Composite deck cost in Delaware
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $11,700 – $23,400
- Per sq ft
- $39 – $77.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $18,100
- Metros covered
- 1
Across Delaware, a composite deck costs about $11,700 to $23,400 for 300 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 3% below the US figure of $18,100. Carpenters earn a median $28.46 an hour in Delaware (US: $29.12).
Delaware has one metro in our dataset, Dover, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Delaware (statewide), standard level
$15,200 to $19,900
About $50.50 to $66 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 60% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,000 | $7,850 |
| Labor | $9,150 | $11,900 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $15,200 | $19,900 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Delaware
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,600 | $6,900 | $9,250 | 39% |
| Labor | $7,000 | $10,500 | $14,000 | 60% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $11,700 | $17,600 | $23,400 | 100% |
Which Delaware city is cheapest for composite deck?
Delaware has one metro in our dataset, Dover, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (300 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | $11,000 – $22,100 | $16,600 | −6% |
Weather windows across Delaware
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Delaware is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Dover has 11 comfortable months (February through December), with about 48 inches of precipitation a year.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | 28 | 87 | 48 | 11: February through December |
Related projects, priced for Delaware
Each project weights the trades differently, so Delaware's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, paver patio is −2% and wood deck −3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,300 – $14,700 | −3% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,900 | −2% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,950 – $5,350 | −2% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,250 – $4,100 | −2% |
Optional extras in Delaware
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.97 for Delaware, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.98) and goods price index (0.96). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a deck railing (approx. 0.3 ft per sq ft) | $1,750 – $5,250 |
Delaware against its neighbors
Delaware ranks 27 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for composite deck, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $23,800 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $15,300, both for 300 sq ft at the midpoint. Delaware sits at $17,600. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 60 miles away | $13,200 – $26,500 | $19,900 | +13% |
| Maryland | 60 miles away | $12,400 – $24,800 | $18,600 | +6% |
| Pennsylvania | 100 miles away | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | +2% |
| District of Columbia | 110 miles away | $12,600 – $25,200 | $18,900 | +8% |
| New York | 150 miles away | $13,800 – $27,600 | $20,700 | +18% |
Why two Delaware quotes can differ
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.
Engineering
Large or complex decks may need a structural engineer at $100-$220 an hour to get a permit.
Wages behind the Delaware number
Delaware's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.98 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $28.46 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.35 and $36.24 an hour. About 2,250 work in the state. That is 46.4 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 $21.90 an hour, which is 3% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.93 and $27.07 an hour. BLS counts 3,240 of them working in the state, 66.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($36.24 an hour) would add about $2,300 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.35) would take off about $1,500. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 484,790 jobs across Delaware (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $23.35 | $28.46 | $36.24 | $29.12 | 0.98 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.93 | $21.90 | $27.07 | $22.66 | 0.97 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.98 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: Delaware prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from 10x12 (120 sq ft) to 20x20 (400 sq ft).
Basic
$11,700 to $16,400
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$15,200 to $19,900
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$18,700 to $23,400
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,700 – $6,600 | $6,150 – $8,050 | $7,550 – $9,450 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,650 – $7,900 | $7,350 – $9,600 | $9,050 – $11,300 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $12,500 – $17,500 | $16,200 – $21,200 | $20,000 – $25,000 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $15,600 – $21,800 | $20,200 – $26,500 | $24,900 – $31,200 |
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Composite deck in Delaware: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Delaware?
$11,700 to $23,400 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Delaware can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Delaware is cheapest for composite deck?
Dover at about $16,600 (midpoint, 300 sq ft).
+Is composite deck cheaper in Delaware than the US average?
It is 3% cheaper: $17,600 against $18,100 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Delaware?
About 60% ($10,500). Materials are 39%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.98x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Delaware?
The BLS statewide median is $28.46 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.35 to $36.24.
+Where does Delaware rank for composite deck costs?
27th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $17,600 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Delaware?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $11,700 to $16,400 and premium work $18,700 to $23,400. Basic means: entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape. Premium means: premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners.
+Does the season matter for composite deck in Delaware?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Delaware metros we cover, Dover has the most comfortable months (11 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add a deck railing" add in Delaware?
$1,750 to $5,250 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck by city in Delaware
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