Composite deck cost in Ann Arbor, MI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $12,300 – $24,700
- Per sq ft
- $41 – $81.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +2%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #78
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a composite deck in the Ann Arbor area: $12,300 to $24,700 for 300 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint lands close to the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $31.33 an hour in the Ann Arbor area, 8% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Ann Arbor, MI, standard level
$16,000 to $20,900
About $53 to $69.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 63% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,850 | $7,650 |
| Labor | $10,100 | $13,200 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $16,000 | $20,900 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Ann Arbor, MI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,750 | $9,000 | 37% |
| Labor | $7,750 | $11,600 | $15,500 | 63% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $12,300 | $18,500 | $24,700 | 100% |
Where the Ann Arbor price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Ann Arbor wages are 1.08 times the national level. Labor makes up about 63% of the midpoint estimate (60% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Ann Arbor 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 100.9: $50 to $150.
Add-ons priced for Ann Arbor
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.01 for Ann Arbor, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.08) 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) | $1,800 – $5,450 |
Who does the work: Ann Arbor trade wages
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 Ann Arbor the blend is 1.08.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $31.33 an hour, 8% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $26.61 and $36.52 an hour. About 640 work in the metro. That is 29.1 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 $24.48 an hour, which is 8% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.01 and $29.43 an hour. BLS counts 510 of them working in the area, 23.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,550 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,400. That is a swing of roughly 7.6% to 8.3% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Ann Arbor has 219,730 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 110th 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% | $26.61 | $31.33 | $36.52 | $29.12 | 1.08 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.01 | $24.48 | $29.43 | $22.66 | 1.08 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.08 | |||||
Composite deck: what moves the price in Ann Arbor
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: composite deck pricing in Ann Arbor
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Ann Arbor. 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
$12,300 to $17,200
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$16,000 to $20,900
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$19,700 to $24,700
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,950 – $6,950 | $6,450 – $8,450 | $7,950 – $9,950 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,950 – $8,300 | $7,750 – $10,100 | $9,500 – $11,900 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $13,100 – $18,400 | $17,100 – $22,300 | $21,000 – $26,300 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $16,400 – $23,000 | $21,300 – $27,900 | $26,200 – $32,800 |
The best months for composite deck in Ann Arbor
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Ann Arbor Muni Ap (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 Ann Arbor are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Ann Arbor gets about 30 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and July (3.6 inches in June). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 1.9 and 2.1 inches. The station averages about 11 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 | 32 | 15 | 1.7 | Cold |
| Feb | 35 | 16 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 45 | 25 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 59 | 35 | 3.0 | Workable |
| May | 70 | 46 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 79 | 54 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 84 | 57 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Aug | 81 | 57 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 74 | 48 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 38 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 48 | 30 | 2.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 36 | 22 | 1.7 | Cold |
What nearby projects cost in Ann Arbor
Jobs that often go together with composite deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Ann Arbor wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+6%) and wood deck lowest (level); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,550 – $15,100 | level |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,050 | +1% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,200 – $5,800 | +6% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,350 – $4,250 | +2% |
Is Ann Arbor cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Detroit is the priciest of the group at $19,200. Toledo is the cheapest at $17,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MIthis page | $12,300 – $24,700 | $18,500 | |
| Detroit, MI45 miles | $12,800 – $25,700 | $19,200 | +4% |
| Toledo, OH50 miles | $11,900 – $23,800 | $17,900 | −3% |
| Lansing, MI50 miles | $12,400 – $24,900 | $18,600 | +1% |
| Flint, MI55 miles | $12,100 – $24,300 | $18,200 | −1% |
| Saginaw, MI75 miles | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | −3% |
| Michigan (statewide) | $12,000 – $24,100 | $18,100 | −2% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | −2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Ann Arbor ranks #78 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Ann Arbor is 2% above the Michigan figure.
Elsewhere in Michigan
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI | 1,904,530 jobs | $12,800 – $25,700 | $19,200 | +4% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 598,260 jobs | $11,600 – $23,300 | $17,400 | −6% |
| Lansing, MI | 217,180 jobs | $12,400 – $24,900 | $18,600 | +1% |
| Flint, MI | 135,040 jobs | $12,100 – $24,300 | $18,200 | −1% |
| Kalamazoo, MI | 121,790 jobs | $11,900 – $23,900 | $17,900 | −3% |
| Saginaw, MI | 80,000 jobs | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Ann Arbor against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deltona, FL | 219,740 jobs | $10,400 – $20,900 | $15,700 | −15% |
| Lansing, MI | 217,180 jobs | $12,400 – $24,900 | $18,600 | +1% |
| Springfield, MO | 223,030 jobs | $11,000 – $22,000 | $16,500 | −11% |
| Santa Rosa, CA | 205,260 jobs | $14,600 – $29,300 | $21,900 | +19% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $16,000 to $20,900 for Ann Arbor, MI is attached.
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Composite deck in Ann Arbor: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Ann Arbor?
For 300 sq ft, expect $12,300 to $24,700 in the Ann Arbor area. A standard-spec job lands at $16,000 to $20,900. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Ann Arbor?
About $41 to $81.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $150 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $40 to $80.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Ann Arbor or Detroit?
Detroit is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $19,200, which is 4% more than Ann Arbor ($18,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Ann Arbor?
About 63% at the midpoint, or $11,600 out of $18,500. Materials are 37% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Ann Arbor?
$13,100 to $26,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Ann Arbor?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $150 for fees in the Ann Arbor area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Ann Arbor expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of Michigan?
Ann Arbor is 2% above the Michigan statewide estimate ($18,100 at the midpoint). We cover 10 metros in Michigan; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Ann Arbor?
The BLS median is $31.33 an hour in the Ann Arbor area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $26.61 to $36.52.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Ann Arbor?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $12,300 to $17,200 and premium work $19,700 to $24,700. 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 Ann Arbor?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. March and November 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 Ann Arbor?
$1,800 to $5,450 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Ann Arbor
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