Composite deck cost in Louisiana
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $10,500 – $21,000
- Per sq ft
- $34.50 – $69.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −13%
- US $18,100
- Metros covered
- 9
What does it cost to build a composite deck in Louisiana? Plan on $10,500 to $21,000 for 300 sq ft. Wages (0.82x the US blend), materials (price index 93.7) and permit costs (88.2) put the state below the national midpoint by 13%.
Inside Louisiana, the metros we cover range from $15,200 (Alexandria) to $16,500 (Baton Rouge) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Louisiana (statewide), standard level
$13,600 to $17,800
About $45 to $59 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,850 | $7,650 |
| Labor | $7,700 | $10,100 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $110 |
| Total | $13,600 | $17,800 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Louisiana
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,750 | $9,000 | 43% |
| Labor | $5,900 | $8,850 | $11,800 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $90 | $130 | 1% |
| Total | $10,500 | $15,700 | $21,000 | 100% |
Related projects, priced for Louisiana
Each project weights the trades differently, so Louisiana's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, gutters is −10% and concrete patio −12%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,700 – $13,400 | −11% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,500 | −12% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,850 | −11% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,150 – $3,750 | −10% |
Louisiana labor market for composite deck
Louisiana'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 0.82 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $24.00 an hour, 18% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.03 and $28.72 an hour. About 8,990 work in the state. That is 46.5 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 $18.38 an hour, which is 19% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.59 and $22.74 an hour. BLS counts 22,100 of them working in the state, 114.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($28.72 an hour) would add about $1,400 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($21.03) would take off about $880. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,934,900 jobs across Louisiana (May 2025), which is 1.2% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $21.03 | $24.00 | $28.72 | $29.12 | 0.82 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $16.59 | $18.38 | $22.74 | $22.66 | 0.81 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.82 | |||||
Optional extras in Louisiana
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.88 for Louisiana, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.82) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a deck railing (approx. 0.3 ft per sq ft) | $1,600 – $4,750 |
Louisiana seasons and composite deck
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Louisiana 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.
New Orleans has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Louisiana at 10 months (September through June); Shreveport has the shortest at 8 (October through May). Rainfall runs from 51 inches a year in Shreveport to 66 inches in Slidell.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | 47 | 91 | 60 | 10: September through June |
| Baton Rouge | 42 | 92 | 62 | 9: September through May |
| Lafayette | 44 | 92 | 63 | 9: September through May |
| Shreveport | 37 | 94 | 51 | 8: October through May |
| Lake Charles | 43 | 92 | 60 | 9: September through May |
| Slidell | 42 | 90 | 66 | 10: September through June |
| Monroe | 37 | 93 | 55 | 9: September through May |
| Houma | 44 | 91 | 65 | 9: September through May |
| Alexandria | 39 | 92 | 61 | 10: September through June |
Why two Louisiana 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.
Louisiana versus the states around it
Louisiana ranks 47 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. Louisiana sits at $15,700. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 130 miles away | $10,400 – $20,900 | $15,700 | level |
| Alabama | 310 miles away | $10,400 – $20,800 | $15,600 | −1% |
| Texas | 360 miles away | $10,600 – $21,300 | $16,000 | +2% |
| Arkansas | 360 miles away | $10,200 – $20,500 | $15,400 | −2% |
| Tennessee | 460 miles away | $10,900 – $21,800 | $16,300 | +4% |
Basic, standard or premium: Louisiana 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
$10,500 to $14,700
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$13,600 to $17,800
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$16,800 to $21,000
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,200 – $5,900 | $5,500 – $7,200 | $6,750 – $8,450 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,050 – $7,100 | $6,550 – $8,600 | $8,100 – $10,100 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $11,200 – $15,600 | $14,500 – $19,000 | $17,900 – $22,300 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $13,900 – $19,500 | $18,100 – $23,700 | $22,300 – $27,900 |
Which Louisiana city is cheapest for composite deck?
2 of the 9 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $15,700, and the top-to-bottom gap is 9%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $11,000 – $22,100 | $16,500 | +5% |
| New Orleans, LA | $10,500 – $21,100 | $15,800 | +1% |
| Slidell, LA | $10,300 – $20,700 | $15,500 | −1% |
| Lake Charles, LA | $10,300 – $20,600 | $15,500 | −2% |
| Houma, LA | $10,300 – $20,500 | $15,400 | −2% |
| Monroe, LA | $10,200 – $20,500 | $15,400 | −2% |
| Lafayette, LA | $10,200 – $20,500 | $15,400 | −2% |
| Shreveport, LA | $10,200 – $20,400 | $15,300 | −3% |
| Alexandria, LA | $10,100 – $20,300 | $15,200 | −3% |
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Detailed composite deck report for Louisiana, $9
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Composite deck in Louisiana: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Louisiana?
$10,500 to $21,000 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Louisiana can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Louisiana is cheapest for composite deck?
Alexandria at about $15,200 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Baton Rouge at $16,500.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Louisiana than the US average?
It is 13% cheaper: $15,700 against $18,100 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Louisiana?
About 56% ($8,850). Materials are 43%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.82x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Louisiana?
The BLS statewide median is $24.00 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.03 to $28.72.
+Where does Louisiana rank for composite deck costs?
47th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $15,700 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Louisiana?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $10,500 to $14,700 and premium work $16,800 to $21,000. 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 Louisiana?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Louisiana metros we cover, New Orleans has the most comfortable months (10 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 Louisiana?
$1,600 to $4,750 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck by city in Louisiana
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