Composite deck cost in Albany, NY
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $12,200 – $24,500
- Per sq ft
- $40.50 – $81
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #89
- 1 = most expensive
A composite deck in Albany, NY usually costs $12,200 to $24,500 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $40.50 to $81 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Carpenters earn a median of $29.19 an hour in the Albany area, 0% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Albany, NY, standard level
$15,900 to $20,800
About $53 to $69 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 60% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,200 | $8,150 |
| Labor | $9,600 | $12,600 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $15,900 | $20,800 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Albany, NY
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,800 | $7,200 | $9,550 | 39% |
| Labor | $7,400 | $11,100 | $14,800 | 60% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $12,200 | $18,400 | $24,500 | 100% |
Where the Albany price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $29.19 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Albany is 1.03 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 60% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Albany is at 99.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $7,200 nationally becomes $7,200 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 99.6: $50 to $150.
Related projects, priced for Albany
Jobs that often go together with composite deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Albany wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+9%) and wood deck lowest (+1%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,600 – $15,300 | +1% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,300 – $4,300 | +6% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,250 – $5,900 | +9% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,350 – $4,350 | +4% |
Why two Albany 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.
How Albany compares
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Albany. Utica is the lowest at about $18,000 (midpoint, 300 sq ft), 75 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, NYthis page | $12,200 – $24,500 | $18,400 | |
| Pittsfield, MA45 miles | $12,300 – $24,600 | $18,500 | +1% |
| Kingston, NY60 miles | $12,200 – $24,400 | $18,300 | −1% |
| Amherst, MA70 miles | $12,800 – $25,700 | $19,300 | +5% |
| Utica, NY75 miles | $12,000 – $24,100 | $18,000 | −2% |
| Springfield, MA80 miles | $13,800 – $27,700 | $20,700 | +13% |
| New York (statewide) | $13,800 – $27,600 | $20,700 | +13% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | −1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Albany ranks #89 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Albany is 11% below the New York figure.
Elsewhere in New York
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 9,492,000 jobs | $14,300 – $28,600 | $21,500 | +17% |
| Buffalo, NY | 534,550 jobs | $12,400 – $24,900 | $18,700 | +2% |
| Rochester, NY | 494,280 jobs | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | −2% |
| Syracuse, NY | 300,130 jobs | $12,300 – $24,600 | $18,400 | level |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | 268,970 jobs | $13,000 – $26,100 | $19,600 | +7% |
| Utica, NY | 118,390 jobs | $12,000 – $24,100 | $18,000 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Albany against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa, OK | 458,730 jobs | $10,300 – $20,700 | $15,500 | −16% |
| Honolulu, HI | 446,380 jobs | $16,800 – $33,600 | $25,200 | +37% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $12,800 – $25,700 | $19,300 | +5% |
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $10,500 – $21,100 | $15,800 | −14% |
Add-ons priced for Albany
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.01 for Albany, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.03) and goods price index (1.00). 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 |
Albany 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, Albany 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 Albany 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.
Albany gets about 41 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 59 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and October (4.5 inches in July). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 3.1 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 10 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 | 33 | 16 | 2.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 18 | 2.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 45 | 26 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 59 | 37 | 3.1 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 48 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 79 | 57 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 84 | 62 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 61 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 74 | 53 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 41 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 32 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 38 | 23 | 3.3 | Cold |
What local crews earn in Albany
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 Albany the blend is 1.03.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $29.19 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $25.00 and $36.71 an hour. About 2,000 work in the metro. That is 44.5 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 $25.45 an hour, which is 12% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.03 and $36.39 an hour. BLS counts 2,700 of them working in the area, 60.1 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 $2,250 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,250. That is a swing of roughly 6.8% to 12.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Albany-Schenectady-Troy has 449,410 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 55th 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% | $25.00 | $29.19 | $36.71 | $29.12 | 1.00 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.03 | $25.45 | $36.39 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.03 | |||||
Pick a size, pick a tier: composite deck pricing in Albany
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Albany. 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
$12,200 to $17,100
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$15,900 to $20,800
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$19,600 to $24,500
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,900 – $6,900 | $6,400 – $8,400 | $7,900 – $9,900 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,900 – $8,250 | $7,700 – $10,100 | $9,450 – $11,800 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $13,000 – $18,300 | $17,000 – $22,200 | $20,900 – $26,100 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $16,300 – $22,800 | $21,200 – $27,700 | $26,100 – $32,600 |
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 $15,900 to $20,800 for Albany, NY is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Albany, NY: 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 Albany: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Albany?
For 300 sq ft, expect $12,200 to $24,500 in the Albany area. A standard-spec job lands at $15,900 to $20,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Albany?
About $40.50 to $81 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 Albany or Pittsfield?
Pittsfield is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $18,500, which is 1% more than Albany ($18,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Albany?
About 60% at the midpoint, or $11,100 out of $18,400. Materials are 39% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Albany?
$13,000 to $26,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Albany?
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 Albany area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Albany expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of New York?
Albany is 11% below the New York statewide estimate ($20,700 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in New York; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Albany?
The BLS median is $29.19 an hour in the Albany area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.00 to $36.71.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Albany?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $12,200 to $17,100 and premium work $19,600 to $24,500. 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 Albany?
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 Albany?
$1,800 to $5,450 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Albany
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