Composite deck cost in South Carolina
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $10,800 – $21,700
- Per sq ft
- $36 – $71.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $18,100
- Metros covered
- 7
Across South Carolina, a composite deck costs about $10,800 to $21,700 for 300 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 10% below the US figure of $18,100. Carpenters earn a median $24.36 an hour in South Carolina (US: $29.12).
Inside South Carolina, the metros we cover range from $15,600 (Myrtle Beach) to $16,300 (Spartanburg) 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 South Carolina (statewide), standard level
$14,100 to $18,400
About $46.50 to $61 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,000 | $7,850 |
| Labor | $7,950 | $10,400 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $14,100 | $18,400 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in South Carolina
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,600 | $6,950 | $9,250 | 43% |
| Labor | $6,150 | $9,200 | $12,300 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $95 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $10,800 | $16,200 | $21,700 | 100% |
If you are planning more than one job in South Carolina
Each project weights the trades differently, so South Carolina's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, gutters is −8% and paver patio −9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,900 – $13,900 | −9% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,650 | −9% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,750 – $4,950 | −9% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,150 – $3,850 | −8% |
Weather windows across South Carolina
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and South 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.
Charleston has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in South Carolina at 12 months; Columbia has the shortest at 9 (September through May). Rainfall runs from 44 inches a year in Columbia to 54 inches in Myrtle Beach.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville | 35 | 91 | 47 | 11: August through June |
| Columbia | 37 | 93 | 44 | 9: September through May |
| Charleston | 44 | 88 | 44 | 12: all year |
| Spartanburg | 32 | 90 | 50 | 11: August through June |
| Myrtle Beach | 34 | 87 | 54 | 12: all year |
| Florence | 36 | 92 | 45 | 10: September through June |
| Hilton Head | 40 | 92 | 45 | 10: September through June |
Why two South 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.
Optional extras in South Carolina
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.91 for South Carolina, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.85) 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) | $1,650 – $4,900 |
What carpenters and the other trades earn in South Carolina
South 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 0.85 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $24.36 an hour, 16% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $20.97 and $30.10 an hour. About 6,950 work in the state. That is 30.2 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 $20.65 an hour, which is 9% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.64 and $23.62 an hour. BLS counts 19,620 of them working in the state, 85.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($30.10 an hour) would add about $1,700 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.97) would take off about $1,000. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,305,080 jobs across South Carolina (May 2025), which is 1.5% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $20.97 | $24.36 | $30.10 | $29.12 | 0.84 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.64 | $20.65 | $23.62 | $22.66 | 0.91 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.85 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: South 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
$10,800 to $15,100
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$14,100 to $18,400
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$17,300 to $21,700
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,350 – $6,100 | $5,650 – $7,450 | $7,000 – $8,750 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,200 – $7,300 | $6,800 – $8,900 | $8,350 – $10,500 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $11,500 – $16,100 | $15,000 – $19,600 | $18,500 – $23,100 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $14,400 – $20,200 | $18,700 – $24,500 | $23,000 – $28,800 |
South Carolina against its neighbors
South Carolina ranks 40 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. South Carolina sits at $16,200. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 120 miles away | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | −1% |
| Georgia | 180 miles away | $10,700 – $21,400 | $16,000 | −1% |
| Virginia | 300 miles away | $11,500 – $23,000 | $17,300 | +6% |
| West Virginia | 340 miles away | $10,600 – $21,300 | $15,900 | −2% |
| Tennessee | 350 miles away | $10,900 – $21,800 | $16,300 | +1% |
Composite deck cost by metro in South Carolina
1 of the 7 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $16,200, and the top-to-bottom gap is 5%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg, SC | $10,900 – $21,800 | $16,300 | +1% |
| Charleston, SC | $10,800 – $21,600 | $16,200 | level |
| Greenville, SC | $10,800 – $21,600 | $16,200 | level |
| Hilton Head, SC | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | −1% |
| Florence, SC | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | −1% |
| Columbia, SC | $10,500 – $21,100 | $15,800 | −2% |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | $10,400 – $20,800 | $15,600 | −4% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed composite deck report for South Carolina, $9
Multi-page report for South Carolina: 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 South Carolina: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in South Carolina?
$10,800 to $21,700 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside South Carolina can sit above or below that.
+Which city in South Carolina is cheapest for composite deck?
Myrtle Beach at about $15,600 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Spartanburg at $16,300.
+Is composite deck cheaper in South Carolina than the US average?
It is 10% cheaper: $16,200 against $18,100 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in South Carolina?
About 57% ($9,200). Materials are 43%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.85x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in South Carolina?
The BLS statewide median is $24.36 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.97 to $30.10.
+Where does South Carolina rank for composite deck costs?
40th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $16,200 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in South Carolina?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $10,800 to $15,100 and premium work $17,300 to $21,700. 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 South Carolina?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the South Carolina metros we cover, Charleston 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 South Carolina?
$1,650 to $4,900 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck by city in South Carolina
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