How Much Does a Deck Cost in 2026? Real Quotes by Size & Material
By Vinay S · Updated October 13, 2026
A basic deck costs about $15 to $25 per square foot in pressure-treated wood, and a composite deck costs about $40 to $70 per square foot installed, according to 2026 pricing from Remodel AI and Advantage Lumber. That makes a 12×16 deck somewhere between $2,900 and about $13,400 depending on the boards you pick, with railings, stairs and permits on top. If a quote comes back far above that, the extra is probably in the structure, the height or the site, not in the deck boards.
This guide gives the price bands by size and material, a worked example with arithmetic, and the reasons two quotes for the same deck can sit thousands apart. The Deck Cost Calculator will turn your own dimensions into a budget range.
Deck cost by material
Installed prices per square foot, 2026. The sources do not agree exactly, so I show each one.
| Material | Remodel AI | Advantage Lumber |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated pine | $15 to $25 | |
| Cedar | $25 to $35 | |
| Redwood | $30 to $45 | |
| Composite (Trex, TimberTech) | $30 to $60 | Trex $45 to $70, TimberTech $40 to $70 |
| PVC (Azek) | $35 to $60 | |
| Ipe / hardwood | $35 to $60 | $50 to $70 |
| Basic professional build | $25 to $60 | |
| Premium build | $40 to $80 |
Advantage Lumber also says that many standard composite projects land at $40 to $70, and large or complex ones with premium railings, lighting or pergolas run $70 to $100 or more.
Those totals include labor. If you only need the boards, Inch Calculator lists decking material alone at $3 to $6 per square foot for pressure-treated pine, $8 to $15 for cedar and $5 to $12 for composite. Notice that composite boards cost only a couple of dollars more per square foot than pine. The big gap in the installed price comes from other things.
Cost by deck size
Advantage Lumber’s 2026 table shows mid-range materials with a professional install, not counting permits and railings.
| Deck size | Sq ft | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10×10 | 100 | $2,500 | $4,000 | $6,000 |
| 12×16 | 192 | $4,800 | $7,700 | $11,500 |
| 20×20 | 400 | $10,000 | $16,000 | $24,000 |
Remodel AI’s ranges for pressure-treated decks are lower: $1,500 to $2,500 for a 10×10, $2,900 to $4,800 for a 12×16 and $6,000 to $10,000 for a 20×20. Inch Calculator says the average deck is 300 to 400 sq ft, with a national average of $8,000 and a typical range of $4,400 to $12,000 for small to moderate decks, and $40,000 to $50,000 for deluxe ones. Its listed maximum is $50,000.
That last number is worth keeping in mind. If you are holding a quote for a regular backyard deck that is well above $50,000, it is above the top of every range I found. Ask for a line-item breakdown before you do anything else.
A worked example: a 12×16 composite deck
The deck is 12 feet by 16 feet, attached to the house along one 16 foot side, composite surface, four steps down to the yard.
- Area: 12 × 16 = 192 sq ft
- Composite at $40 per sq ft: 192 × $40 = $7,680
- Composite at $70 per sq ft: 192 × $70 = $13,440
- Railing on the three open sides: 12 + 16 + 12 = 40 linear feet. At $20 to $50 per foot, 40 × $20 = $800 up to 40 × $50 = $2,000
- Stairs: 4 steps at $150 to $300, which is $600 to $1,200
- Permit and inspection at $200 to $1,500
Add the low column and you get $7,680 + $800 + $600 + $200 = $9,280. Add the high column and you get $13,440 + $2,000 + $1,200 + $1,500 = $18,140.
So a good estimate for this deck is about $9,300 to $18,100. I add railing and stairs separately because Advantage Lumber’s size table excludes them. If a contractor’s standard price per square foot already includes them, the totals will look higher per foot and similar overall. The Composite Decking Calculator tells you how many boards to order, and the Deck Calculator covers boards, joists and fasteners for the whole structure.
Why quotes vary so much for the same deck
A homeowner who collects three bids and sees a spread of 3x or more has usually been quoted three different decks. These are the pieces that move the price.
Height. Remodel AI says ground-level decks are about 20% to 30% cheaper than elevated ones. Decks more than 30 inches above grade need guardrails and often deeper footings.
Framing. Advantage Lumber lists steel or aluminum framing upgrades for elevated decks at $2 to $8 per square foot. Nobody sees the framing once the deck is done, and it can still cost more than the boards.
