The Average Cost of a Deck
Before you consider the type of deck that you need or the materials that you want to use, you should know some of the basic costs of building a deck. Some simple decks are less expensive than some more complex deck designs. The materials and the installation costs will depend on what type of materials you use and if you hire a contractor or build the deck yourself.
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Labor
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Building a deck has labor costs associated with it if you don't do the work yourself. It could run you about $500 to $900 for labor. That is if you are building a simple single level deck with a square or rectangular shape. This would include rails and steps. By doing the work yourself, you could eliminate this cost, but you should have some knowledge or a guide on how to build a simple deck.
Wood Types
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The type of deck material you choose will determine the majority of the cost. If you were building a square deck that is 400 square feet, you would spend roughly $4,000 to $6,000 for pressure treated wood such as yellow wood, which grays and splinters after a few years. For the same deck size, using redwood or cedar would run about $7,200 to $8,000. If you choose tropical hardwoods, you can expect to pay about $8,800 to $9,600. The low end would be if you do the work yourself and the high end is if you have labor costs associated with the work.
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Indestructible Types
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Plastic wood composites that last forever will run you about $5,200 to $8,000 for a 400 hundred square foot deck. These types of decks and materials will include the rails. These decks are low maintenance and are virtually indestructible in any weather conditions.
Railings, Landings and Steps
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For decks that need steps, railings and landings installed by a contractor, you could expect to pay $16,000 to $25,000 for a 425 hundred square foot deck with a complex design. This does depend on the types of materials that you use for the deck. It could run a little more if you use higher standard materials.
Other Supplies
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Besides the materials for the deck, you will need concrete for the posts, nails, screws and the tools to build the deck. You can add on more to the cost if you have to rent tools or add the cost of cement to a DIY home project.
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