Free Deck Estimate Template

Start with the deck square footage (length × width) and the number of footings, stairs, and linear feet of railing. Then price each part separately: footings, framing, decking boards, railing, stairs, and hardware. Add a 10% waste factor on decking, include the permit, and check the footing depth for your frost line. Our deck material calculator gives you the board and framing counts to drop into the line items.

A pressure-treated deck runs $15-$25 per square foot installed (materials plus labor). Composite decking runs $30-$60 per sq ft installed. The decking boards are only part of it. The framing, footings, railing, and stairs underneath are where most of the cost and labor live. A simple 200 sq ft ground-level PT deck typically lands around $4,000-$6,000.

A complete deck estimate should list: demo of any existing deck, footings and piers, posts and beams, joists and ledger board, joist hangers and hardware, decking boards (with the material named), railing, stairs, stain or sealer, permit fees, payment terms, and any exclusions like electrical, lighting, or removal of buried concrete footings.

Most deck builders price labor at $8-$22 per square foot based on height and material. Ground-level pressure-treated is at the low end; elevated composite decks with custom railing and stairs are at the high end. A 2-3 man crew builds a 200-300 sq ft deck in 4-7 days. To build a fast, itemized labor bid, drop your line items into our deck estimate template above and it totals materials and labor automatically.

Footings are typically spaced every 6-8 feet along each beam, sized to your local code and soil. A 12×16 deck usually needs 6-9 footings depending on the beam and joist layout. In cold climates they must go below the frost line, sometimes 36-48 inches deep. Use our deck cost calculator to estimate the full structure, then itemize the bid here.