Home improvement
Deck Cost Calculator
Works deck cost, where the structure beneath costs more than the surface.
Result
Excludes permits, engineering and site access difficulties. Elevated decks cost considerably more per square foot than ground-level ones because of footings, posts and guard requirements.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Decking material for the area, plus the framing, posts and footings beneath it, plus railings, stairs and fasteners, plus labour and permit fees. The structure is a larger share than the visible surface, and railings and stairs cost disproportionately more per unit than the deck field.
What moves the number
- Height above ground, which drives footings and posts.
- Railing length, which costs more per foot than decking.
- Stairs, which are labour intensive.
- Decking material choice.
Where this one goes wrong
Height is the cost driver people underestimate, because a raised deck needs larger posts, deeper footings, more bracing and a guard rail that a ground-level one does not, and the code requirements step up with height. Price from the height, not the area. Stairs are the other disproportionate item, since each tread involves framing, cutting and fastening and the code governs the rise and run uniformity closely.
Before you quote
- Price from the height as well as the area.
- Price railings and stairs separately from the deck field.
- Include permit fees and inspection requirements.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
Why does deck height affect cost so much?
Because a raised deck needs larger posts, deeper footings, more bracing and guard railings that a ground-level one does not, and the code requirements step up with height. Area alone is a poor predictor of a deck's cost.
What costs more per foot than the decking?
Railings and stairs. Railings involve posts, infill and connections for every foot of length, and each stair tread involves framing, cutting and fastening. Both are priced separately from the deck field for that reason.
Do decks need permits?
Generally yes, above a modest size or height, with inspections at specific stages. The ledger connection to the house is inspected closely because deck failures concentrate there, and the fastening requirements are prescribed.
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How to use this calculator
- Deck area (sq ft) (sq ft). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 300 sq ft.
- Decking material per sq ft ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $9.
- Framing and footings per sq ft ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $7.
- Labour per sq ft ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $18.
- Railing (linear ft) (ft). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 44 ft.
- Railing per linear ft ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $42.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to total estimated cost, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Deck area (sq ft) | 300 sq ft |
| Decking material per sq ft | $9 |
| Framing and footings per sq ft | $7 |
| Labour per sq ft | $18 |
| Railing (linear ft) | 44 ft |
| Railing per linear ft | $42 |
| Stairs and landing | $1,200 |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Total estimated cost main result | $13,248 |
| Cost per square foot | $44.16 |
| Materials | $7,848 |
| Labour | $5,400 |
A 300 sq ft deck costs roughly $13,248, $44.16 per square foot, split $7,848 materials and $5,400 labour.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only decking material per sq ft, this is what happens to total estimated cost. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Decking material per sq ft ($) | Total estimated cost |
|---|---|
| $4.5 | $11,898 |
| $6.75 | $12,573 |
| $9 example above | $13,248 |
| $13.5 | $14,598 |
| $18 | $15,948 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Deck area (sq ft) (sq ft)
- Measured in sq ft, starting at 300 sq ft.
- Decking material per sq ft ($)
- A money amount, starting at $9.
- Framing and footings per sq ft ($)
- A money amount, starting at $7.
- Labour per sq ft ($)
- A money amount, starting at $18.
- Railing (linear ft) (ft)
- Measured in ft, starting at 44 ft.
- Railing per linear ft ($)
- A money amount, starting at $42.
- Stairs and landing ($)
- A money amount, starting at $1,200.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Total estimated cost | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Cost per square foot | A money figure. |
| Materials | A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
Keep going
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