Composite deck cost in North Carolina
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $10,700 – $21,500
- Per sq ft
- $35.50 – $71
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $18,100
- Metros covered
- 11
What does it cost to build a composite deck in North Carolina? Plan on $10,700 to $21,500 for 300 sq ft. Wages (0.84x the US blend), materials (price index 96.6) and permit costs (94.3) put the state below the national midpoint by 11%.
Inside North Carolina, the metros we cover range from $15,700 (Greenville) to $16,500 (Asheville) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in North Carolina (statewide), standard level
$14,000 to $18,300
About $46.50 to $60.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,050 | $7,900 |
| Labor | $7,850 | $10,300 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $14,000 | $18,300 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in North Carolina
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,650 | $6,950 | $9,300 | 43% |
| Labor | $6,050 | $9,050 | $12,100 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $95 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $10,700 | $16,100 | $21,500 | 100% |
Weather windows across North Carolina
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and North Carolina is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Greensboro has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in North Carolina at 12 months; Burlington has the shortest at 11 (August through June). Rainfall runs from 41 inches a year in Asheville to 60 inches in Wilmington.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 32 | 90 | 44 | 11: August through June |
| Raleigh | 32 | 91 | 46 | 11: August through June |
| Greensboro | 30 | 89 | 46 | 12: all year |
| Durham | 32 | 91 | 46 | 11: August through June |
| Winston | 31 | 88 | 43 | 12: all year |
| Wilmington | 36 | 90 | 60 | 11: August through June |
| Asheville | 29 | 86 | 41 | 12: all year |
| Hickory | 30 | 87 | 47 | 12: all year |
| Fayetteville | 34 | 91 | 45 | 11: August through June |
| Greenville | 33 | 90 | 53 | 11: August through June |
| Burlington | 30 | 91 | 43 | 11: August through June |
North Carolina versus the states around it
North Carolina ranks 42 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for composite deck, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $23,800 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $15,300, both for 300 sq ft at the midpoint. North Carolina sits at $16,100. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 120 miles away | $10,800 – $21,700 | $16,200 | +1% |
| Virginia | 180 miles away | $11,500 – $23,000 | $17,300 | +7% |
| West Virginia | 240 miles away | $10,600 – $21,300 | $15,900 | −1% |
| District of Columbia | 260 miles away | $12,600 – $25,200 | $18,900 | +17% |
| Georgia | 270 miles away | $10,700 – $21,400 | $16,000 | level |
Why two North Carolina 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.
Engineering
Large or complex decks may need a structural engineer at $100-$220 an hour to get a permit.
What carpenters and the other trades earn in North Carolina
North Carolina's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.84 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $23.61 an hour, 19% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $20.27 and $28.27 an hour. About 13,480 work in the state. That is 27.3 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 $21.50 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.97 and $23.59 an hour. BLS counts 35,620 of them working in the state, 72.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($28.27 an hour) would add about $1,400 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.27) would take off about $990. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,941,820 jobs across North Carolina (May 2025), which is 3.2% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $20.27 | $23.61 | $28.27 | $29.12 | 0.81 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.97 | $21.50 | $23.59 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.84 | |||||
If you are planning more than one job in North Carolina
Each project weights the trades differently, so North Carolina's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, gutters is −7% and concrete patio −9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,850 – $13,800 | −9% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,600 | −9% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,800 – $5,050 | −7% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,200 – $3,950 | −7% |
Basic, standard or premium: North Carolina prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid 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 – $7,350 | $6,950 – $8,700 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,150 – $7,250 | $6,750 – $8,800 | $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 |
North Carolina metro-by-metro prices
5 of the 11 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $16,100, and the top-to-bottom gap is 6%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (300 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NC | $11,000 – $22,100 | $16,500 | +3% |
| Durham, NC | $11,000 – $22,100 | $16,500 | +3% |
| Charlotte, NC | $10,900 – $21,900 | $16,400 | +2% |
| Wilmington, NC | $10,900 – $21,900 | $16,400 | +2% |
| Raleigh, NC | $10,900 – $21,900 | $16,400 | +2% |
| Winston, NC | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | level |
| Burlington, NC | $10,700 – $21,400 | $16,000 | −1% |
| Greensboro, NC | $10,700 – $21,400 | $16,000 | −1% |
| Hickory, NC | $10,600 – $21,300 | $16,000 | −1% |
| Fayetteville, NC | $10,500 – $21,000 | $15,700 | −2% |
| Greenville, NC | $10,400 – $20,900 | $15,700 | −3% |
Extras that change the North Carolina total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.90 for North Carolina, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.84) and goods price index (0.97). 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 |
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Detailed composite deck report for North Carolina, $9
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Composite deck in North Carolina: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in North Carolina?
$10,700 to $21,500 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside North Carolina can sit above or below that.
+Which city in North Carolina is cheapest for composite deck?
Greenville at about $15,700 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Asheville at $16,500.
+Is composite deck cheaper in North Carolina than the US average?
It is 11% cheaper: $16,100 against $18,100 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in North Carolina?
About 56% ($9,050). Materials are 43%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.84x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in North Carolina?
The BLS statewide median is $23.61 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.27 to $28.27.
+Where does North Carolina rank for composite deck costs?
42nd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $16,100 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in North Carolina?
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.
+Does the season matter for composite deck in North Carolina?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the North Carolina metros we cover, Greensboro has the most comfortable months (12 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add a deck railing" add in North Carolina?
$1,600 to $4,850 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck by city in North Carolina
- Asheville, NC$16,500 midpoint
- Durham, NC$16,500 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$16,400 midpoint
- Wilmington, NC$16,400 midpoint
- Raleigh, NC$16,400 midpoint
- Winston, NC$16,100 midpoint
- Burlington, NC$16,000 midpoint
- Greensboro, NC$16,000 midpoint
- Hickory, NC$16,000 midpoint
- Fayetteville, NC$15,700 midpoint
- Greenville, NC$15,700 midpoint
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