Composite deck cost in Knoxville, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $10,900 – $21,800
- Per sq ft
- $36 – $72
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #191
- 1 = most expensive
A composite deck in Knoxville, TN usually costs $10,900 to $21,800 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $36 to $72 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,750 less. Carpenters earn a median of $24.23 an hour in the Knoxville area, 17% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Knoxville, TN, standard level
$14,100 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 | $10,500 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $14,100 | $18,500 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Knoxville, TN
| 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 | $95 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $10,900 | $16,300 | $21,800 | 100% |
Where the Knoxville 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 $24.23 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Knoxville is 0.86 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 57% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Knoxville is at 96.2 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 92.6: $45 to $140.
Knoxville against nearby metros and the rest of Tennessee
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 $14,700 to $16,500 across Knoxville and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TNthis page | $10,900 – $21,800 | $16,300 | |
| Asheville, NC95 miles | $11,000 – $22,100 | $16,500 | +1% |
| Dalton, GA95 miles | $9,800 – $19,700 | $14,700 | −10% |
| Chattanooga, TN95 miles | $10,800 – $21,700 | $16,200 | −1% |
| Johnson City, TN100 miles | $10,500 – $21,000 | $15,700 | −4% |
| Kingsport, TN100 miles | $10,600 – $21,300 | $16,000 | −2% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $10,900 – $21,800 | $16,300 | level |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Knoxville ranks #191 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Knoxville is 0% below the Tennessee figure.
Elsewhere in Tennessee
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $11,400 – $22,800 | $17,100 | +5% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $10,800 – $21,700 | $16,300 | level |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $10,800 – $21,700 | $16,200 | −1% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $10,600 – $21,300 | $16,000 | −2% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $10,600 – $21,300 | $15,900 | −2% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $10,600 – $21,200 | $15,900 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Knoxville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $10,800 – $21,600 | $16,200 | −1% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $11,000 – $22,100 | $16,500 | +1% |
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $10,500 – $21,100 | $15,800 | −3% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $12,300 – $24,700 | $18,500 | +13% |
Knoxville 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, Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Ap (10 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in Knoxville: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average daytime high under 45°F) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Knoxville gets about 52 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 5 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, July and December (5.3 inches in July). The station averages about 37 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 | 48 | 30 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 53 | 33 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 61 | 40 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 48 | 4.7 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 57 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 86 | 65 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 69 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 88 | 68 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 61 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 72 | 49 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 60 | 38 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 51 | 33 | 5.0 | Workable |
What local crews earn in Knoxville
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 Knoxville the blend is 0.86.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $24.23 an hour, 17% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.11 and $28.56 an hour. About 1,280 work in the metro. That is 30.1 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 $22.18 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.16 and $25.87 an hour. BLS counts 3,640 of them working in the area, 85.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,300 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $630. That is a swing of roughly 3.9% to 7.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Knoxville has 424,600 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 59th 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% | $22.11 | $24.23 | $28.56 | $29.12 | 0.83 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.16 | $22.18 | $25.87 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.86 | |||||
Composite deck: what moves the price in Knoxville
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).
Labor
Labor for composite is $24-$48 per sq ft, higher than wood because the boards need extra parts and more careful assembly.
Add-ons priced for Knoxville
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.91 for Knoxville, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.86) 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 |
Knoxville: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Knoxville. 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
$10,900 to $15,200
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$14,100 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 – $16,200 | $15,100 – $19,700 | $18,600 – $23,200 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $14,500 – $20,300 | $18,800 – $24,600 | $23,200 – $29,000 |
Planning more than one job in Knoxville?
Jobs that often go together with composite deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Knoxville wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (−3%) and concrete patio lowest (−9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,950 – $13,900 | −8% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,600 | −9% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,900 – $5,300 | −3% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,200 – $4,000 | −5% |
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 $14,100 to $18,500 for Knoxville, TN is attached.
Detailed composite deck report for Knoxville, TN, $9
Multi-page report for Knoxville, TN: 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 Knoxville: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Knoxville?
For 300 sq ft, expect $10,900 to $21,800 in the Knoxville area. A standard-spec job lands at $14,100 to $18,500. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Knoxville?
About $36 to $72 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $140 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $40 to $80.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Knoxville or Asheville?
Asheville is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $16,500, which is 1% more than Knoxville ($16,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Knoxville?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $9,300 out of $16,300. Materials are 42% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Knoxville?
$11,600 to $23,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Knoxville?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $140 for fees in the Knoxville area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Knoxville expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Knoxville is 0% below the Tennessee statewide estimate ($16,300 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Knoxville?
The BLS median is $24.23 an hour in the Knoxville area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.11 to $28.56.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Knoxville?
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.
+Is there a bad season to build a composite deck in Knoxville?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
+What does "add a deck railing" add in Knoxville?
$1,650 to $4,900 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Knoxville
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