Composite deck cost in Sacramento, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $14,000 – $28,100
- Per sq ft
- $46.50 – $93
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +16%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #15
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to build a composite deck in Sacramento, plan on $14,000 to $28,100 for 300 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $46.50 to $93 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 16% higher than the national one. Carpenters earn a median of $35.79 an hour in the Sacramento area, 23% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Sacramento, CA, standard level
$18,300 to $23,900
About $60.50 to $79 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 64% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,550 | $8,600 |
| Labor | $11,600 | $15,200 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $130 |
| Total | $18,300 | $23,900 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Sacramento, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,050 | $7,550 | $10,100 | 36% |
| Labor | $8,950 | $13,400 | $17,900 | 64% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $110 | $160 | 1% |
| Total | $14,000 | $21,100 | $28,100 | 100% |
Where the Sacramento price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $35.79 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Sacramento is 1.24 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 64% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Sacramento metro is 105.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 300 sq ft comes to $7,550, compared with $7,200 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (106.7) and land at $55 to $160.
Climate in Sacramento: timing your composite deck job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Sacramento 5 Ese (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through June is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Sacramento (10 of 12 months). July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Sacramento gets about 19 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (3.9 inches in January). Inside the workable window, June and September are the driest, at 0.2 and 0.1 inches. The station averages about 90 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 | 57 | 41 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Feb | 62 | 44 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Mar | 68 | 47 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Apr | 74 | 49 | 1.4 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 54 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 59 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 94 | 61 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 61 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 59 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 53 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 65 | 45 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 56 | 41 | 3.5 | Workable |
Sacramento: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Sacramento 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
$14,000 to $19,700
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$18,300 to $23,900
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$22,500 to $28,100
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $5,650 – $7,900 | $7,350 – $9,650 | $9,050 – $11,300 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $6,750 – $9,500 | $8,800 – $11,500 | $10,900 – $13,600 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $15,000 – $21,000 | $19,500 – $25,500 | $24,000 – $30,000 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $18,700 – $26,200 | $24,300 – $31,800 | $29,900 – $37,400 |
Optional extras in Sacramento
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Sacramento by the average of the local wage index (1.24) and goods index (1.05), a factor of 1.15. 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) | $2,050 – $6,200 |
Sacramento 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 Sacramento is 1.24 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $35.79 an hour, which is 23% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.45 and $40.70 an hour. BLS counts 9,730 of them working in the area, 90.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $29.11 an hour, 28% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.15 and $36.54 an hour. About 7,390 work in the metro. That is 68.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($40.70 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $1,450. At the 25th percentile ($27.45) it shrinks by about $2,450. The total moves by 6.9% or 11.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 1,080,590 jobs in the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom area. That makes it the 35th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.69% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $27.45 | $35.79 | $40.70 | $29.12 | 1.23 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $23.15 | $29.11 | $36.54 | $22.66 | 1.28 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.24 | |||||
Is Sacramento cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Napa is the priciest of the group at $21,900. Stockton is the cheapest at $20,200.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento, CAthis page | $14,000 – $28,100 | $21,100 | |
| Stockton, CA60 miles | $13,400 – $26,900 | $20,200 | −4% |
| Vallejo, CA60 miles | $14,300 – $28,600 | $21,400 | +2% |
| Chico, CA70 miles | $13,600 – $27,300 | $20,500 | −3% |
| Napa, CA75 miles | $14,600 – $29,200 | $21,900 | +4% |
| Modesto, CA85 miles | $14,000 – $28,000 | $21,000 | level |
| California (statewide) | $14,200 – $28,500 | $21,300 | +1% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | −14% |
Across 300 US metros, Sacramento comes in at #15 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $25,200; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $13,500 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Sacramento is 1% below the California figure.
Other California metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $14,200 – $28,400 | $21,300 | +1% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $16,000 – $32,000 | $24,000 | +14% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $13,500 – $27,000 | $20,200 | −4% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $13,900 – $27,900 | $20,900 | −1% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $14,800 – $29,700 | $22,300 | +6% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $12,800 – $25,700 | $19,300 | −9% |
Cities with a workforce like Sacramento's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Sacramento against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO | 1,096,110 jobs | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | −15% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | −14% |
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $11,400 – $22,800 | $17,100 | −19% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 826,210 jobs | $11,800 – $23,700 | $17,800 | −16% |
Planning more than one job in Sacramento?
Because every project leans on different trades, Sacramento's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, paver patio runs +16% and gutters +11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $8,550 – $17,200 | +13% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,400 – $4,500 | +12% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,450 – $6,300 | +16% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,450 – $4,650 | +11% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Sacramento bid
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.
Drainage
Ground-level decks over poorly draining yards may need $1,000-$4,000 of drainage work first.
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 $18,300 to $23,900 for Sacramento, CA is attached.
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Multi-page report for Sacramento, CA: 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 Sacramento: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Sacramento?
For 300 sq ft, expect $14,000 to $28,100 in the Sacramento area. A standard-spec job lands at $18,300 to $23,900. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Sacramento?
About $46.50 to $93 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $55 to $160 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $40 to $80.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Sacramento or Stockton?
Stockton is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $20,200, which is 4% less than Sacramento ($21,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Sacramento?
About 64% at the midpoint, or $13,400 out of $21,100. Materials are 36% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Sacramento?
$15,000 to $30,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Sacramento?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $55 to $160 for fees in the Sacramento area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Sacramento expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of California?
Sacramento is 1% 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 Sacramento?
The BLS median is $35.79 an hour in the Sacramento area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.45 to $40.70.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Sacramento?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $14,000 to $19,700 and premium work $22,500 to $28,100. 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 Sacramento?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. June and September 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 Sacramento?
$2,050 to $6,200 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Sacramento
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