local prices once. They are remembered on this device, and every line updates as you change the design.

How we handle prices

Many cost calculators show a confident national number with no source, no date and no breakdown. We don’t. The only default rate here is a manufacturer’s published range for composite materials, and it is labeled as such. Everything else is a rate you enter from your own quotes, or a total built from your own store’s prices in the planner.

The fastest accurate budget

  1. Design the deck in the Deck Planner: size, decking, railings and stairs.
  2. Open your lumberyard’s or big-box store’s website and type the unit price next to each line of the shopping list. Prices are remembered on this device.
  3. If a contractor builds it, ask for a labor-only quote per square foot and enter it here, or ask for an itemized quote and compare it with your list.

What moves the price most

  • Decking material: the biggest single choice, from pressure-treated pine up to PVC and tropical hardwood.
  • Height: a deck more than 30″ off the ground needs guards, often stairs, and longer posts, deeper footings and bracing.
  • Railings and stairs: per linear foot, railings can cost as much as the decking they surround.
  • Shape and pattern: diagonal and picture-frame layouts add 10–20% decking waste and extra framing.

Questions people ask

How much does a composite deck cost per square foot?
Trex estimates that materials for a composite deck, including the framing, decking, hardware and fasteners, run $15–$30 per square foot, excluding its premium Signature line. Trex also says materials are up to one third of the total cost of a professionally installed project. Labor varies widely by region, so get local quotes.
Why don’t you show a national price for wood decks?
Lumber prices move with the market and differ a lot by region, so a national per-square-foot number is either stale or misleading. Price the actual materials list in our planner with your store’s prices. It takes a few minutes and gives you a number you can trust.
What costs do people forget?
Permits and plan fees, disposal of an old deck, stairs and railings (often a large share of the materials bill), ledger flashing, joist tape, footing forms and concrete, tool rental (an auger or a post-hole digger), and delivery. Keep a 10–15% contingency.

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