CostInMyCity

Boston, MA / Deck

Deck cost in Boston, MA

Typical cost: $16,514 (range $11,026 to $22,042)

Typical all-in

$16,514

Job cost plus the local permit fee at this size.

Low
$11,026
Typical
$16,514
High
$22,042

Walking surface only. A 16 by 20 deck is 320 sqft.

Breakdown

Labor (allocated)$8,172
Materials (allocated)$8,172
Job subtotal$16,344
Permit$170
All-in typical$16,514

Labor is adjusted for construction wages in this metro. Materials stay at the national figure. This is an estimate, not a contractor quote.

A typical attached deck we price is 16×20 (320 sf).

A typical deck in Boston, MA is about $16,514, including a permit fee of $170.

What we assumed

We price Deck in Boston, MA at 16×20 = 320 sf.

For the permit line we assumed a new or expanded deck on the official long-form schedule at the official $12,000 typical valuation (not a city-assessed value), so the typical fee is $170. Low and high totals are in the calculation note on this page.

Cost details

Cost by size

SizeAll-in typicalPermit
200 sf$10,385$170
16×20 = 320 sf (typical)$16,514$170
400 sf$20,600$170

All-in at this size, adjusted for local wages. The permit is the city fee when the schedule lists one.

What moves the price

What changes the total

  • Size is the deck surface area. The size table lists the low, typical, and high.
  • Labor for Deck in Boston, MA is adjusted for local construction wages.
  • The permit fee on the typical job is $170. The permit section on this page has the schedule detail.

Compare deck across metros

All-in at the typical job size, adjusted for local wages. The permit is the city fee when the schedule lists one.
CityAll-in typicalPermitOpen
Charlotte, NC$13,704$182.41Open
Seattle, WA$17,907$1,059Open
Denver, CO$14,933$172.50Open
Nashville, TN$13,843$91Open
Atlanta, GA$13,855$175Open
Austin, TX$14,041$577.39Open
Phoenix, AZ$14,585$646Open
Tucson, AZ$13,657$337.49Open
Portland, OR$16,332$102.69Open
Raleigh, NC$13,784$248Open
Tacoma, WA$17,369$521Open
St. Louis, MO$15,467$145Open

Other home projects in Boston, MA

All-in at the typical job size, adjusted for local wages. The permit is the city fee when the schedule lists one.
JobAll-in typicalPermitOpen
Roof replacement$11,169$140Open
HVAC replacement$8,230$122.20Open
Deck$16,514$170This page
Kitchen remodel$32,380$370Open

Questions about this estimate

How much does deck cost in Boston, MA?
Typical all-in is about $16,514. The official ISD permit fee of $170 (long-form $50 plus $10 per $1,000 of estimated cost) is included in the all-in.
Is a permit required for Deck in Boston, MA?
Yes. Inspectional Services Department (ISD) requires a permit for a typical Deck in Boston, MA. The typical listed fee is $170. A new or expanded deck is the official long-form path, and the typical fee on that path is $170.
What is included in this Deck estimate for Boston, MA?
The estimate is labor adjusted for local wages in Boston, MA, plus materials at the national figure, at the typical size in the table above. The official typical permit fee of $170 is included in the all-in typical. That $170 is the official long-form total at the official $12,000 valuation.
Why might the Boston permit fee differ from this typical figure?
The official Boston, MA fee comes from Boston ISD Long-Form Permits + Building Fees 5/15/2023 (valuation). The typical path is $170 at the official $12,000 valuation for a new or expanded deck. Low and high totals are in the calculation note on this page. Verify the long-form path with Inspectional Services Department (ISD).
How is the typical permit fee calculated for Deck in Boston, MA?
Listed long-form totals are $130 at $8,000, $170 at $12,000, and $250 at $19,200. Full arithmetic is in the calculation note on this page.
What project value is this Deck permit fee based on in Boston, MA?
The official typical project value is $12,000. Listed assumed valuations are $8,000, $12,000, and $19,200. The permit totals at those values are in the calculation note on this page.

Permit in Boston

Fee schedule retrieved Sep 1, 2026

Inspectional Services Department (ISD) lists a typical permit fee of $170 for this Deck in Boston, MA (range $130 – $250). Source: Boston ISD Long-Form Permits + Building Fees 5/15/2023.

