Composite deck cost in Los Angeles, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $14,200 – $28,400
- Per sq ft
- $47 – $94
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +18%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #12
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a composite deck in the Los Angeles area: $14,200 to $28,400 for 300 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 18% higher than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $36.41 an hour in the Los Angeles area, 25% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Los Angeles, CA, standard level
$18,400 to $24,100
About $61 to $80 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 63% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,650 | $8,700 |
| Labor | $11,700 | $15,300 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $140 |
| Total | $18,400 | $24,100 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Los Angeles, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,100 | $7,700 | $10,200 | 36% |
| Labor | $9,000 | $13,500 | $18,000 | 63% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $110 | $170 | 1% |
| Total | $14,200 | $21,300 | $28,400 | 100% |
Why Los Angeles prices look the way they do
Labor is 63% of the midpoint bill here, against 60% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (80%), construction laborers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Los Angeles the blended ratio comes out at 1.25.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Los Angeles is at 106.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $7,200 nationally becomes $7,700 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 113.6: $55 to $170.
Optional extras in Los Angeles
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.16 for Los Angeles, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.25) and goods price index (1.07). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a deck railing (approx. 0.3 ft per sq ft) | $2,100 – $6,250 |
How Los Angeles compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 300 sq ft range from $19,700 to $21,300 across Los Angeles and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CAthis page | $14,200 – $28,400 | $21,300 | |
| Oxnard, CA55 miles | $13,900 – $28,000 | $20,900 | −2% |
| Bakersfield, CA90 miles | $13,100 – $26,300 | $19,700 | −7% |
| Santa Maria, CA110 miles | $14,000 – $28,000 | $21,000 | −1% |
| San Diego, CA110 miles | $13,900 – $27,900 | $20,900 | −2% |
| Riverside, CA120 miles | $13,500 – $27,000 | $20,200 | −5% |
| California (statewide) | $14,200 – $28,500 | $21,300 | level |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | −15% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Los Angeles ranks #12 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Los Angeles is 0% below the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $16,000 – $32,000 | $24,000 | +13% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $13,500 – $27,000 | $20,200 | −5% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $13,900 – $27,900 | $20,900 | −2% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $14,800 – $29,700 | $22,300 | +5% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $14,000 – $28,100 | $21,100 | −1% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $12,800 – $25,700 | $19,300 | −10% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Los Angeles against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 9,492,000 jobs | $14,300 – $28,600 | $21,500 | +1% |
| Chicago, IL | 4,513,280 jobs | $14,700 – $29,500 | $22,100 | +4% |
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $11,000 – $22,000 | $16,500 | −23% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $10,900 – $21,800 | $16,300 | −23% |
Who does the work: Los Angeles trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Los Angeles the blend is 1.25.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $36.41 an hour, 25% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $28.59 and $48.37 an hour. About 30,600 work in the metro. That is 48.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $28.28 an hour, which is 25% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.75 and $37.31 an hour. BLS counts 21,730 of them working in the area, 34.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $3,550 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $2,300. That is a swing of roughly 10.9% to 16.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has 6,271,560 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 2nd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $28.59 | $36.41 | $48.37 | $29.12 | 1.25 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.75 | $28.28 | $37.31 | $22.66 | 1.25 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.25 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Los Angeles
Jobs that often go together with composite deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Los Angeles wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete patio comes out highest (+15%) and gutters lowest (+12%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $8,650 – $17,400 | +15% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,400 – $4,650 | +15% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,350 – $6,150 | +12% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,450 – $4,650 | +12% |
Composite deck: what moves the price in Los Angeles
Engineering
Large or complex decks may need a structural engineer at $100-$220 an hour to get a permit.
Board grade
Composite materials run $16-$32 per sq ft and the installed price is $40-$80 per sq ft, including the substructure (HomeGuide).
Labor
Labor for composite is $24-$48 per sq ft, higher than wood because the boards need extra parts and more careful assembly.
Pick a size, pick a tier: composite deck pricing in Los Angeles
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Los Angeles. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 10x12 (120 sq ft) to 20x20 (400 sq ft).
Basic
$14,200 to $19,900
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$18,400 to $24,100
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$22,700 to $28,400
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $5,700 – $8,000 | $7,450 – $9,750 | $9,150 – $11,500 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $6,850 – $9,600 | $8,900 – $11,700 | $11,000 – $13,700 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $15,100 – $21,200 | $19,700 – $25,700 | $24,200 – $30,300 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $18,900 – $26,500 | $24,600 – $32,100 | $30,200 – $37,800 |
The best months for composite deck in Los Angeles
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Culver City (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in Los Angeles: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average daytime high under 45°F) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Los Angeles gets about 14 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (3.5 inches in February). The station averages about 7 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67 | 48 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Feb | 67 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 68 | 51 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 53 | 0.6 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 57 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 75 | 60 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 78 | 63 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 79 | 64 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 78 | 62 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 76 | 58 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 71 | 52 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 66 | 47 | 2.5 | 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 $18,400 to $24,100 for Los Angeles, CA is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
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Composite deck in Los Angeles: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Los Angeles?
For 300 sq ft, expect $14,200 to $28,400 in the Los Angeles area. A standard-spec job lands at $18,400 to $24,100. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Los Angeles?
About $47 to $94 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $55 to $170 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $40 to $80.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Los Angeles or Oxnard?
Oxnard is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $20,900, which is 2% less than Los Angeles ($21,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Los Angeles?
About 63% at the midpoint, or $13,500 out of $21,300. Materials are 36% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Los Angeles?
$15,100 to $30,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Los Angeles?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $55 to $170 for fees in the Los Angeles area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Los Angeles expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of California?
Los Angeles is 0% below the California statewide estimate ($21,300 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Los Angeles?
The BLS median is $36.41 an hour in the Los Angeles area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.59 to $48.37.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Los Angeles?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $14,200 to $19,900 and premium work $22,700 to $28,400. Basic means: entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape. Premium means: premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners.
+Is there a bad season to build a composite deck in Los Angeles?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
+What does "add a deck railing" add in Los Angeles?
$2,100 to $6,250 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Los Angeles
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