how much does it cost to hire someone to build a deck

Deck Building Cost: How Much to Hire a Professional

By Rachel WilsonFebruary 27, 2026

Building a deck can greatly enhance your outdoor living space, but the cost of hiring someone to construct it can vary significantly. This guide will help you understand the factors influencing the cost, the average prices, and what you can expect when hiring a professional.

Before we dive into the details, let's consider the basic types of decks. A simple, ground-level deck can range from 200 to 800 square feet, while multi-level decks or those with complex designs can exceed 1,000 square feet. The cost of building a deck typically ranges from $2,500 to $9,000, with most homeowners spending around $4,500.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Building a Deck

The total cost of building a deck depends on several factors, including size, materials, design complexity, labor, and local regulations.

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1. **Size and Complexity**: Larger decks and those with intricate designs require more materials and labor, driving up the cost.

Deck Size

Small decks (under 200 sq. ft.) can cost as little as $1,500, while large decks (over 800 sq. ft.) can exceed $10,000.

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**Average Cost per Square Foot**: $25 - $50. So, a 400 sq. ft. deck would cost between $10,000 and $20,000.

Deck Design

Complex designs, such as multi-level decks, can increase the cost by 20% to 50% compared to simple, ground-level decks.

**Example**: A 400 sq. ft. multi-level deck might cost between $12,000 and $30,000.

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Materials and Labor Costs

The choice of materials and local labor costs significantly impact the total expense.

1. **Materials**: Pressure-treated lumber, composite, and PVC are popular choices. Composite and PVC are more expensive but require less maintenance.

