Composite deck cost in Alexandria, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $10,100 – $20,300
- Per sq ft
- $33.50 – $67
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −16%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #282
- 1 = most expensive
A composite deck in Alexandria, LA usually costs $10,100 to $20,300 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $33.50 to $67 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $2,900 less. Carpenters earn a median of $22.48 an hour in the Alexandria area, 23% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Alexandria, LA, standard level
$13,200 to $17,200
About $43.50 to $57 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 55% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,850 | $7,650 |
| Labor | $7,250 | $9,500 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $100 |
| Total | $13,200 | $17,200 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Alexandria, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,750 | $9,000 | 44% |
| Labor | $5,600 | $8,350 | $11,200 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $85 | $130 | 1% |
| Total | $10,100 | $15,200 | $20,300 | 100% |
Why Alexandria prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $22.48 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Alexandria is 0.77 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 55% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Alexandria is at 93.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $7,200 nationally becomes $6,750 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 85.7: $45 to $130.
Why two Alexandria quotes can differ
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.
Board grade
Composite materials run $16-$32 per sq ft and the installed price is $40-$80 per sq ft, including the substructure (HomeGuide).
Extras that change the Alexandria total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.86 for Alexandria, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.77) 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) | $1,550 – $4,600 |
Alexandria against nearby metros and the rest of Louisiana
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Baton Rouge is the priciest of the group at $16,500.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, LAthis page | $10,100 – $20,300 | $15,200 | |
| Lafayette, LA95 miles | $10,200 – $20,500 | $15,400 | +1% |
| Lake Charles, LA95 miles | $10,300 – $20,600 | $15,500 | +2% |
| Monroe, LA95 miles | $10,200 – $20,500 | $15,400 | +1% |
| Baton Rouge, LA100 miles | $11,000 – $22,100 | $16,500 | +9% |
| Shreveport, LA105 miles | $10,200 – $20,400 | $15,300 | +1% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $10,500 – $21,000 | $15,700 | +3% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | +19% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Alexandria ranks #282 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Alexandria is 3% below the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $10,500 – $21,100 | $15,800 | +4% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $11,000 – $22,100 | $16,500 | +9% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $10,200 – $20,500 | $15,400 | +1% |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $10,200 – $20,400 | $15,300 | +1% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $10,300 – $20,600 | $15,500 | +2% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $10,300 – $20,700 | $15,500 | +2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Alexandria against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg, PA | 60,280 jobs | $10,900 – $21,900 | $16,400 | +8% |
| Niles, MI | 59,970 jobs | $11,200 – $22,400 | $16,800 | +10% |
| Jonesboro, AR | 60,620 jobs | $9,850 – $19,800 | $14,800 | −2% |
| Kingston, NY | 59,140 jobs | $12,200 – $24,400 | $18,300 | +20% |
Planning more than one job in Alexandria?
Jobs that often go together with composite deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Alexandria wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, gutters comes out highest (−11%) and wood deck lowest (−13%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,550 – $13,100 | −13% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,100 – $3,450 | −13% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,750 | −13% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,150 – $3,750 | −11% |
Alexandria weather and the composite deck calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Alexandria (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Alexandria are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Alexandria gets about 61 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, November and December (6.1 inches in January). Inside the workable window, May and September are the driest, at 4.6 and 4.0 inches. The station averages about 93 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59 | 39 | 6.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 63 | 42 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 70 | 49 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 76 | 55 | 5.4 | Workable |
| May | 83 | 64 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 71 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 4.5 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 4.3 | Hot |
| Sep | 88 | 68 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 57 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 68 | 46 | 5.5 | Workable |
| Dec | 61 | 40 | 6.0 | Workable |
What local crews earn in Alexandria
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Alexandria the blend is 0.77.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $22.48 an hour, 23% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $18.58 and $26.89 an hour. About 180 work in the metro. That is 30.0 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 $17.76 an hour, which is 22% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $15.53 and $21.18 an hour. BLS counts 610 of them working in the area, 101.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,300 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,150. That is a swing of roughly 7.6% to 8.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Alexandria has 60,000 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 288th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $18.58 | $22.48 | $26.89 | $29.12 | 0.77 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $15.53 | $17.76 | $21.18 | $22.66 | 0.78 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.77 | |||||
Alexandria: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Alexandria. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 10x12 (120 sq ft) to 20x20 (400 sq ft).
Basic
$10,100 to $14,200
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$13,200 to $17,200
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$16,200 to $20,300
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,050 – $5,700 | $5,300 – $6,950 | $6,550 – $8,200 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $4,900 – $6,850 | $6,350 – $8,300 | $7,850 – $9,800 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $10,800 – $15,100 | $14,000 – $18,400 | $17,300 – $21,600 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $13,500 – $18,900 | $17,500 – $22,900 | $21,600 – $27,000 |
Get 3 local quotes
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Composite deck in Alexandria: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Alexandria?
For 300 sq ft, expect $10,100 to $20,300 in the Alexandria area. A standard-spec job lands at $13,200 to $17,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Alexandria?
About $33.50 to $67 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $130 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $40 to $80.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Alexandria or Lafayette?
Lafayette is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $15,400, which is 1% more than Alexandria ($15,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Alexandria?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $8,350 out of $15,200. Materials are 44% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Alexandria?
$10,800 to $21,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Alexandria?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $130 for fees in the Alexandria area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Alexandria expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Alexandria is 3% below the Louisiana statewide estimate ($15,700 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Louisiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Alexandria?
The BLS median is $22.48 an hour in the Alexandria area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.58 to $26.89.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Alexandria?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $10,100 to $14,200 and premium work $16,200 to $20,300. 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 Alexandria?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. May 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 Alexandria?
$1,550 to $4,600 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Alexandria
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