Building a deck is worth any money you spend for the project. It definitely adds value to any home, not to mention yet the additional functionality it offers. Indeed, having a deck means extending your living space at home with the bonus of an outdoor ambiance.
So if you decide to build a deck at home, go on. But before that, understand the cost of building a deck today.
Cost To Build A Deck
The cost of a deck ranges from $10,000 to $16,000.
This lower end of the spectrum refers to a wooden deck that is 16×20 in size while the higher end is a composite deck of the same size. Price inclusions in this quote are labor and materials as well as site preparation, excavation, and furnishings.
Consider These Cost Factors
Materials. What do you want for your deck? Understand that your choice of materials has a lot to say with the cost of building a deck. The above-mentioned quote refers to wooden deck. If you choose to use composite materials instead of wood for the same size of deck, expect the cost to increase to $16,000 on average. The same is true for the railings. The cost will go higher if you choose aluminum or vinyl railings instead of wood railings.
Moreover, choosing wood alone for the materials does not mean that you get to build the deck cheaply. Depending on your choice of wood, your deck can go cheap or expensive. Take a look at these prices per wood type common in deck building projects:
- Mahogany ($7 to $8 per square foot)
- Ipe ($2.50 to $3.50 per square foot)
- Redwood ($20 per square foot)
- Red cedar ($20 per square foot)
Deck size. How big do you want your deck to be? Obviously, the bigger you want the deck, the higher its cost will go simply because more materials and more effort is needed to build it completely.
Design. A simple deck design is usually cheaper to build as compared to those with more complex designs. For instance, square ones are cheaper as compared to circular decks. Multiple level decks are also more expensive.
Height. Elevated decks are more expensive to build most of the time. In fact, the higher the elevation is, the higher the cost goes. This is true because an elevated deck requires a staircase. Plus, an elevated deck needs to be designed by an experienced engineer or architect usually.
Professional or DIY building. Hiring a professional can mean a more expensive project as compared to DIY builders. When you do the project yourself, expect to spend only around $13 to $22 per square foot only.
Additional Costs When Building A Deck
You need to spend on extra things when you build a deck. The most important of all are building permits and inspection fees. The price of permits, however, varies from city to city or state to state. If you are planning to DIY the project, you have to consider rental or purchase of tools and equipment as well such as concrete mixer, squares, drill, saw, hammer, and auger. Other extra things you have to pay for include electricity installation and pergola or awning addition.
Deck’s Return Of Investment
It is true that building a deck can cost a lot in the long run. However, it can help you decide whether or not to continue building a deck at home if you know how much a deck’s return of investment (ROI) is. Take a look at this comparison of the national average cost of building a 16×20 deck and its estimated ROI as per Remodeling Magazine’s annual survey report.
Wood Deck (16x20ft.)
- Job Cost: $10,350
- Resale Value: $7,259
- ROI: 70.1%
Composite Deck (16x20ft.)
- Job Cost: $15,579
- Resale Value: $9,780
- ROI: 62.8%
Wood Or Composite Decking?
When picking deck materials (wood or composite), your choice between the two must not only be dependent on the cost alone. Here is a comparison of these two deck materials and choose which one will work best for your needs:
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Wood |
Composite |
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Useful Tips When Building A Deck
For DIY decks, make sure to get deck kits or plans that are easy to follow. There are a lot of kits available today for your deck projects, but make sure you double check the complexity of the plan and the availability of a very easy-to-follow guide.
If you, on the other hand, are looking toward hiring contractors, make sure you consider only qualified, licensed, and insured contractors.
What do you want the deck for? Knowing the reasons behind the project can help you determine better how big or small the deck will be, the materials to choose, and any other additional features you may want for the deck.
Don’t start the project unless you have all the necessary permits ready. Also, make sure that the deck project can pass local regulations because if it fails inspection, you will more likely need to spend more for making necessary changes as suggested by the inspector.