Composite deck cost in Honolulu, HI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $16,800 – $33,600
- Per sq ft
- $55.50 – $111
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +39%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #1
- 1 = most expensive
Honolulu homeowners pay roughly $16,800 to $33,600 to build a composite deck at 300 sq ft, or $55.50 to $111 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Honolulu is 39% higher. Carpenters earn a median of $45.34 an hour in the Honolulu area, 56% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Honolulu, HI, standard level
$21,800 to $28,500
About $72.50 to $94.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 68% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,950 | $9,100 |
| Labor | $14,800 | $19,300 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $130 |
| Total | $21,800 | $28,500 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Honolulu, HI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,350 | $8,050 | $10,700 | 32% |
| Labor | $11,400 | $17,000 | $22,700 | 68% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $110 | $170 | 0% |
| Total | $16,800 | $25,200 | $33,600 | 100% |
Why Honolulu prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Honolulu wages are 1.58 times the national level. Labor makes up about 68% of the midpoint estimate (60% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Honolulu metro is 111.6 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 300 sq ft comes to $8,050, compared with $7,200 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (111.0) and land at $55 to $170.
Extras that change the Honolulu total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Honolulu by the average of the local wage index (1.58) and goods index (1.12), a factor of 1.35. 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) | $2,400 – $7,250 |
Composite deck: what moves the price in Honolulu
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.
Honolulu: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Honolulu 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
$16,800 to $23,500
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$21,800 to $28,500
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$26,900 to $33,600
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $6,750 – $9,450 | $8,800 – $11,500 | $10,800 – $13,500 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $8,050 – $11,300 | $10,500 – $13,800 | $13,000 – $16,200 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $17,900 – $25,000 | $23,300 – $30,400 | $28,600 – $35,800 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $22,300 – $31,300 | $29,000 – $38,000 | $35,800 – $44,700 |
When to schedule composite deck in Honolulu
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Honolulu Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in Honolulu: 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.
Honolulu gets about 16 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are March, November and December (2.4 inches in March). The station averages about 32 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 | 81 | 67 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 81 | 67 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 81 | 68 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 83 | 70 | 0.8 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 72 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 87 | 74 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 75 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 89 | 76 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 88 | 75 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 87 | 74 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 84 | 72 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 82 | 69 | 2.2 | Workable |
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Honolulu is 1.58 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $45.34 an hour, which is 56% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $33.49 and $55.04 an hour. BLS counts 3,120 of them working in the area, 69.9 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 $37.48 an hour, 65% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $24.21 and $41.41 an hour. About 3,040 work in the metro. That is 68.1 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 ($55.04 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $2,900. At the 25th percentile ($33.49) it shrinks by about $3,500. The total moves by 11.4% or 14.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 446,380 jobs in the Urban Honolulu area. That makes it the 56th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.29% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $33.49 | $45.34 | $55.04 | $29.12 | 1.56 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $24.21 | $37.48 | $41.41 | $22.66 | 1.65 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.58 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Honolulu
Because every project leans on different trades, Honolulu's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, concrete patio runs +41% and gutters +23%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $9,950 – $19,900 | +32% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,650 – $5,750 | +41% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,950 – $7,150 | +31% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,600 – $5,100 | +23% |
Is Honolulu cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 $21,400 to $25,200 across Honolulu and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HIthis page | $16,800 – $33,600 | $25,200 | |
| Kahului, HI110 miles | $15,700 – $31,400 | $23,500 | −7% |
| Santa Rosa, CA2395 miles | $14,600 – $29,300 | $21,900 | −13% |
| Santa Cruz, CA2415 miles | $14,300 – $28,600 | $21,400 | −15% |
| San Francisco, CA2415 miles | $16,000 – $32,000 | $24,000 | −5% |
| Napa, CA2425 miles | $14,600 – $29,200 | $21,900 | −13% |
| Hawaii (statewide) | $15,900 – $31,800 | $23,800 | −5% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | −28% |
Across 300 US metros, Honolulu comes in at #1 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $25,200; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $13,500 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Honolulu is 6% above the Hawaii figure.
Other Hawaii metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | 73,750 jobs | $15,700 – $31,400 | $23,500 | −7% |
Cities with a workforce like Honolulu's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Honolulu against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, NY | 449,410 jobs | $12,200 – $24,500 | $18,400 | −27% |
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $10,500 – $21,100 | $15,800 | −37% |
| Tulsa, OK | 458,730 jobs | $10,300 – $20,700 | $15,500 | −38% |
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $10,800 – $21,600 | $16,200 | −36% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed composite deck report for Honolulu, HI, $9
Multi-page report for Honolulu, HI: 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 Honolulu: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Honolulu?
For 300 sq ft, expect $16,800 to $33,600 in the Honolulu area. A standard-spec job lands at $21,800 to $28,500. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Honolulu?
About $55.50 to $111 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 Honolulu or Kahului?
Kahului is 110 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $23,500, which is 7% less than Honolulu ($25,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Honolulu?
About 68% at the midpoint, or $17,000 out of $25,200. Materials are 32% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Honolulu?
$17,900 to $35,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Honolulu?
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 Honolulu area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Honolulu expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of Hawaii?
Honolulu is 6% above the Hawaii statewide estimate ($23,800 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Hawaii; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Honolulu?
The BLS median is $45.34 an hour in the Honolulu area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $33.49 to $55.04.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Honolulu?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $16,800 to $23,500 and premium work $26,900 to $33,600. 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 Honolulu?
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 Honolulu?
$2,400 to $7,250 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Honolulu
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