Deck cost in Washington, DC
$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 Washington, DC is indexed to the BLS construction-and-extraction occupations mean hourly wage for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV of $32.76 (May 2025), applied to the 50% labor share.
Department of Buildings (DOB) is the issuing office. The typical permit fee recorded from DC DOB Deck Permit FAQ and Building Permit Fee Schedule, retrieved 2026-09-01, is $297. Fee model: valuation.
The national typical for this job is $45. Materials stay at the national figure while labor is wage-indexed for Washington, DC.
Walking surface only. A 16 by 20 deck is 320 sqft.
Typical all-in
$15,081
Job cost plus the recorded local permit fee at this size.
- Low
- $10,067
- Typical
- $15,081
- High
- $20,181
Breakdown
| Labor (allocated) | $7,359 |
|---|---|
| Materials (allocated) | $7,358 |
| Job subtotal | $14,717 |
| Permit | $364 |
| All-in typical | $15,081 |
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
- $364
- Range
- $256 – $559
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-01
- Building plat (new decks) — $55DOB Surveyor. Not in the three fee fields.
- CFA filing if applicable — $36Not in totals.
$8k: (30+160)×1.10=209. $12k: (30+240)×1.10=297. $19.2k: (30+384)×1.10=455.40.
DOB Deck FAQ prices ($30+2%V)×1.10 only; does not add the green fee. Plat required for new decks. Historic/CFA may add review.
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.
- DC DOB Deck Permit FAQ and Building Permit Fee Schedule Retrieved Aug 31, 2026. DOB Deck FAQ prices ($30+2%V)×1.10 only; does not add the green fee. Plat required for new decks. Historic/CFA may add review.
- BLS OEWS construction wages — Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV BLS OEWS construction-and-extraction mean hourly wage / national same vintage, applied to laborShare only. Not a city-specific bid survey.