What Does a Deck or Fence Cost?
Deck and fence installation covers two different projects that price on different units, so it helps to take them separately. A complete deck — footings, framing, decking, railings, and stairs — runs $40 to $120 per square foot installed, which puts a typical 16 by 20 foot deck at $13,000 to $38,000 depending on material. A fence runs $18 to $80 per linear foot installed, or $2,700 to $12,000 for a common 150-foot backyard enclosure. Beware quotes and cost guides in the $15 to $35 per square foot range for a deck: that is the price of decking and framing only, before footings, railings, and stairs, and those are roughly half the job. Material choice and size set most of the total; complexity, terrain, and permits move it from there.
Deck Costs by Material
Pressure-Treated Wood: $40 to $70 per Square Foot Installed
Pressure-treated lumber is the most affordable deck option. The treatment resists rot and insects without the premium cost of composite or tropical hardwood. A complete pressure-treated deck runs $40 to $70 per square foot installed, which is $13,000 to $22,000 for a 16 by 20 foot deck. Decking boards run $3 to $6 per linear foot and the decking-and-framing portion of the labor runs $8 to $15 per square foot — but footings, railings, and stairs are the balance of the job, and a figure that covers only decking and framing lands around $15 to $35 per square foot. That narrower number is what most published deck prices actually describe. (For more on this, see Deck Material Comparison: Wood vs. Composite.)
Treated wood needs sealing or staining every 2 to 3 years and will show wear faster than composite over a 20-year period. Cedar and redwood are natural alternatives that resist rot without chemical treatment, at $45 to $80 per square foot for a complete installed deck. Both take stain well.
The per-square-foot range mostly reflects complexity. A simple ground-level rectangle costs less per foot than an elevated deck with stairs, railings, and multiple levels.
Composite: $55 to $100 per Square Foot Installed
A complete capped-composite deck runs $55 to $100 per square foot installed, or $18,000 to $32,000 for a 16 by 20 foot deck; cellular PVC, the premium tier, runs $70 to $120 per square foot. Composite decking is made from wood fiber and plastic, sold under names like Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon, and Azek. It costs more upfront but requires minimal maintenance: no staining, no sealing, and resistance to splintering, fading, insect damage, and moisture. Premium composite products carry warranties of 25 years or more.
On most composite decks the substructure of joists, beams, and posts is still pressure-treated wood. The composite advantage is at the walking surface, not the structure. All-aluminum or composite substructure systems add $3 to $8 per square foot for a fully low-maintenance build.
What a Deck Costs by Size
| Deck | Pressure-treated wood | Composite |
|---|---|---|
| 12 by 16 feet (192 square feet) | $7,700 to $13,400 | $10,600 to $19,200 |
| 16 by 20 feet (320 square feet) | $13,000 to $22,000 | $18,000 to $32,000 |
| 400 square feet | $16,000 to $28,000 | $22,000 to $40,000 |
Cost figures on this page were checked against published pricing on September 2, 2026. How we source cost data.
These figures include footings, framing, decking, a railing system, and steps to grade. Lighting, built-in seating, and multi-level designs are extra, at $1,000 to $5,000 each. If a quote you receive is far below this table, check what it excludes before you treat it as a better price.
Fence Costs by Material
Fence pricing is driven almost entirely by material. A 150-linear-foot backyard enclosure, a common residential scope, runs $2,700 to $12,000 installed across the material range, or $3,750 to $8,250 for a mid-range wood privacy fence. Gates are priced separately and add $200 to $1,000 each depending on material and width, with wide wood or ornamental metal gates running higher.
| Cost Factor | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chain-link | $18 to $60 per linear foot installed | The most affordable option, functional rather than decorative. A 150-foot run costs $2,700 to $9,000. Materials alone are $9 to $19 per foot, so a quote near that figure is not an installed price. |
| Wood picket | $18 to $50 per linear foot installed | Decorative and open rather than screening. A 150-foot run costs $2,700 to $7,500. |
| Wood privacy fence | $25 to $55 per linear foot installed | In cedar or treated pine. Requires periodic painting or staining every 3 to 5 years. A 150-foot run costs $3,750 to $8,250. |
| Vinyl or PVC | $30 to $70 per linear foot installed | Low maintenance, looks like painted wood, does not rot and never needs painting. A 150-foot run costs $4,500 to $10,500. |
| Aluminum or wrought iron | $35 to $80 per linear foot installed | Decorative, durable, and effectively maintenance-free. A 150-foot run costs $5,250 to $12,000. Aluminum does not rust; wrought iron can if the coating is damaged. |
What Else Moves the Price
Beyond material and size, deck complexity is the biggest variable: elevated versus ground-level, stairs, multiple levels, and built-in features all add labor. For fences, terrain matters most. A slope requires stepped or racked installation, and rocky or hard soil slows post setting. Gates, demolition and removal of an existing deck or fence, and local labor rates all add to the baseline. (For more on this, see What Affects Deck and Fence Installation Cost?.)
