A new deck is one of the highest-ROI home additions — about 65-80% of cost recovered at resale. In 2026 prices range from $20/sqft (basic pressure-treated) to $80/sqft (premium composite with features). Here's accurate pricing by material and size.
Deck cost by material (per sq ft installed)
- Pressure-treated pine — $20 to $35 / sq ft
- Cedar — $30 to $50 / sq ft
- Redwood — $35 to $55 / sq ft
- Composite (Trex, TimberTech) — $40 to $65 / sq ft
- PVC (Azek) — $45 to $75 / sq ft
- Tropical hardwood (Ipe, Cumaru) — $50 to $85 / sq ft
- Aluminum — $50 to $80 / sq ft
Total cost by deck size
(composite material, mid-range, including substructure + railing)
- 200 sq ft (10×20) — $9,000 to $13,000
- 300 sq ft (12×25) — $13,500 to $19,500
- 400 sq ft (16×25) — $18,000 to $26,000
- 600 sq ft (20×30) — $27,000 to $39,000
What drives cost beyond material
- Height — ground-level vs. elevated (8 ft+ adds $5-10/sq ft for posts, beams, stairs)
- Stairs — $50-$150 per linear foot
- Railing — composite/aluminum railing $50-$120 / lin ft
- Built-in features — pergola ($3-8k), benches, lighting, fire pit
- Permits — $300-$1,000 depending on jurisdiction
- Removing old deck — $5-$10 / sq ft of demo
Pressure-treated vs. composite — break-even
Composite costs 1.5-2x more upfront but lasts 25-30 years with zero maintenance. PT pine lasts 10-15 years and needs annual staining ($200-400/yr).
Break-even is typically year 8-10 — after that composite is cheaper total cost of ownership.
Quote a deck job accurately
Don't quote per sq ft only. Itemize:
- Footings (concrete + sonotubes) — $80-$200 each
- Substructure (joists, beams, ledger) — $8-$15/sq ft
- Decking material — $4-$15/sq ft (material only)
- Fasteners (hidden vs. exposed)
- Railing — by linear foot
- Stairs — by stringer + tread
- Labor — 35-45% of total
Try the ConstruMate deck calculator — enter sq ft, height, railing type — get instant pricing.