Is a deck worth the investment?

Typical deck costs

Pressure-treated wood, 300 sq ft

$8,000 – $14,000

Composite, 300 sq ft

$13,000 – $22,000

Elevated deck with stairs and railing

add 20 – 40%

Covered deck or roofed porch

$30,000 – $60,000

What affects the answer

• Height above grade. Anything more than a step up requires footings, posts, guardrails and often a permit.
• Decking material and railing system, which together drive most of the finish cost.
• Site access and soil. Hand-digging footings or working on a steep lot adds labor.
• Climate. Freeze-thaw regions need deeper footings.
• Whether the ledger attaches to the house, which is the single most safety-critical detail.

What homeowners often overlook

• Stairs are expensive per square foot and are easy to omit from a rough budget.
• Wood decks need cleaning and sealing every one to three years.
• Permits and setback rules, which often apply even to ground-level structures.
• Existing ledger flashing. Improperly flashed ledgers are a leading cause of both rot and deck collapse.
• Lighting and electrical, which are almost always wanted after the fact.

Questions to ask before hiring

• How is the ledger attached and flashed to the house?
• What footing depth are you using, and does it meet local frost requirements?
• Is a permit and inspection included?
• What is the warranty on the decking material versus the labor?

A practical next step

Estimate how many months a year you will realistically use the space. If it is fewer than four, consider a smaller deck and put the difference toward something you use daily.