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Deck Cost Calculator
Size the deck, pick the decking material, and this builds the cost up from its parts — boards, framing, footings, railing and labour — instead of guessing at a per-square-foot number.
Your numbers
Result
Estimated total
$7,644
- Cost per square foot
- $40
- Materials
- $4,764
- Labour
- $2,880
- Decking boards
- $864
- Framing
- $960
- Railing
- $1,980
- Footings
- $960
- Footing count
- 8footings
- Deck area
- 192sq ft
How this is calculated
- Deck area = length × width.
- Decking, framing and labour are each area × their rate per square foot.
- Railing length = two long sides + one short side, and is only counted above 30 inches, where code requires a guard.
- Footings ≈ posts at 6 ft spacing in two rows, minimum four.
- Total = decking + framing + railing + footings + labour.
Before you order
- A guard is required once the walking surface is more than 30 inches above grade, and stairs bring their own rules. Railing is often a fifth of the whole job.
- Composite decking still needs a wood frame. The material saving people expect from 'no maintenance' is in the finishing, not the structure.
- Footing depth is set by your frost line, and in cold climates that is a much bigger hole than a warm-climate example suggests.
- Most decks need a permit and an inspection, particularly the ledger connection to the house — a bad ledger is the failure mode that hurts people.
Missing calls while you're on the job?
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