New structural work is long-form. Repair with original stamped plans can be short-form. Microfilming $3/sheet extra if plans filed.

Boston ISD Long-Form Permits + Building Fees 5/15/2023 (source retrieved 2026-09-01). The official path for a new or expanded deck is long-form. Long-form is a $50 primary plus $10 per $1,000 of estimated cost, and the $1,000 count uses ceil when the estimated cost is not a round thousand. Repair with original stamped plans can be short-form ($20 primary plus $10 per $1,000). That short-form path is not the official total on this row, and this note does not add a short-form dollar to the low fee, the typical fee, or the high fee. Microfilming is $3 per sheet extra if plans are filed. Sheet count is unpublished, so this note does not add a microfilming dollar to the low fee, the typical fee, or the high fee. The official valuations are $8,000, $12,000, and $19,200. The official typical project value is $12,000. $8,000 and $12,000 are each a round thousand, so ceil does not change those counts. $19,200 is not a round thousand. Low $8,000: $8,000 / $1,000 = 8, and 8 × $10 = $80. Long-form primary $50 + $80 = $130, so the low fee is $130. Typical $12,000: $12,000 / $1,000 = 12, and 12 × $10 = $120. Long-form primary $50 + $120 = $170, so the typical fee is $170. The official extras are the $50 long-form primary and the $120 per-$1,000 line at $12,000, and both are included in the $170. High $19,200: $19,200 / $1,000 = 19.2, and ceil takes that count to 20. 20 × $10 + $50 = $250, so the high fee is $250. The Building Fees PDF is dated May 15, 2023 and was still posted on 2026-09-01. No Massachusetts building-permit surcharge is on the ISD sheet, and this note does not add one.

Line items

Figures come from the city fee schedule. A blank line is not published as a dollar amount.
Line itemFee
Long-form primary$50
$10 per $1,000$120

Assumed project value

These are the official valuations used when the schedule scales with project value. Not a quote.
BandAssumed project value
Low$8,000
Typical$12,000
High$19,200

Process

Does a typical Deck in Boston, MA need a permit?
A typical Deck in Boston, MA is listed as requiring a permit. New structural work is long-form.
Who issues the permit in Boston, MA, and where do I apply?
Inspectional Services Department (ISD) issues permits for Deck in Boston, MA. Apply at https://www.boston.gov/departments/inspectional-services.
What extra fees or surcharges are listed for Deck in Boston, MA?
The official permit lists these extra line items for Deck in Boston, MA: Long-form primary: $50; $10 per $1,000: $120.

Schedule FAQ

Which official schedule is this Deck fee based on in Boston, MA?
The official typical for Deck in Boston, MA cites Boston ISD Long-Form Permits + Building Fees 5/15/2023 (retrieved Sep 1, 2026). Fee model: valuation.
What local fee-schedule notes are on file for Deck in Boston, MA?
Short-form $20 + $10 per $1,000 of estimated cost; long-form $50 + $10 per $1,000.
Why does the Deck permit fee in Boston, MA show a low-to-high range?
Listed permit fees for Deck in Boston, MA are $130 low, $170 typical, and $250 high. Each band is the official long-form total for a new or expanded deck. Full arithmetic is in the calculation note on this page.

Citations

  1. How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck? [2026 Data] Retrieved Aug 13, 2026. Average $8,316; $4,340–$12,652; $30–$60/sf; labor $15–$35/sf.
  2. Boston ISD Long-Form Permits + Building Fees 5/15/2023 Retrieved Sep 1, 2026.
  3. BLS OEWS construction wages – Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH BLS OEWS construction-and-extraction mean hourly wage / national same vintage, applied to the labor share only. Not a city-specific bid survey.

Cite this page

Fee schedule retrieved Sep 1, 2026

CostInMyCity. "Deck cost in Boston, MA." https://costinmycity.com/cost/deck/boston-ma/. Fee schedule retrieved Sep 1, 2026. Source: Boston ISD Long-Form Permits + Building Fees 5/15/2023.

Boston ISD Long-Form Permits + Building Fees 5/15/2023

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