Decks, Fences & Siding
Deck Cost Calculator
Updated · Source: BLS wage data
Enter the deck area, your own price per square foot for framing and decking, and the railing length with its price. Pick your state, and the tool adds labor hours at the median carpenter wage there.
Worked example
The example uses a sample price typed into the price field, only to show the math. Use the price your supplier quotes you.
- Materials: 192 sq ft x $15.00 (the price entered) = $2,880.
- Labor: 19.2 hours x $23.51 an hour (carpenters, median in Texas) = $451.
Getting a price per square foot
The tool does not guess what lumber costs where you live. Price your deck boards, joists, beams, hardware and fasteners from a list, then divide by the deck area. Run the deck calculator first to get board, joist and screw counts for that list.
Pressure-treated wood, cedar and composite boards can differ several times over in price, so the number you enter decides most of the total. In the example, 192 sq ft at $15.00 gives $2,880 in materials.
Railing is priced by the foot
Railing is entered apart from the deck area because it is sold and installed by length. Add up every side that needs a guard, plus the stair rail. Leave the price at zero if the deck is low enough that no guard is needed, or if you are pricing the rail later.
How labor is figured
We estimate hours from the deck area and multiply by the median wage for carpenters in your state from the BLS May 2025 survey. In Texas that is $23.51 an hour, so 19.2 hours comes to $451. The range uses the 25th and 75th percentile wage.
The labor line uses the wage paid to workers, not the rate a company bills. A company adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top, so expect a contractor's price to sit well above the labor figure here. Our method page explains how the hours are set.
What this estimate leaves out
A deck has several costs that depend on the site, so they are not in the total:
- Permits, plan review and inspections.
- Footings: digging, forms and concrete for each post.
- Tearing out and hauling away an old deck.
- Stairs, which take extra time and lumber.
- Delivery fees and dumpster or disposal costs.
- Grading, drainage or work on a steep slope.
Before you build
Joist, beam and footing sizes come from your local code span tables, and the local code and a licensed professional have the final word on the structure. Plan the steps with the deck stairs calculator so their cost is not a surprise.
Carpenters: hourly wages by state
Median hourly wage in the highest and lowest paying states, with the 25th and 75th percentile. U.S. median: $29.12 an hour (670,090 workers).
| State | 25th pct. | Median | 75th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $31.91 | $41.00 | $53.36 |
| Illinois | $27.00 | $37.98 | $51.42 |
| California | $28.72 | $36.50 | $46.07 |
| Massachusetts | $29.21 | $36.16 | $46.88 |
| Washington | $29.15 | $35.67 | $44.55 |
| Alaska | $28.74 | $35.51 | $45.26 |
| New York | $27.56 | $34.77 | $43.18 |
| Minnesota | $26.56 | $31.22 | $40.58 |
| Mississippi | $18.47 | $23.39 | $25.23 |
| Alabama | $19.43 | $23.18 | $27.11 |
| South Dakota | $20.29 | $23.14 | $28.87 |
| Arkansas | $19.93 | $22.96 | $27.65 |
| Oklahoma | $19.37 | $22.55 | $25.72 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2031. Wages paid to workers, not what a company charges you: contractor rates include overhead, insurance and profit.
Questions
Why is my contractor's price higher than this?
This uses wages paid to workers and your own material price. A company bill adds overhead, insurance and profit, plus the items listed above.
Should I include the railing in the price per square foot?
No. Enter railing separately by the foot so it is not counted twice.
Where do the wage numbers come from?
From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. See our sources page.
How this works: formulas and typical values are listed on our method page; every data source and its license is on sources.
Labor: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Last reviewed November 2026.
Estimates for planning only. Get written quotes from local contractors before you decide.