Composite deck cost in Philadelphia, PA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $12,300 – $24,600
- Per sq ft
- $40.50 – $81.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +2%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #84
- 1 = most expensive
A composite deck in Philadelphia, PA usually costs $12,300 to $24,600 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $40.50 to $81.50 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 $29.70 an hour in the Philadelphia area, 2% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Philadelphia, PA, standard level
$16,000 to $20,900
About $53 to $69 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 62% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,050 | $7,900 |
| Labor | $9,850 | $12,800 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $16,000 | $20,900 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Philadelphia, PA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,650 | $6,950 | $9,300 | 38% |
| Labor | $7,550 | $11,300 | $15,100 | 62% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $12,300 | $18,400 | $24,600 | 100% |
What is behind the Philadelphia number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Philadelphia wages are 1.05 times the national level. Labor makes up about 62% of the midpoint estimate (60% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Philadelphia is at 96.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $7,200 nationally becomes $6,950 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 102.6: $50 to $150.
What nearby projects cost in Philadelphia
Jobs that often go together with composite deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Philadelphia wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+9%) and wood deck lowest (level); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,600 – $15,200 | level |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,200 | +4% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,250 – $5,950 | +9% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,350 – $4,350 | +5% |
Composite deck: what moves the price in Philadelphia
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.
Board grade
Composite materials run $16-$32 per sq ft and the installed price is $40-$80 per sq ft, including the substructure (HomeGuide).
How Philadelphia 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 $17,400 to $20,200 across Philadelphia and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PAthis page | $12,300 – $24,600 | $18,400 | |
| Vineland, NJ40 miles | $13,400 – $26,900 | $20,200 | +10% |
| Trenton, NJ40 miles | $13,300 – $26,600 | $20,000 | +8% |
| Reading, PA50 miles | $11,600 – $23,200 | $17,400 | −5% |
| Lancaster, PA50 miles | $11,700 – $23,400 | $17,500 | −5% |
| Atlantic City, NJ50 miles | $12,300 – $24,700 | $18,500 | level |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | −2% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | −2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Philadelphia ranks #84 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Philadelphia is 2% above the Pennsylvania figure.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $12,200 – $24,500 | $18,400 | level |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $12,000 – $24,100 | $18,100 | −2% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $11,900 – $23,800 | $17,900 | −3% |
| Scranton, PA | 255,620 jobs | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | −1% |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $11,700 – $23,400 | $17,500 | −5% |
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $12,200 – $24,500 | $18,300 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Philadelphia against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | 3,136,190 jobs | $12,300 – $24,700 | $18,500 | level |
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $11,000 – $22,000 | $16,500 | −10% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $10,900 – $21,800 | $16,300 | −11% |
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $11,300 – $22,700 | $17,000 | −8% |
Cost by quality level and size in Philadelphia
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Philadelphia. 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
$19,600 to $24,600
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,950 – $6,950 | $6,450 – $8,400 | $7,950 – $9,900 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,900 – $8,300 | $7,700 – $10,100 | $9,500 – $11,900 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $13,100 – $18,300 | $17,000 – $22,300 | $20,900 – $26,200 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $16,300 – $22,900 | $21,200 – $27,800 | $26,200 – $32,700 |
Philadelphia 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, Philadelphia Ne Ap (10 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 Philadelphia are February through December: 11 of 12. Outside them, January has an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January 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.
Philadelphia gets about 45 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are July, August and September (4.5 inches in September). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 2.6 and 3.2 inches. The station averages about 29 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 | 42 | 27 | 3.3 | Cold |
| Feb | 45 | 28 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Mar | 53 | 35 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 65 | 44 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 54 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 64 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 69 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 68 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 60 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 68 | 48 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 57 | 38 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 47 | 31 | 4.0 | Workable |
Add-ons priced for Philadelphia
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.01 for Philadelphia, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.05) 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) | $1,800 – $5,450 |
What local crews earn in Philadelphia
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 Philadelphia the blend is 1.05.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $29.70 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.17 and $36.83 an hour. About 14,260 work in the metro. That is 49.2 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 $26.50 an hour, which is 17% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.43 and $34.37 an hour. BLS counts 14,580 of them working in the area, 50.3 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 $2,100 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,950. That is a swing of roughly 10.5% to 11.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has 2,897,830 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 7th 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% | $23.17 | $29.70 | $36.83 | $29.12 | 1.02 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.43 | $26.50 | $34.37 | $22.66 | 1.17 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.05 | |||||
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Composite deck in Philadelphia: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Philadelphia?
For 300 sq ft, expect $12,300 to $24,600 in the Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia?
About $40.50 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 Philadelphia or Vineland?
Vineland is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $20,200, which is 10% more than Philadelphia ($18,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Philadelphia?
About 62% at the midpoint, or $11,300 out of $18,400. Materials are 38% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Philadelphia?
$13,100 to $26,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Philadelphia?
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 Philadelphia area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Philadelphia expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Philadelphia is 2% above the Pennsylvania statewide estimate ($18,000 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Pennsylvania; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Philadelphia?
The BLS median is $29.70 an hour in the Philadelphia area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.17 to $36.83.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Philadelphia?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $12,300 to $17,200 and premium work $19,600 to $24,600. 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 Philadelphia?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through December. February 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 Philadelphia?
$1,800 to $5,450 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Philadelphia
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