Composite deck cost in Virginia
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $11,500 – $23,000
- Per sq ft
- $38 – $76.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $18,100
- Metros covered
- 8
Virginia prices for composite deck: $11,500 to $23,000 for 300 sq ft, or $38 to $76.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 5% below the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $26.77 an hour.
Inside Virginia, the metros we cover range from $15,500 (Roanoke) to $17,100 (Charlottesville) 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 Virginia (statewide), standard level
$15,000 to $19,600
About $49.50 to $65 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,250 | $8,200 |
| Labor | $8,600 | $11,300 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $15,000 | $19,600 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Virginia
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,800 | $7,250 | $9,650 | 42% |
| Labor | $6,650 | $9,950 | $13,300 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $11,500 | $17,300 | $23,000 | 100% |
What carpenters and the other trades earn in Virginia
Virginia'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 0.92 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $26.77 an hour, 8% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.34 and $29.49 an hour. About 20,460 work in the state. That is 49.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $20.94 an hour, which is 8% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.80 and $22.86 an hour. BLS counts 25,830 of them working in the state, 62.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($29.49 an hour) would add about $810 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($22.34) would take off about $1,300. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,109,320 jobs across Virginia (May 2025), which is 2.6% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $22.34 | $26.77 | $29.49 | $29.12 | 0.92 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.80 | $20.94 | $22.86 | $22.66 | 0.92 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.92 | |||||
Extras that change the Virginia total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.96 for Virginia, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.92) and goods price index (1.00). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a deck railing (approx. 0.3 ft per sq ft) | $1,750 – $5,200 |
Why two Virginia 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.
Other Virginia jobs that often go with composite deck
Each project weights the trades differently, so Virginia's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, wood deck is −3% and paver patio −5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,300 – $14,700 | −3% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,800 | −4% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,200 | −5% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,200 – $4,050 | −4% |
Basic, standard or premium: Virginia 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
$11,500 to $16,100
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$15,000 to $19,600
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$18,400 to $23,000
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,650 – $6,500 | $6,050 – $7,900 | $7,450 – $9,300 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,550 – $7,800 | $7,200 – $9,450 | $8,900 – $11,100 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $12,300 – $17,200 | $15,900 – $20,900 | $19,600 – $24,600 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $15,300 – $21,500 | $19,900 – $26,100 | $24,500 – $30,700 |
Virginia versus the states around it
Virginia ranks 32 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. Virginia sits at $17,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 110 miles away | $12,600 – $25,200 | $18,900 | +9% |
| Maryland | 150 miles away | $12,400 – $24,800 | $18,600 | +8% |
| Delaware | 170 miles away | $11,700 – $23,400 | $17,600 | +2% |
| North Carolina | 180 miles away | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | −7% |
| Pennsylvania | 210 miles away | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | +4% |
Weather windows across Virginia
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Virginia 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.
Virginia Beach has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Virginia at 12 months; Harrisonburg has the shortest at 11 (February through December). Rainfall runs from 39 inches a year in Harrisonburg to 48 inches in Charlottesville.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 32 | 87 | 47 | 12: all year |
| Richmond | 29 | 90 | 46 | 11: August through June |
| Roanoke | 29 | 88 | 43 | 12: all year |
| Charlottesville | 28 | 84 | 48 | 11: February through December |
| Lynchburg | 25 | 85 | 44 | 12: all year |
| Blacksburg | 22 | 82 | 43 | 11: February through December |
| Winchester | 24 | 86 | 41 | 11: February through December |
| Harrisonburg | 23 | 86 | 39 | 11: February through December |
Which Virginia city is cheapest for composite deck?
0 of the 8 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $17,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 10%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | $11,400 – $22,900 | $17,100 | −1% |
| Richmond, VA | $10,900 – $21,900 | $16,400 | −5% |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $10,800 – $21,600 | $16,200 | −6% |
| Winchester, VA | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | −6% |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | −7% |
| Blacksburg, VA | $10,500 – $21,000 | $15,800 | −9% |
| Lynchburg, VA | $10,500 – $21,000 | $15,700 | −9% |
| Roanoke, VA | $10,300 – $20,700 | $15,500 | −10% |
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Composite deck in Virginia: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Virginia?
$11,500 to $23,000 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Virginia can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Virginia is cheapest for composite deck?
Roanoke at about $15,500 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Charlottesville at $17,100.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Virginia than the US average?
It is 5% cheaper: $17,300 against $18,100 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Virginia?
About 58% ($9,950). Materials are 42%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.92x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Virginia?
The BLS statewide median is $26.77 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.34 to $29.49.
+Where does Virginia rank for composite deck costs?
32nd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $17,300 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Virginia?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $11,500 to $16,100 and premium work $18,400 to $23,000. 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 Virginia?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Virginia metros we cover, Virginia Beach 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 Virginia?
$1,750 to $5,200 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck by city in Virginia
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