Composite deck cost in Santa Fe, NM
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $11,600 – $23,200
- Per sq ft
- $38.50 – $77
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #143
- 1 = most expensive
A composite deck in Santa Fe, NM usually costs $11,600 to $23,200 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $38.50 to $77 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $680 less. Carpenters earn a median of $28.57 an hour in the Santa Fe area, 2% below the US median of $29.12.
Estimate your composite deck cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Santa Fe, NM, standard level
$15,100 to $19,800
About $50 to $65.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 60% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,000 | $7,850 |
| Labor | $9,000 | $11,800 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $15,100 | $19,800 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Santa Fe, NM
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,600 | $6,900 | $9,250 | 40% |
| Labor | $6,950 | $10,400 | $13,900 | 60% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $11,600 | $17,400 | $23,200 | 100% |
Where the Santa Fe price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Santa Fe wages are 0.96 times the national level. Labor makes up about 60% of the midpoint estimate (60% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Santa Fe is at 96.1 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $7,200 nationally becomes $6,900 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 98.8: $50 to $150.
Santa Fe 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, Santa Fe 2 (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 Santa Fe are February through November: 10 of 12. Outside them, January and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January 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.
Santa Fe gets about 13 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 20 inches of snow. The wettest months are July, August and September (2.3 inches in July). Inside the workable window, February and April are the driest, at 0.5 and 0.6 inches. The station averages about 24 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 | 43 | 18 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 48 | 21 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 57 | 26 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 64 | 32 | 0.6 | Workable |
| May | 74 | 41 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 50 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 55 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 54 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 78 | 47 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 35 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 53 | 24 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 43 | 18 | 0.8 | Cold |
How Santa Fe 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 $15,400 to $17,400 across Santa Fe and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NMthis page | $11,600 – $23,200 | $17,400 | |
| Albuquerque, NM40 miles | $11,600 – $23,300 | $17,400 | level |
| Pueblo, CO200 miles | $11,400 – $22,800 | $17,100 | −2% |
| Las Cruces, NM225 miles | $11,300 – $22,600 | $17,000 | −3% |
| Amarillo, TX230 miles | $10,300 – $20,600 | $15,400 | −12% |
| Colorado Springs, CO240 miles | $11,500 – $23,100 | $17,300 | −1% |
| New Mexico (statewide) | $11,500 – $23,100 | $17,300 | −1% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | +4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Santa Fe ranks #143 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Santa Fe is 1% above the New Mexico figure.
Elsewhere in New Mexico
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $11,600 – $23,300 | $17,400 | level |
| Las Cruces, NM | 80,000 jobs | $11,300 – $22,600 | $17,000 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Santa Fe against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $11,400 – $22,800 | $17,100 | −2% |
| Decatur, AL | 61,240 jobs | $10,700 – $21,400 | $16,000 | −8% |
| Hattiesburg, MS | 62,230 jobs | $10,400 – $20,700 | $15,600 | −11% |
| Dothan, AL | 60,720 jobs | $9,700 – $19,500 | $14,600 | −16% |
Composite deck: what moves the price in Santa Fe
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.
Add-ons priced for Santa Fe
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.96 for Santa Fe, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.96) and goods price index (0.96). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a deck railing (approx. 0.3 ft per sq ft) | $1,750 – $5,200 |
Planning more than one job in Santa Fe?
Jobs that often go together with composite deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Santa Fe wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, wood deck comes out highest (−4%) and paver patio lowest (−8%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,250 – $14,600 | −4% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,750 | −7% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,750 – $5,000 | −8% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,200 – $3,900 | −7% |
Cost by quality level and size in Santa Fe
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Santa Fe. 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
$11,600 to $16,300
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$15,100 to $19,800
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$18,600 to $23,200
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,650 – $6,550 | $6,100 – $7,950 | $7,500 – $9,400 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,600 – $7,850 | $7,300 – $9,550 | $9,000 – $11,200 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $12,400 – $17,300 | $16,100 – $21,100 | $19,800 – $24,800 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $15,400 – $21,600 | $20,100 – $26,300 | $24,700 – $30,900 |
What local crews earn in Santa Fe
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 Santa Fe the blend is 0.96.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $28.57 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.73 and $29.66 an hour. About 210 work in the metro. That is 34.0 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 $20.18 an hour, which is 11% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.99 and $22.67 an hour. BLS counts 530 of them working in the area, 85.8 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 $320 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,450. That is a swing of roughly 8.2% to 1.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Santa Fe has 61,770 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 282nd 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% | $23.73 | $28.57 | $29.66 | $29.12 | 0.98 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.99 | $20.18 | $22.67 | $22.66 | 0.89 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.96 | |||||
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 $15,100 to $19,800 for Santa Fe, NM is attached.
Detailed composite deck report for Santa Fe, NM, $9
The report lays out the composite deck numbers for Santa Fe, NM line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 Santa Fe: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Santa Fe?
For 300 sq ft, expect $11,600 to $23,200 in the Santa Fe area. A standard-spec job lands at $15,100 to $19,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Santa Fe?
About $38.50 to $77 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 Santa Fe or Albuquerque?
Albuquerque is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $17,400, which is 0% more than Santa Fe ($17,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Santa Fe?
About 60% at the midpoint, or $10,400 out of $17,400. Materials are 40% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Santa Fe?
$12,400 to $24,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Santa Fe?
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 Santa Fe area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Santa Fe expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of New Mexico?
Santa Fe is 1% above the New Mexico statewide estimate ($17,300 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in New Mexico; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Santa Fe?
The BLS median is $28.57 an hour in the Santa Fe area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.73 to $29.66.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Santa Fe?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $11,600 to $16,300 and premium work $18,600 to $23,200. 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 Santa Fe?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through November. February and April 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 Santa Fe?
$1,750 to $5,200 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Santa Fe
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