I recently had a contractor build a 16 x 16 foot deck in my backyard. The process involved receiving several quotes and 3 months of labor and material shortages. However, I now have a deck and know a lot more about the process. How much does it cost to build a deck nowadays In this article, I’ll offer my quotes and what I ultimately chose.
What Are The Factors For How Much Does It Cost To Build A Deck
Keep in mind a few things when reading through my experience. First, I wanted a large deck. Therefore, my quotes may be much higher than yours will be. However, you can use them as a ballpark. Second, I live in Austin, Texas. Depending on where you are in the country, different options may be available or unavailable to you.
Deck Material
Material is the number one contributing factor of how much your deck will cost. For example, prices change drastically when you look at wood versus composite. I chose composite for my deck material due to aesthetic appearances. Also, materials like lumber vary in price a lot.
Deck Size
I debated a few sizes before ultimately deciding on a 16 x 12 foot deck. This changed the price in a big way. For example, the same contractor quoted $6,000 for an 8 x 8, $8,500 for a 12 x 10 and $10,000 for a 16 x 12. Increasing the size of your deck will potentially warrant other cost considerations depending on whether the increase expands against other structures in the backyard.
Contractor/Company
Of course every contractor is different. However, the price of your deck will vary widely if you use a small contractor versus a proper company. I evaluated both and the price for a larger, more reliable company was double. The small contractor quoted $10,000 while the company quoted $22,000.
Surely, there’s a good reason for the discrepancy. The small contractor and the big company both quoted me 4-6 weeks for the build. In reality, the small contractor took 3 months to complete the project. This is the trade-off of using a less expensive company. More often than not, you will become the unofficial project manager when using a small contractor. I needed to frequently confirm what was going on with material delays and estimated completion dates.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Deck In Today’s Market
Now that you understand what determines a deck’s price, let’s talk actual numbers. My 16 x 12 composite deck cost $10,000. It didn’t come equipped with an railings or stairs since it was only 24 inches off the lawn.
Overall, a normal deck build will cost you between $8,000 – 20,000. Of course this depends on the design complexity and all of the other factors we’ve already mentioned.
How Long Does A Deck Take To Build
Price always comes with tradeoffs. In my scenario, I accepted a less reliable build timeline for a lower price. Therefore, my initial deposit to deck completion took 3 long months. However, much of this timeline was waiting for subcontractors or materials to arrive.
For a simple deck build, the actual work will only take about 3 weeks. This was certainly the case in my deck project. The contractor drilled holes for the placement of pillars and then outlined the perimeter of the deck. Then, they returned and poured the concrete pillars. After that cured, they framed the wood structure. Finally, after a large material delay, the team returned and installed the composite siding and top layer.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Deck Summary
Now you know that building a deck varies in cost. Many of the factors for a deck are similar to the expenses of a pool. For a simple deck in a standard size, you can spend anywhere from $8,000 – $20,000. The price depends on many factors, including: material, size, design complexity and the type of company you hire. Expect your deck to take about 3-6 weeks of actual labor plus any material delays.