Permits are commonly required. Any deck attached to the home or raised above a specified height, typically 18 to 30 inches above grade, needs a building permit, which verifies footing depth, joist sizing, and railing height. Budget $200 to $1,000 for permit fees. An unpermitted deck is a material defect that must be disclosed at sale and may have to be permitted retroactively or demolished. Fence permits are less universal but are required in some jurisdictions and by many HOAs. (For more on this, see What Affects the Cost of Deck and Fence Installation?.)
Per-unit costs compress at larger scales, because mobilization, permit, and setup costs spread across more material. A 400-square-foot composite deck costs more in total than a 192-square-foot one but less per square foot. The practical consequence is that square footage added during the design phase costs a fraction of what the same expansion costs later, when the crew, equipment, permits, and setup all have to be arranged again. This is the single most consistent piece of advice deck contractors give during the design conversation.
Getting an Accurate Quote
Decide on material and approximate size before you call contractors. A homeowner who asks for a 12 by 16 composite deck with stairs gets a meaningful quote quickly; one who is undecided gets a range too broad to plan around. Even rough square footage for a deck or linear footage for a fence lets a contractor give a useful ballpark before a formal site visit.
Get at least two or three written quotes on equivalent defined scope. Wide variation between bids usually reflects differences in material quality or in what the scope includes rather than price competition. Ask what material is included, what the per-square-foot or per-linear-foot rate covers and excludes, whether permits, cleanup, and disposal are in the price, and what the labor warranty is. For any project over $500, get the scope in writing, and tie payments to milestones: a deposit at signing, a payment at material delivery or start, and the balance at completion after a walkthrough. A contractor who wants payment in full before work begins is a red flag.
Frequently Asked Questions
A complete deck runs $40 to $120 per square foot installed, or $13,000 to $38,000 for a typical 16 by 20 foot deck; a fence runs $18 to $80 per linear foot, or $2,700 to $12,000 for a common 150-foot backyard enclosure. Pressure-treated wood decks are $40 to $70 per square foot installed and composite $55 to $100, with chain-link fencing at the low end of the fence range and aluminum or wrought iron at the high end.
$40 to $70 per square foot installed for pressure-treated lumber, complete with footings, framing, railings, and steps to grade. A 12 by 16 foot deck runs $7,700 to $13,400, and a 400-square-foot deck $16,000 to $28,000. Cedar and redwood cost more at $45 to $80 per square foot installed but resist rot naturally.
$55 to $100 per square foot installed. A 12 by 16 foot composite deck runs $10,600 to $19,200, and a 400-square-foot deck $22,000 to $40,000. Premium composite products carry warranties of 25 years or more.
$18 to $80 per linear foot installed depending on material. Chain-link runs $18 to $60, wood privacy fence $25 to $55, vinyl or PVC $30 to $70, and aluminum or wrought iron $35 to $80. A 150-linear-foot backyard fence runs $2,700 to $12,000 depending on which you choose.
For most homeowners, yes. Composite runs $55 to $100 per square foot installed against $40 to $70 for pressure-treated wood, but it eliminates the sealing, staining, and board replacement wood requires. Over 20 years the total cost of ownership is typically lower than pressure-treated wood, and the composite deck still looks better at year 15.
A deck usually does. Any deck attached to the home or raised above roughly 18 to 30 inches above grade requires a building permit, and permit fees run $200 to $1,000. Fence permits are less universal but are required in some jurisdictions and by many HOAs. An unpermitted deck must be disclosed at home sale.
Vinyl or PVC and aluminum. Vinyl does not rot, never needs painting, and cleans with a hose. Aluminum does not rust the way wrought iron can when its coating is damaged, and needs no painting. Both cost more upfront than wood, which needs painting or staining every 3 to 5 years.
Now. Per-square-foot costs compress at larger scales because mobilization, permit, and setup costs spread across more material. Adding square footage during the design phase costs a fraction of expanding the same deck later, when crew, equipment, and permits have to be arranged again.