Composite deck cost in Dothan, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $9,700 – $19,500
- Per sq ft
- $32.50 – $64.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −19%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #293
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to build a composite deck in Dothan, plan on $9,700 to $19,500 for 300 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $32.50 to $64.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 19% lower than the national one. Carpenters earn a median of $20.58 an hour in the Dothan area, 29% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Dothan, AL, standard level
$12,600 to $16,500
About $42 to $55 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 52% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,000 | $7,850 |
| Labor | $6,550 | $8,600 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $100 |
| Total | $12,600 | $16,500 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Dothan, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,650 | $6,950 | $9,250 | 48% |
| Labor | $5,050 | $7,550 | $10,100 | 52% |
| Permits and fees | $40 | $85 | $130 | 1% |
| Total | $9,700 | $14,600 | $19,500 | 100% |
Why Dothan prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $20.58 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Dothan is 0.70 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 52% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Dothan metro is 96.4 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 300 sq ft comes to $6,950, compared with $7,200 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (83.8) and land at $40 to $130.
What nearby projects cost in Dothan
Because every project leans on different trades, Dothan's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gutters runs −12% and paver patio −17%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,400 – $12,900 | −15% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,100 – $3,300 | −16% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,500 – $4,500 | −17% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,100 – $3,700 | −12% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Dothan bid
Labor
Labor for composite is $24-$48 per sq ft, higher than wood because the boards need extra parts and more careful assembly.
Drainage
Ground-level decks over poorly draining yards may need $1,000-$4,000 of drainage work first.
Engineering
Large or complex decks may need a structural engineer at $100-$220 an hour to get a permit.
Dothan labor market for composite deck
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Dothan is 0.70 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $20.58 an hour, which is 29% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $17.19 and $23.52 an hour. BLS counts 130 of them working in the area, 21.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $15.39 an hour, 32% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $12.40 and $18.76 an hour. About 600 work in the metro. That is 98.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($23.52 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $870. At the 25th percentile ($17.19) it shrinks by about $1,000. The total moves by 6.0% or 6.9%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 60,720 jobs in the Dothan area. That makes it the 284th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $17.19 | $20.58 | $23.52 | $29.12 | 0.71 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $12.40 | $15.39 | $18.76 | $22.66 | 0.68 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.70 | |||||
Extras that change the Dothan total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Dothan by the average of the local wage index (0.70) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.83. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a deck railing (approx. 0.3 ft per sq ft) | $1,500 – $4,500 |
Cost by quality level and size in Dothan
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Dothan wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$9,700 to $13,600
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$12,600 to $16,500
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$15,600 to $19,500
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $3,900 – $5,500 | $5,100 – $6,700 | $6,300 – $7,850 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $4,700 – $6,600 | $6,100 – $8,000 | $7,500 – $9,400 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $10,400 – $14,500 | $13,500 – $17,600 | $16,600 – $20,800 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $12,900 – $18,100 | $16,800 – $22,000 | $20,700 – $25,900 |
Dothan against nearby metros and the rest of Alabama
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Panama City is the priciest of the group at $16,100. Albany is the cheapest at $14,100.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dothan, ALthis page | $9,700 – $19,500 | $14,600 | |
| Panama City, FL70 miles | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | +10% |
| Crestview, FL70 miles | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | +10% |
| Albany, GA85 miles | $9,400 – $18,900 | $14,100 | −3% |
| Auburn, AL85 miles | $10,300 – $20,600 | $15,500 | +6% |
| Columbus, GA90 miles | $10,100 – $20,100 | $15,100 | +3% |
| Alabama (statewide) | $10,400 – $20,800 | $15,600 | +7% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | +24% |
Across 300 US metros, Dothan comes in at #293 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $25,200; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $13,500 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Dothan is 6% below the Alabama figure.
Other Alabama metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 520,290 jobs | $10,600 – $21,300 | $16,000 | +9% |
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $10,500 – $21,000 | $15,700 | +8% |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $10,400 – $20,900 | $15,600 | +7% |
| Montgomery, AL | 165,550 jobs | $10,300 – $20,600 | $15,500 | +6% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $10,400 – $20,900 | $15,700 | +7% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $10,300 – $20,700 | $15,500 | +6% |
Cities with a workforce like Dothan's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dothan against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, AL | 61,240 jobs | $10,700 – $21,400 | $16,000 | +10% |
| Sheboygan, WI | 60,630 jobs | $12,200 – $24,500 | $18,400 | +26% |
| Santa Fe, NM | 61,770 jobs | $11,600 – $23,200 | $17,400 | +19% |
| Jonesboro, AR | 60,620 jobs | $9,850 – $19,800 | $14,800 | +2% |
Climate in Dothan: timing your composite deck job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Dothan Rgnl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through May is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Dothan (9 of 12 months). June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Dothan gets about 54 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (6.2 inches in August). Inside the workable window, May and October are the driest, at 2.9 and 2.7 inches. The station averages about 89 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 40 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 66 | 43 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 49 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 55 | 4.8 | Workable |
| May | 87 | 64 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 71 | 5.1 | Hot |
| Jul | 93 | 73 | 6.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 72 | 6.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 88 | 67 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 81 | 57 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 71 | 47 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 64 | 42 | 4.8 | Workable |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $12,600 to $16,500 for Dothan, AL is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Dothan, AL: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Composite deck in Dothan: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Dothan?
For 300 sq ft, expect $9,700 to $19,500 in the Dothan area. A standard-spec job lands at $12,600 to $16,500. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Dothan?
About $32.50 to $64.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $40 to $130 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $40 to $80.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Dothan or Panama City?
Panama City is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $16,100, which is 10% more than Dothan ($14,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dothan?
About 52% at the midpoint, or $7,550 out of $14,600. Materials are 48% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Dothan?
$10,400 to $20,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Dothan?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $40 to $130 for fees in the Dothan area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dothan expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of Alabama?
Dothan is 6% below the Alabama statewide estimate ($15,600 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Alabama; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Dothan?
The BLS median is $20.58 an hour in the Dothan area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.19 to $23.52.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Dothan?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $9,700 to $13,600 and premium work $15,600 to $19,500. Basic means: entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape. Premium means: premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners.
+When is the best time to build a composite deck in Dothan?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. May and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
+What does "add a deck railing" add in Dothan?
$1,500 to $4,500 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Dothan
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Composite Decking Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020