Deck cost in Boston, MA
$30–$60 per sq ft; average job $8,316 (range $4,340–$12,652). A 16×20 (320 sf) table is $12,800–$19,200. Pressure-treated is the low end; second-story / high-end wood / custom is the high end.
Labor for Deck in Boston, MA is indexed to the BLS construction-and-extraction occupations mean hourly wage for Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH of $39.88 (May 2025), applied to the 50% labor share.
Inspectional Services Department (ISD) is the issuing office. The typical permit fee recorded from Boston ISD Long-Form Permits + Building Fees 5/15/2023, retrieved 2026-09-01, is $170. Fee model: valuation.
The national typical for this job is $45. Materials stay at the national figure while labor is wage-indexed for Boston, MA.
Walking surface only. A 16 by 20 deck is 320 sqft.
Typical all-in
$16,576
Job cost plus the recorded local permit fee at this size.
- Low
- $11,073
- Typical
- $16,576
- High
- $22,133
Breakdown
| Labor (allocated) | $8,172 |
|---|---|
| Materials (allocated) | $8,172 |
| Job subtotal | $16,344 |
| Permit | $232 |
| All-in typical | $16,576 |
Labor is adjusted for construction wages in this metro. Materials stay at the national figure. This is an estimate, not a contractor quote.
Permit fee
- Fee model
- Based on project value
- Typical fee
- $232
- Range
- $177 – $341
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-01
- Long-form primary — $50Included. New / expanded decks.
- $10 per $1,000 — $120At $12,000. Included. $19,200 uses ceil → 20 × $10.
Long-form $50+$10 per $1,000. $8k=$130. $12k=$170. $19,200 ceil 20 → $250.
New structural work is long-form. Repair with original stamped plans can be short-form. Microfilming $3/sheet extra if plans filed.
Citations
- How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck? [2026 Data] Retrieved Aug 12, 2026. Average $8,316; $4,340–$12,652; $30–$60/sf; labor $15–$35/sf.
- Boston ISD Long-Form Permits + Building Fees 5/15/2023 Retrieved Aug 31, 2026. New structural work is long-form. Repair with original stamped plans can be short-form. Microfilming $3/sheet extra if plans filed.
- BLS OEWS construction wages — Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH BLS OEWS construction-and-extraction mean hourly wage / national same vintage, applied to laborShare only. Not a city-specific bid survey.