Composite deck cost in Tennessee
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $10,900 – $21,800
- Per sq ft
- $36 – $72
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $18,100
- Metros covered
- 8
What does it cost to build a composite deck in Tennessee? Plan on $10,900 to $21,800 for 300 sq ft. Wages (0.86x the US blend), materials (price index 96.2) and permit costs (91.9) put the state below the national midpoint by 10%.
Inside Tennessee, the metros we cover range from $15,700 (Johnson City) to $17,100 (Nashville) 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 Tennessee (statewide), standard level
$14,200 to $18,500
About $47 to $61.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,000 | $7,850 |
| Labor | $8,050 | $10,600 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $14,200 | $18,500 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Tennessee
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,600 | $6,950 | $9,250 | 42% |
| Labor | $6,200 | $9,300 | $12,400 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $90 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $10,900 | $16,300 | $21,800 | 100% |
Extras that change the Tennessee total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Tennessee by the average of the local wage index (0.86) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.91. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a deck railing (approx. 0.3 ft per sq ft) | $1,650 – $4,950 |
Tennessee metro-by-metro prices
1 of the 8 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $16,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 9%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $11,400 – $22,800 | $17,100 | +5% |
| Knoxville, TN | $10,900 – $21,800 | $16,300 | level |
| Memphis, TN | $10,800 – $21,700 | $16,300 | level |
| Chattanooga, TN | $10,800 – $21,700 | $16,200 | −1% |
| Kingsport, TN | $10,600 – $21,300 | $16,000 | −2% |
| Clarksville, TN | $10,600 – $21,300 | $15,900 | −2% |
| Jackson, TN | $10,600 – $21,200 | $15,900 | −3% |
| Johnson City, TN | $10,500 – $21,000 | $15,700 | −4% |
Composite deck: what moves the price in Tennessee
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.
Tennessee seasons and composite deck
Season matters for composite deck. For each Tennessee metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for exterior installation.
Knoxville has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Tennessee at 12 months; Jackson has the shortest at 10 (September through June). Rainfall runs from 44 inches a year in Johnson City to 57 inches in Jackson.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 30 | 91 | 51 | 10: September through June |
| Memphis | 33 | 92 | 55 | 10: September through June |
| Knoxville | 30 | 88 | 52 | 12: all year |
| Chattanooga | 32 | 91 | 55 | 10: September through June |
| Kingsport | 27 | 87 | 45 | 12: all year |
| Clarksville | 28 | 90 | 54 | 10: September through June |
| Jackson | 27 | 91 | 57 | 10: September through June |
| Johnson City | 26 | 86 | 44 | 12: all year |
Quality levels and sizes in Tennessee
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Tennessee wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$10,900 to $15,200
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$14,200 to $18,500
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$17,400 to $21,800
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,400 – $6,150 | $5,700 – $7,450 | $7,050 – $8,800 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,250 – $7,350 | $6,850 – $8,950 | $8,400 – $10,500 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $11,600 – $16,300 | $15,100 – $19,700 | $18,600 – $23,200 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $14,500 – $20,300 | $18,800 – $24,700 | $23,200 – $29,000 |
How Tennessee compares with nearby states
Tennessee ranks 38 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. Tennessee sits at $16,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 170 miles away | $11,100 – $22,200 | $16,600 | +2% |
| Alabama | 190 miles away | $10,400 – $20,800 | $15,600 | −5% |
| Georgia | 210 miles away | $10,700 – $21,400 | $16,000 | −2% |
| Indiana | 300 miles away | $12,100 – $24,300 | $18,200 | +12% |
| Mississippi | 330 miles away | $10,400 – $20,900 | $15,700 | −4% |
Related projects, priced for Tennessee
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Tennessee wages and prices. Against national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (−3%) and concrete patio lowest (−8%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,950 – $13,900 | −8% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,650 | −8% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,900 – $5,250 | −3% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,200 – $3,950 | −6% |
Tennessee labor market for composite deck
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 0.86 for Tennessee.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $24.44 an hour, which is 16% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.36 and $28.80 an hour. BLS counts 8,200 of them working in the state, 25.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $21.64 an hour, 5% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.11 and $23.78 an hour. About 26,250 work in the state. That is 80.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($28.80 an hour) would add about $1,300 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($22.36) would take off about $620. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,278,760 jobs across Tennessee (May 2025), which is 2.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $22.36 | $24.44 | $28.80 | $29.12 | 0.84 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.11 | $21.64 | $23.78 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.86 | |||||
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Detailed composite deck report for Tennessee, $9
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Composite deck in Tennessee: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Tennessee?
$10,900 to $21,800 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Tennessee can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Tennessee is cheapest for composite deck?
Johnson City at about $15,700 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Nashville at $17,100.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Tennessee than the US average?
It is 10% cheaper: $16,300 against $18,100 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Tennessee?
About 57% ($9,300). Materials are 42%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.86x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Tennessee?
The BLS statewide median is $24.44 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.36 to $28.80.
+Where does Tennessee rank for composite deck costs?
38th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $16,300 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Tennessee?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $10,900 to $15,200 and premium work $17,400 to $21,800. 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 Tennessee?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Tennessee metros we cover, Knoxville 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 Tennessee?
$1,650 to $4,950 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck by city in Tennessee
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