Deck cost in San Diego, CA
$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 San Diego, CA is indexed to the BLS construction-and-extraction occupations mean hourly wage for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA of $36.54 (May 2025), applied to the 50% labor share.
Development Services Department (DSD) is the issuing office. The typical permit fee recorded from DSD IB 501 Aug 2026 Table 501C + admin/state fees in IB 501, retrieved 2026-09-01, is $2,711. Fee model: flat.
The national typical for this job is $45. Materials stay at the national figure while labor is wage-indexed for San Diego, CA.
Walking surface only. A 16 by 20 deck is 320 sqft.
Typical all-in
$18,292
Job cost plus the recorded local permit fee at this size.
- Low
- $12,568
- Typical
- $18,292
- High
- $24,634
Breakdown
| Labor (allocated) | $7,791 |
|---|---|
| Materials (allocated) | $7,790 |
| Job subtotal | $15,581 |
| Permit | $2,711 |
| All-in typical | $18,292 |
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
- Flat fee
- Typical fee
- $2,711
- Range
- $2,181 – $3,860
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-01
- Deck SDU/DUP/TH ≤500 sf plan check — $1,678IB 501 Table 501C. Included in typical.
- Inspection — $264Included in typical.
- General Plan Maintenance Fee — $737Plan review required. Included.
- Mapping + collection + building standards + seismic on $12k — $32$12.16+$17.11+$1+$1.56. Included.
Typical ≤500 sf: $1,677.99+$264.25+$737+$12.16+$1.56+$1+$17.11=$2,711.07. Pre-approved low at $8k=$2,180.85. >500 sf high at $19.2k=$3,860.19.
Decks are not in SDMC 129.0203 exemptions. GPMF $737 is included because plan review is required; confirm at intake whether Table 501C miscellaneous items actually assess it. Assumed dollars only affect seismic ($0.13/$1,000).
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.
- DSD IB 501 Aug 2026 Table 501C + admin/state fees in IB 501 Retrieved Aug 31, 2026. Decks are not in SDMC 129.0203 exemptions. GPMF $737 is included because plan review is required; confirm at intake whether Table 501C miscellaneous items actually assess it. Assumed dollars only affect seismic ($0.13/$1,000).
- BLS OEWS construction wages — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA BLS OEWS construction-and-extraction mean hourly wage / national same vintage, applied to laborShare only. Not a city-specific bid survey.