Labor. Labor is $15 to $35 per square foot, and Inch Calculator says it makes up the majority of the cost. In its 300 sq ft pressure-treated example labor is about 52% to 55% of the total.
Region. Advantage Lumber reports prices up to 20% to 30% higher in coastal or high-demand areas.
Features. Built-in seating, lighting, pergolas and similar extras can add 20% to 50% to the bill, and Remodel AI lists them at $1,000 to $10,000 in total.
Site work. Sloped yards, excavation and demolition of an old deck add cost. Advantage Lumber lists removal of an old deck at $500 to $2,000.
Waste. Hidden fasteners and board waste add 10% to 20% to materials.
It is rarely the boards
The boards are only part of the bill, and the numbers show it. In Advantage Lumber’s 300 sq ft examples, labor and framing come to about $6,000 whatever the top surface is, roughly $20 per square foot. The decking material itself runs from about $1,500 to $5,100 for hardwood and $2,100 to $5,100 for composite or PVC. So you can swap boards and move the total by a few thousand dollars, while the framing, footings, stairs, railings and permits stay where they are.
If you are trying to bring a quote down, these are the levers that work:
- Make the deck lower, or smaller by a row of joists.
- Pick a mid-range board and skip the premium railing.
- Cut built-ins and lighting from the first phase. They can be added later.
- Leave the existing deck in place if the framing is sound and only resurface it.
Is DIY worth it?
Labor at $15 to $35 per sq ft means a DIY build of the 192 sq ft deck above saves roughly 192 × $15 = $2,880 to 192 × $35 = $6,720. Remodel AI estimates the saving at 50% to 60% of the installed price, which would apply when you pay only for materials. You need to be comfortable with footings, ledger attachment and guardrails, because these are the parts inspectors look at. If you hire out the structure and do the decking yourself, you still capture a good share of the savings.
Resale is modest. Remodel AI, citing Remodeling Magazine 2025, says wood decks recoup about 65% of their cost and composite about 63%. Maintenance differs by material: hardwood oiling runs $100 to $300 per year according to Advantage Lumber, while composites need little more than rinsing.
How to decide what to do next
- Measure the deck and enter it into the Deck Cost Calculator to get your own range.
- Choose the material from your budget and how much upkeep you will accept.
- Ask each contractor for a written quote that lists framing, footings, decking, railing, stairs, permit and demolition as separate lines.
- Compare the same scope across bids. If one bid leaves out railings or permits, add them yourself.
- Check permit requirements with your building department before you sign.
- Verify the contractor’s license and insurance, and avoid paying the full amount up front, as the FTC advises.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 12×16 deck cost?
A 12×16 deck is 192 sq ft. Remodel AI puts pressure-treated at $2,900 to $4,800 and composite at $30 to $60 per sq ft. Advantage Lumber's 2026 mid-range average for a professionally built 12×16 is $7,700, with a low of $4,800 and a high of $11,500, before permits and railings.
How much does a composite deck cost per square foot?
Advantage Lumber's 2026 guide says $40 to $70 per sq ft installed for many standard projects and $70 to $100 or more for large or complex builds with premium railings, lighting or pergolas. Remodel AI is lower at $30 to $60.
Is pressure-treated wood really that much cheaper than composite?
Installed, yes. Remodel AI lists pressure-treated pine at $15 to $25 per sq ft against $30 to $60 for composite. Inch Calculator lists the boards alone at $3 to $6 per sq ft for pressure-treated and $5 to $12 for composite, so the gap is smaller on materials than on the final bill.
How much do railings and stairs add to a deck?
Advantage Lumber lists railings at $20 to $50 per linear foot and stairs at $150 to $300 per step. Remodel AI gives $20 to $80 per foot and $50 to $150 per step. On a 12×16 deck with 40 feet of rail and four steps, that is about $1,400 to $3,200.
How much does a deck permit cost?
Advantage Lumber lists permits and inspections at $200 to $1,500. Inch Calculator says $225 to $500 and Remodel AI says $50 to $500. The fee is set by your city or county, so call the building department.
How much does DIY save on a deck?
Labor runs $15 to $35 per sq ft according to Advantage Lumber and Inch Calculator, so on a 192 sq ft deck that is $2,880 to $6,720. Remodel AI estimates DIY saves roughly 50% to 60%. You still pay for tools, delivery and your time.