Cost of Patio Versus Cost of Deck

A small home-built patio can be very inexpensive.

Outdoor spaces like decks and patios give you more room for parties, outdoor meals or just to relax. However, the choice between a deck and a patio can be difficult. One big factor all homeowners should take into account is price.

Patio

According to CostHelper, a 10- by 20-foot contractor-built concrete patio runs between $1,000 and $2,000, with larger installations running as high as $10,000. Brick patios cost around $3,500 for professional installation. Flagstone patios are the most expensive, at about $3,000 to $3,600 for a 10- by 20-foot space, going up to almost $30,000 for larger installations.

Deck

Decks start at around $1,000 for a 10- by 12-foot single-level structure. A professionally built deck made from southern yellow pine costs around $4,000 to $6,000 for a 20- by 20-foot space. These numbers increase to $7,200 to $8,800 when building with cedar or redwood, and tropical woods can run as high as $8,800 to almost $10,000 for a 20- by 20-foot deck. Plastic-wood composite decks cost around $8,000, and vinyl deck systems run $5,200 to $8,000.

Considerations

Homeowners with construction experience can reduce their cost by doing their own deck or patio installation work. For instance, a $3,500 professionally installed brick patio costs only about $700 when you install it yourself. Building your own small deck brings the cost down from about $1,000 to $2,000 to between $500 and $1,000.

References

• CostHelper: Patio Cost
• CostHelper: Deck Cost