Composite deck cost in the District of Columbia
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $12,600 – $25,200
- Per sq ft
- $41.50 – $83.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $18,100
- Metros covered
- 1
District of Columbia prices for composite deck: $12,600 to $25,200 for 300 sq ft, or $41.50 to $83.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 4% above the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $29.67 an hour.
District of Columbia has one metro in our dataset, Washington, 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 District of Columbia (statewide), standard level
$16,300 to $21,400
About $54 to $71 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 59% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,650 | $8,700 |
| Labor | $9,600 | $12,600 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $130 |
| Total | $16,300 | $21,400 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in District of Columbia
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,100 | $7,650 | $10,200 | 41% |
| Labor | $7,400 | $11,100 | $14,800 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $110 | $160 | 1% |
| Total | $12,600 | $18,900 | $25,200 | 100% |
Weather windows across the District of Columbia
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and District of Columbia 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.
Washington has 11 comfortable months (August through June), with about 42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 30 | 90 | 42 | 11: August through June |
Basic, standard or premium: District of Columbia 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
$12,600 to $17,600
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$16,300 to $21,400
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$20,100 to $25,200
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $5,050 – $7,100 | $6,600 – $8,650 | $8,150 – $10,200 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $6,050 – $8,500 | $7,900 – $10,300 | $9,750 – $12,200 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $13,400 – $18,800 | $17,400 – $22,800 | $21,500 – $26,900 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $16,700 – $23,400 | $21,800 – $28,500 | $26,800 – $33,500 |
Related projects, priced for the District of Columbia
Each project weights the trades differently, so District of Columbia's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, paver patio is +8% and wood deck +5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,900 – $15,900 | +5% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,350 – $4,300 | +8% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,250 – $5,900 | +8% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,350 – $4,450 | +6% |
Why two District of Columbia 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.
Add-ons priced for District of Columbia
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.05 for District of Columbia, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.03) 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) | $1,900 – $5,650 |
Wages behind the District of Columbia number
District of Columbia'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 1.03 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $29.67 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.48 and $36.18 an hour. About 1,540 work in the state. That is 21.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $24.05 an hour, which is 6% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $20.80 and $28.41 an hour. BLS counts 2,090 of them working in the state, 29.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($36.18 an hour) would add about $1,950 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($27.48) would take off about $650. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 701,920 jobs across the District of Columbia (May 2025), which is 0.5% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $27.48 | $29.67 | $36.18 | $29.12 | 1.02 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $20.80 | $24.05 | $28.41 | $22.66 | 1.06 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.03 | |||||
District of Columbia metro-by-metro prices
District of Columbia has one metro in our dataset, Washington, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $12,300 – $24,700 | $18,500 | −2% |
District of Columbia versus the states around it
District of Columbia ranks 12 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. District of Columbia sits at $18,900. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 50 miles away | $12,400 – $24,800 | $18,600 | −1% |
| Virginia | 110 miles away | $11,500 – $23,000 | $17,300 | −9% |
| Pennsylvania | 110 miles away | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | −5% |
| Delaware | 110 miles away | $11,700 – $23,400 | $17,600 | −7% |
| New Jersey | 160 miles away | $13,200 – $26,500 | $19,900 | +5% |
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Detailed composite deck report for District of Columbia, $9
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Composite deck in the District of Columbia: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in the District of Columbia?
$12,600 to $25,200 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside the District of Columbia can sit above or below that.
+Which city in the District of Columbia is cheapest for composite deck?
Washington at about $18,500 (midpoint, 300 sq ft).
+Is composite deck cheaper in the District of Columbia than the US average?
It is 4% more expensive: $18,900 against $18,100 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in the District of Columbia?
About 59% ($11,100). Materials are 41%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.03x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in the District of Columbia?
The BLS statewide median is $29.67 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.48 to $36.18.
+Where does District of Columbia rank for composite deck costs?
12th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $18,900 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in the District of Columbia?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $12,600 to $17,600 and premium work $20,100 to $25,200. 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 the District of Columbia?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the District of Columbia metros we cover, Washington 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 the District of Columbia?
$1,900 to $5,650 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck by city in the District of Columbia
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