Composite deck cost in Lincoln, NE
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $10,700 – $21,500
- Per sq ft
- $35.50 – $71.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #208
- 1 = most expensive
A composite deck in Lincoln, NE usually costs $10,700 to $21,500 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $35.50 to $71.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,950 less. Carpenters earn a median of $24.00 an hour in the Lincoln area, 18% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Lincoln, NE, standard level
$14,000 to $18,300
About $46.50 to $60.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,850 | $7,700 |
| Labor | $8,050 | $10,500 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $14,000 | $18,300 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Lincoln, NE
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,800 | $9,050 | 42% |
| Labor | $6,150 | $9,250 | $12,300 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $90 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $10,700 | $16,100 | $21,500 | 100% |
What is behind the Lincoln number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Lincoln wages are 0.86 times the national level. Labor makes up about 57% of the midpoint estimate (60% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Lincoln is at 94.1 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $7,200 nationally becomes $6,800 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.6: $45 to $140.
Why two Lincoln 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.
Lincoln: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Lincoln. 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
$10,700 to $15,000
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$14,000 to $18,300
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$17,200 to $21,500
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,300 – $6,050 | $5,650 – $7,400 | $6,950 – $8,700 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,200 – $7,250 | $6,750 – $8,850 | $8,300 – $10,400 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $11,400 – $16,000 | $14,900 – $19,500 | $18,300 – $22,900 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $14,300 – $20,000 | $18,600 – $24,300 | $22,900 – $28,600 |
How Lincoln compares
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 $16,100 to $18,000 across Lincoln and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NEthis page | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | |
| Omaha, NE55 miles | $11,100 – $22,200 | $16,600 | +3% |
| Sioux City, IA120 miles | $10,900 – $21,800 | $16,400 | +2% |
| Topeka, KS135 miles | $10,800 – $21,700 | $16,300 | +1% |
| Des Moines, IA170 miles | $11,900 – $23,900 | $17,900 | +11% |
| Kansas City, MO185 miles | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | +12% |
| Nebraska (statewide) | $10,800 – $21,600 | $16,200 | level |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | +12% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Lincoln ranks #208 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Lincoln is 0% below the Nebraska figure.
Elsewhere in Nebraska
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE | 498,100 jobs | $11,100 – $22,200 | $16,600 | +3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Lincoln against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $12,200 – $24,500 | $18,300 | +14% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $11,000 – $22,100 | $16,500 | +3% |
| Tallahassee, FL | 186,160 jobs | $10,300 – $20,700 | $15,500 | −4% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | +12% |
Extras that change the Lincoln total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.90 for Lincoln, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.86) 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 – $4,850 |
Lincoln 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, Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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.
Lincoln gets about 29 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 26 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (4.9 inches in May). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 1.6 and 1.3 inches. The station averages about 42 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 | 36 | 14 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Feb | 41 | 18 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Mar | 54 | 29 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 65 | 39 | 2.7 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 51 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 85 | 62 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 89 | 67 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 87 | 64 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Sep | 80 | 54 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 67 | 41 | 2.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 28 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 39 | 18 | 1.2 | Cold |
What local crews earn in Lincoln
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 Lincoln the blend is 0.86.
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 $21.70 and $28.77 an hour. About 1,020 work in the metro. That is 55.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $22.45 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.28 and $24.46 an hour. BLS counts 1,250 of them working in the area, 68.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,400 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $680. That is a swing of roughly 4.2% to 8.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Lincoln has 182,620 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 126th 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% | $21.70 | $24.00 | $28.77 | $29.12 | 0.82 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $19.28 | $22.45 | $24.46 | $22.66 | 0.99 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.86 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Lincoln
Jobs that often go together with composite deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Lincoln wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (−5%) and wood deck lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,850 – $13,700 | −10% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,700 | −7% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,200 | −5% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,200 – $3,900 | −8% |
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 $14,000 to $18,300 for Lincoln, NE is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Lincoln, NE: 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 Lincoln: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Lincoln?
For 300 sq ft, expect $10,700 to $21,500 in the Lincoln area. A standard-spec job lands at $14,000 to $18,300. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Lincoln?
About $35.50 to $71.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $140 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $40 to $80.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Lincoln or Omaha?
Omaha is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $16,600, which is 3% more than Lincoln ($16,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Lincoln?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $9,250 out of $16,100. Materials are 42% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Lincoln?
$11,400 to $22,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Lincoln?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $140 for fees in the Lincoln area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Lincoln expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of Nebraska?
Lincoln is 0% below the Nebraska statewide estimate ($16,200 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Nebraska; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Lincoln?
The BLS median is $24.00 an hour in the Lincoln area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.70 to $28.77.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Lincoln?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $10,700 to $15,000 and premium work $17,200 to $21,500. 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 Lincoln?
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 Lincoln?
$1,600 to $4,850 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Lincoln
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