Understanding Your Deck Bid
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We deliver advisory and implementation services in strategy, operations, marketing, and technology.No two decks are exactly alike, and neither are their bids. The final cost of your deck depends on much more than its size or the decking material you choose.
Factors that can affect your bid include:
Design and materials: The decking, railing, and other materials you select.
Framing and structure: The substructure required to safely support your deck.
Deck height: The higher the deck, the more structural support and labor it may require.
Railings and stairs: The total length of railing, number of stair runs, and any required handrails or landings.
Angles and complexity: Unique layouts, multiple levels, and nonstandard angles can increase labor and material requirements.
Build site and special features: Site access, location, lighting, and other custom features can all affect the final cost.
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Consider three decks that are all 30 feet long by 10 feet wide. Although they have the same square footage, their construction costs could be very different.
Deck 1: Low to the ground. A deck one foot off the ground with no railing or stairs requires fewer materials and less labor.
Deck 2: Elevated with basic access. The same deck, three feet off the ground with railing and one short set of stairs, requires additional framing, materials, and labor.
Deck 3: Second-story deck. The same size deck elevated to a second story, with railing, two long stair runs, ADA-compliant handrails, and landings, requires significantly more materials, structural work, and labor.
The square footage may be identical, but the work required to build each deck is not. That's why we price each project individually rather than relying on a simple price-per-square-foot estimate.
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Your bid represents the cost to complete the work outlined in your project proposal. It includes three main components: materials, labor, and overhead.
1. Materials
Materials include much more than the decking and railing you see when the project is finished. They also include the underlying structure and hardware needed to build a safe, strong, and long-lasting deck.
This may include framing lumber, structural supports, connectors, fasteners, and other essential construction materials.
2. Labor
Labor covers more than the time spent by the craftsmen building your deck. It also accounts for the employees and support work behind the scenes that help keep your project organized and on schedule, along with associated payroll costs.
3. Overhead
Overhead covers the costs of operating a professional deck-building business. These expenses may include:
Insurance and bonds
Bookkeeping and administrative support
Tools, equipment maintenance, and rentals
Safety equipment
Vehicles, fuel, and transportation
Overhead also supports the experience, knowledge, reliability, and professional standards we bring to your project.
These costs help us deliver quality workmanship while running a safe, dependable, and sustainable business.
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Unless specifically listed in your bid, the following items are generally excluded:
Painting, staining, or sealing: Finishing treatments for wood decking and other wood components.
Unmarked underground utilities: Damage to pipes or power lines that were not properly marked before construction. Call 811 before digging to arrange utility marking.
Hidden dry rot or damage: Repairs to dry rot or other concealed damage discovered during demolition.
Additional work: Any additions, upgrades, or changes not included in the original bid.
If unexpected conditions arise or you request additional work, the cost may need to be addressed separately.
We encourage you to review your proposal carefully so you understand exactly what is included before construction begins.
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As of September 2026, our average bid breakdown is:
Materials: 55%
Labor: 30%
Overhead: 15%
These percentages represent averages across our projects, not fixed allocations for every deck. Your actual breakdown will vary depending on the design, materials, site conditions, and complexity of your build.
We share these figures to give you a better understanding of where your investment goes and what it takes to build your deck.
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Online deck calculators can be a helpful starting point when planning your project. However, different calculators include different materials and make different assumptions about labor and total project costs. Their estimates should be used as general guidelines, not as a substitute for a detailed bid.
Here are a few resources to explore:
Calculates estimated deck materials, including the substructure.
Trex indicates that materials can account for up to 1/3 of a deck project's total cost.
TimberTech Deck Material Calculator
Estimates decking materials but does not include the substructure.
TimberTech indicates that decking materials may represent around 20% of the total project cost.
A resource for estimating wood decking materials. Product availability and the materials included in the estimate may vary.
Price-Per-Square-Foot
You can calculate a very rough estimate of your project by the average price-per-square-foot we are seeing on the decks we build. As of September 2026, are seeing decks range between $35 and $75 per square foot. This represents an average across all our projects, not a fixed price-per-square-foot for every deck. Your actual bid price will vary depending on the design, materials, site conditions, and complexity of your build.
We share these figures to give you a better understanding of the averages we are currently seeing on our deck builds.
Keep in Mind
Online estimates and price-per-square-foot can help you establish an initial budget, but they may not account for your specific framing requirements, deck height, railings, stairs, site access, local requirements, or special features.
The best way to understand the cost of your deck is to get a bid based on your actual project. We evaluate the details that make your deck unique so we can provide an estimate tailored to the work involved.