Material Costs

**Pressure-treated lumber**: $2 - $6 per sq. ft. **Composite**: $15 - $35 per sq. ft. **PVC**: $20 - $60 per sq. ft.

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is it CHEAPER to BUILD a DECK (diy style) or to HIRE a CONTRACTOR | is it CHEAPER to BUILD a DECK (diy style) or to HIRE a CONTRACTOR? #deck #deckbuilding #deckdesign #decking #carpentry | By Designs by Donnie | Is it cheaper to build your own deck, DIY style, or to hire a contractor? Let's find out. But why go small when we can go huge and save more money. Oh yeah, in the space, this is where we're going to build it. Starting with the layout lines, we're going to get this baby nice and square. Before I go over the price quotes from contractors and the cost breakdown to go the DIY route? I wanted to take a beat and explain why I've been DIYing so many outdoor projects lately. You see, Last year, we bought this house and it was a boring builder-grade home although we loved it but basically, that's a fancy way of saying it's a blank canvas and I want to customize it. At least the artist in me is saying that. And with inflation through the roof, I plan to DIY my entire home into a place we never want to leave. I mean, that's the goal anyway and since summer is around the corner and the weather is heating up, let's turn my backyard into an oasis, one project at a time. That's literally what I keep telling my wife. Now I don't mind investing money and sweat equity into my home. I mean why not? I would rather do that instead of wasting money on travel. Traveling is fun. But lately if you haven't noticed it's kind of a nightmare out there in the world. If you want to take a family trip to Disney or somewhere like that it's going to cost between five and nine thousand dollars for a few days. And we're not even talking about the food or the fuel or the plane rides. I never understand time of the year. Literally, everyone I know immediately starts setting up trips and vacations and I always ask myself, why? You're going to spend a fortune on a vacation just to be crammed up and sandwiched between others on a flight or worse, drive for several hours on a miserable car ride and then stop and snap selfies at Bucky's as if it was an awesome destination. I mean, it's a gas station, right? I'm not picking on Bucky's, I've never been there but I'm sure it's awesome. If you've been there by the way, let me know. I gotta know what's so big about it. What's so cool? Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with traveling and if you love to travel, that's cool with me. I just personally would like to invest my time and money into my home so it's a place that I never want to travel away from. And with inflation and mortgage rates and everything what it is, I mean our house payments are kind of like a vacation, are they not? They're so expensive. Why would I spend all this money on this house just to try to leave it every chance I get? Call me old fashion but that's the way I see it. Oh and did you see these little stop portion blocks I put on top of the joists? These are ensuring that the whole thing is flat. That way I won't have any highs or lows. And the lag screws, here's what I've been using. My boy supervised but I do want to say off camera I came back in with some large lag bolts just to reinforce the structural soundness of these floor joists. After all, we don't want any sagging on the deck and I know I'm just a DIYer but I would like to come across as professional as I can. Alright, alright. You want to talk numbers. I know. Let's go over some. So for contractors to do a deck this size with pressure treated lumber, concrete, nails, screws, composite decking, you name it. It was going to be around 50 to $60 a square foot. So that's around 15 to $16thousand dollars cost for a contractor to come out and do this. And this technique right here is called blocking. What this does is it helps stabilize the deck laterally with movement. You see sometimes when framing, it kind of stands up like a deck of cards. Picture building a tower out of cards and it wants those sway side to side. Well, that blocking ensures that it won't and this tape, now this was crazy. I would rather go makeup shopping with my wife before ever doing that again but the professional deck guys are putting this tape down everywhere and it's basically waterproofing the top layer of the pressure-treated lumber and I know, I get it. You're thinking like I am but it's pressure-treated lumber. It's going to last a long time and that is true but this is just one extra measure and it's the latest in carpentry to do it so why not? Anything I can help mitigate water, I think is the best way to go. This is my first deck build. I've built a lot of things before but I've never done this and I've definitely never used composite decking. This stuff is awesome. Now, it is kind of heavy but the finished look, nothing compares to it. It's really legit and it's going to last a long time. Now, the only downside that I've noticed while building is it's prone to scratches so that's kind of a bummer especially with kids running all over it but we'll see how it holds up. The deck goes together really well. It's got these hidden fasteners that are in between each plank and you have to screw them down which makes it really cool and snug to the floor joists. But the only bummer is you have to be squatting. So your lower back is killing you the entire time. So if you're a deck guy I definitely want you to chime in and let me know if I build a deck again is there a technique or a way I can do this without having to bend over and stay hunched like this? It was terrible. Okay, let's talk my cost. I bought my materials from Lowe's and since I went big, I was able to save nearly $1, 200 in material cost. Wow. That's a huge savings if you ask me. But I guess since you're not, we'll just move on. But because the materials were in bulk, I was able to save 10%. And I got a military discount for another 10% off. I mean, how do you beat that? And by the way, I did comparison shopping from other large companies and they were nearly two dollars more expensive in just the material cost. My total cost with all materials included was 4four 00 dollars. That's awesome, right? Now, I did get a huge discount of 20% like I explained before but I still think that's fantastic. This deck is huge. It's almost 400 square feet. Just a little under really. That was a good miter joint, right? And you see these seams right here? They look pretty rough but I always meant for it to be like that. You see, I didn't want two butt joints coming together so I decided I was going to run a border right down the middle and I used my tracksaw cut this out. That came out really well. Now we just have to see if this border's going to pop into place and see if I got my measurements right. Cuz if I'm wrong, that's not going to be good. Oh, yes. Add a little foot pressure and before you know it, it's beautiful. I think I got lucky to be honest. But we have to drill these things down from the top but they come with these really cool plugs. Look at this. It's just going to disappear on you. How cool. Man, they really thought of everything. But yeah, I left this back portion off. I've told you before and I'll say it again. I've got ADHD and I just wanted to stop and see what the picture frame border was going to look like. So, you know how it is but I moved on, I came back to it, I got it done. I worked on those corners and got that picture frame wrapped all the way around this deck. This was really satisfying and if I had to say it, it was the funnest part of the entire project. Let's do a recap of the numbers. My cost was $4400 and a professional was $15, 000 on the low end but I know what you're thinking. I didn't count my time or labor and that's because this project was for me not for a customer and I did it after hours and on my time, free time. I didn't take away from my job. So, DIYing like that, it's the way to go. I mean, I saved nearly $11, 000. I would say that's a huge savings. But at the last minute, I decided to wrap the entire deck with a border and I wanted to close off bottom where the grade went down. I was a little bit worried about snakes or rodents just wanting to nestle up under there. Now, what would I do? I have no idea. I don't want to hurt any creatures or any snakes but I would like to deter them. So, if you have an idea with that, let me know because I know this extra blocking I did is not going to help. But it did help with the appearance of the deck so that way it wouldn't appear unsightly with the grade dropping down. Take a look at this and tell me what you think. Pretty great for a first time deck, right? It's completely flat. All the seams are perfect. It looks really well. I love it. I'm digging it and more off, I hope my family's going to really enjoy it. I know my wife's going to enjoy trying to pick out some furniture for it but this thing was legit. I literally had a blast minus the backaches and living off a ibuprofen for two weeks while I built it but here it is and it's just time to take a nap. So, would you DIY it?

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2. **Labor**: Labor costs vary by region. On average, expect to pay $30 - $60 per hour for a professional deck builder.

**Example**: A 400 sq. ft. deck might take 100 - 200 hours to build, costing $3,000 - $12,000 in labor alone.

Additional Costs

Don't forget to factor in permits, hardware, railings, stairs, and any additional features like built-in seating or lighting.

**Permits**: $50 - $2,000 (varies by location) **Hardware**: $1 - $5 per sq. ft. **Railings and Stairs**: $1 - $10 per linear foot

Hiring a Professional Deck Builder

Hiring a professional ensures your deck is safe, durable, and compliant with local building codes.

1. **Get Estimates**: Obtain quotes from at least three licensed, insured contractors. Be wary of estimates that are significantly lower than others.

What's Included in the Estimate?

Ensure the estimate includes materials, labor, permits, and any additional costs. Ask for a detailed breakdown if it's not provided.

2. **Check Credentials**: Verify the contractor's license, insurance, and certifications. Ask for references and examples of their past work.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Beware of contractors who demand full payment upfront, use high-pressure sales tactics, or can't provide proper documentation.

3. **Sign a Contract**: Once you've chosen a contractor, sign a detailed contract outlining the project's scope, timeline, payment schedule, and warranty information.

Building a deck can be a significant investment, but with the right planning and professional help, it can add value and enjoyment to your home. When considering the cost of hiring someone to build a deck, remember that quality materials and workmanship are worth the extra expense. Don't rush the process; take the time to find the right contractor and design a deck that suits your needs and budget.