Does this include permits or engineering?

No. Add permits/engineering separately if required.

What about footings count and hardware?

Footings cost is a lump allowance; adjust based on your deck design and local frost depth requirements.

Do I need railing on every side?

No—reduce railing length if some sides are open or below height thresholds.

Increase material $/ft² for composites; labor may vary slightly.

Set stairs cost to 0 if not needed or if using simple steps.

construction calculator

Deck Cost Calculator

Estimate deck cost by combining material, labor, railings, footings, stairs, and waste to get total and cost per square foot.

Results

Deck area (sq ft): 240.00
Adjusted area (sq ft): 264.00
Material cost: $4,752
Labor cost: $3,168
Railing cost: $2,240
Footings cost: $600
Stairs cost: $800
Estimated total cost: $11,560
Cost per sq ft: $48

How to use this calculator

Enter deck length and width.
Enter material and labor cost per sq ft.
Enter railing cost per foot, footings/post base cost, and stairs allowance.
Set waste allowance. Review total and cost per sq ft.

Inputs explained

Deck length/width: Overall deck dimensions in feet.
Material cost/ft²: Decking + framing material per square foot.
Labor/ft²: Install labor per square foot.
Railing cost/ft: Railing material + install per linear foot.
Footings/post bases: Allowance for footings/posts/piers.
Stairs cost: Allowance for stair material and labor.
Waste allowance: Extra for cuts/offcuts (8–12% common).

How it works

Area = length × width; adjusted area adds waste. Perimeter drives railing cost. Material/labor apply to adjusted area; footings/stairs are lump sums.

Total is the sum of material, labor, railing, footings, and stairs; cost per sq ft divides by original area.

Formula

Area = Length × Width
Adjusted area = Area × (1 + Waste%)
Perimeter = 2 × (Length + Width)
Material = Adjusted area × Material $/ft²
Labor = Adjusted area × Labor $/ft²
Railing = Perimeter × Railing $/ft
Total = Material + Labor + Railing + Footings + Stairs
Cost/ft² = Total ÷ Area

When to use it

Budgeting a new deck before requesting contractor bids.
Comparing material tiers (wood vs composite) by changing per-foot costs.
Seeing how railing and stairs affect total budget.

Tips & cautions

Railing length uses full perimeter—adjust down if some sides are open.
Composite materials often have higher material cost; adjust labor if install differs.
Increase waste for complex shapes/angles; decrease for simple rectangles.
Does not include permits, footings count specifics, or ledger/flashing details.
Assumes flat per-foot pricing; site conditions can raise labor/footing costs.
Stairs and railing are lump sums—adjust if your design differs.

Worked examples

20×12 deck, 10% waste, $18 material, $12 labor, $35 railing/ft, $600 footings, $800 stairs

Area = 240 sq ft; Adjusted = 264 sq ft
Material ≈ $4,752
Labor ≈ $3,168
Railing ≈ $2,240
Total ≈ $10,960; Cost/ft² ≈ $45.67

16×14 deck, 8% waste, $10 material, $8 labor, $25 railing/ft, $500 footings, $600 stairs

Area = 224 sq ft; Adjusted ≈ 241.9 sq ft
Material ≈ $2,419
Labor ≈ $1,935
Railing ≈ $1,500
Total ≈ $6,454; Cost/ft² ≈ $28.80

Deep dive

This deck cost calculator multiplies your deck area (with waste) by material and labor costs and adds railing, footings, and stairs to show total cost and cost per square foot.

Use it to compare wood vs composite options and to see how railings and stairs change your deck budget before you bid.

FAQs

Does this include permits or engineering?: No. Add permits/engineering separately if required.
What about footings count and hardware?: Footings cost is a lump allowance; adjust based on your deck design and local frost depth requirements.
Do I need railing on every side?: No—reduce railing length if some sides are open or below height thresholds.
Composite vs wood?: Increase material $/ft² for composites; labor may vary slightly.
Can I remove stairs?: Set stairs cost to 0 if not needed or if using simple steps.

Related calculators

construction

Decking Board Calculator

Estimate deck board count and total deck area for standard decking projects.

construction

Fence Cost Calculator

Estimate fence material, labor, gates, tear-out, and stain costs per foot and total.

construction

Roof Replacement Cost Calculator

Estimate roof replacement cost with material, labor, tear-off, and waste allowance.

Budgeting tool only. Actual costs vary by materials, design, code requirements, and site conditions. Confirm with contractors before building.