State and metro guides
One page per state and one page per major metro, each with the contractor licensing statute, the permit authority, climate notes, and a cost calculator tuned to local code. 50 states + 40 metros live now.
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On this page:Deck costComposite vs wood
Cost Calculator
Estimate Your Deck Cost
Most new decks run $4,500–$18,000, or $15–$70 per sq ft installed. Pressure-treated pine sits at the low end; composite, PVC, and hardwood go higher. Adjust the size, material, and project type below for a ballpark on your own deck, then submit your details above for real deck-builder bids.
100 sq ft1,000 sq ft
Estimated Total Cost
$9,600 – $19,200
- Materials$4,800 – $10,560
- Labor$3,360 – $6,720
- Permits, Footings & Demo$1,440 – $1,920
- MaterialComposite (Trex/TimberTech)
- Deck Size320 sq ft
Materials
Decking Materials & What They Cost
Price, lifespan, and practical trade-offs for the six decking materials you’ll likely be quoted.
| Material | Cost / sq ft | Lifespan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure-Treated Pine | $15 – $35 | 10–15 yrs | The budget default for most decks. Cheap and widely available, but it checks, splinters, and needs sealing every year or two. |
| Cedar / Redwood | $20 – $45 | 15–25 yrs | A natural-wood look with built-in rot and insect resistance. Softer than pine; still needs regular sealing to hold its color. |
| Composite (Wood-Plastic) | $30 – $60 | 25–30 yrs | Low-maintenance decks. Capped composite (Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon) resists stains, fading, and rot. No sealing, just soap and water. |
| Cellular PVC | $40 – $70 | 30+ yrs | The most moisture-proof and lightest boards. Excellent for damp or coastal sites; premium price and can run hot in direct sun. |
| Tropical Hardwood (Ipe) | $40 – $80 | 40+ yrs | A dense, premium hardwood that lasts decades. Beautiful and extremely durable, but heavy, hard to fasten, and needs oiling to keep its color. |
| Aluminum | $45 – $90 | 40+ yrs | Rooftop and over-living-space decks. Waterproof, fireproof, and stays cool. Niche and costly, with a distinctly modern look. |
Process
How It Works
The form takes about 90 seconds. The first deck builder usually calls within an hour during business hours.
1
Tell us about your deck
Answer a few quick questions about your home, project type, and zip code. Takes under a minute.
2
We route your request
Your request is passed to a lead partner who connects you with a local deck builder in their network.
3
Compare quotes and choose
Review bids side-by-side and pick the deck builder that fits your budget and timeline.
Start here
What this site is (and isn’t)
An honest research library for homeowners about to spend $5,000–$40,000 on a new deck. We aggregate public government data, cite every code, and route quote requests through a lead partner.
The deck-building trade runs on door-knockers, lowball bids, and quotes that vary 40% on the same scope. We built this site as a plain-English reference library so homeowners can walk into a builder conversation knowing the code requirements, the warranty fine print, and the pricing bands for their metro before the first bid lands. Everything on the site is either pulled from a named government source (state statutes, building codes, contractor licensing boards, the IRC) with a link back to the original, or labeled as directional and marked as such.
What we are: a small editorial team (no licensed contractors or engineers on staff) that researches and publishes the material, plus a lead generation service that sells your quote request to a lead partner who routes it to a local deck builder. What we are not: a contractor, a building inspector, an engineer, or a substitute for a licensed local professional who has actually looked at your property. For the full disclosure on how requests are handled and what you should verify on any builder before signing, see how we handle your quote request.
Free deck estimates near you, researched before you call
Decking brand comparison
Good / better / best product lines across six major decking manufacturers, with honest warranty fine print and tradeoffs. Sourced from manufacturer tech sheets and ICC-ES evaluations. We don’t test boards, we research them.
Deck permit process
When a deck needs a permit, the application and plan review, the footing / framing / final inspections, and the red flags that mean you should walk away from a builder before you sign.
Deck building codes by state
Every state’s deck code at a glance: which IRC edition is in force, guardrail heights, the frost-depth footing rule, and lateral-load requirements. Code citations for all 50 states.
Top metros we cover
City deck-building guides
Metro-specific cost data, contractor licensing, permit offices, and climate notes for the largest cities we cover.
Deck-building guides by state
Find your state
Each state has its own contractor licensing rules, building code, and climate. Pick yours for code-level detail and a cost calculator tuned to local requirements.
- AlabamaAL
- AlaskaAK
- ArizonaAZ
- ArkansasAR
- CaliforniaCA
- ColoradoCO
- ConnecticutCT
- DelawareDE
- FloridaFL
- GeorgiaGA
- HawaiiHI
- IdahoID
- IllinoisIL
- IndianaIN
- IowaIA
- KansasKS
- KentuckyKY
- LouisianaLA
- MaineME
- MarylandMD
- MassachusettsMA
- MichiganMI
- MinnesotaMN
- MississippiMS
- MissouriMO
- MontanaMT
- NebraskaNE
- NevadaNV
- New HampshireNH
- New JerseyNJ
- New MexicoNM
- New YorkNY
- North CarolinaNC
- North DakotaND
- OhioOH
- OklahomaOK
- OregonOR
- PennsylvaniaPA
- Rhode IslandRI
- South CarolinaSC
- South DakotaSD
- TennesseeTN
- TexasTX
- UtahUT
- VermontVT
- VirginiaVA
- WashingtonWA
- West VirginiaWV
- WisconsinWI
- WyomingWY