I've often wondered what an average deck looks like, to me it's pretty hard to pin down, after all every project is so different. But at the end of the day, the how much does it cost to build a deck question depends on 3 basic elements:
1. The wood planks for the flooring
2. The supporting framework (foundation) for the deck flooring to sit on
3. And the railings.
The deck building materials you will use range from: various wood options, composite material options, metal framing and rail options and concrete. So the answer to your question, how much does a deck cost to build...will depend on your choice of these options. And keep in mind the cost ramifications when picking your options, these can vary to a large extent, keeping costs low, or driving costs of building a deck up.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of, how much does it cost to build a deck, it's still ball park but it will help give you an idea of what your getting into. Your contractor will nail down the exact costs when he understands the size and scope of your deck building project.
1. What does it cost to build a deck: Deck materials - Choice of deck materials range from exotics like teak ($22-24 sq. foot) - To Redwood and cedar ($18-22 a sq. foot) - To pine ($10-16 a sq. foot) - All the composites run around $20 sq. foot.
2. What does it cost to build a deck: Excavation - preparation costs will vary depending on the
landscape and the amount of work necessary, but all projects will
require leveling for the concrete footings.
3. What does it cost to build a deck: Concrete - the posts used as the framing for the structure will be set into concrete footings. Concrete is priced at an average of $75 per cubic yard, you'd need around one or two yards.
