Composite deck cost in Morgantown, WV
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $10,700 – $21,400
- Per sq ft
- $35.50 – $71
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #216
- 1 = most expensive
Morgantown homeowners pay roughly $10,700 to $21,400 to build a composite deck at 300 sq ft, or $35.50 to $71 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Morgantown is 11% lower. Carpenters earn a median of $23.64 an hour in the Morgantown area, 19% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Morgantown, WV, standard level
$13,900 to $18,200
About $46 to $60.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,000 | $7,850 |
| Labor | $7,850 | $10,300 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $13,900 | $18,200 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Morgantown, WV
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,600 | $6,950 | $9,250 | 43% |
| Labor | $6,050 | $9,050 | $12,100 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $95 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $10,700 | $16,100 | $21,400 | 100% |
Why Morgantown prices look the way they do
Labor is 56% of the midpoint bill here, against 60% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (80%), construction laborers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Morgantown the blended ratio comes out at 0.84.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Morgantown metro is 96.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 300 sq ft comes to $6,950, compared with $7,200 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (93.3) and land at $45 to $140.
When to schedule composite deck in Morgantown
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Morgantown Hart Fld (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through November is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Morgantown (9 of 12 months). January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February and December 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.
Morgantown gets about 43 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and July (4.9 inches in July). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 3.1 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 13 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40 | 24 | 3.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 44 | 26 | 2.8 | Cold |
| Mar | 53 | 33 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 65 | 42 | 3.9 | Workable |
| May | 74 | 52 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 60 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 84 | 64 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 63 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 56 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 45 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 54 | 36 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 44 | 29 | 3.2 | Cold |
Planning more than one job in Morgantown?
Because every project leans on different trades, Morgantown's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gutters runs −1% and paver patio −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,850 – $13,800 | −9% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,700 | −8% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,700 – $4,900 | −10% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,250 – $4,150 | −1% |
Optional extras in Morgantown
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Morgantown by the average of the local wage index (0.84) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.90. 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) | $1,600 – $4,850 |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Morgantown is 0.84 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $23.64 an hour, which is 19% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.73 and $28.06 an hour. BLS counts 450 of them working in the area, 66.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $21.32 an hour, 6% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.14 and $24.01 an hour. About 660 work in the metro. That is 98.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($28.06 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $1,300. At the 25th percentile ($21.73) it shrinks by about $570. The total moves by 8.2% or 3.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 67,370 jobs in the Morgantown area. That makes it the 268th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $21.73 | $23.64 | $28.06 | $29.12 | 0.81 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.14 | $21.32 | $24.01 | $22.66 | 0.94 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.84 | |||||
Composite deck: what moves the price in Morgantown
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: composite deck pricing in Morgantown
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Morgantown wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$10,700 to $15,000
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$13,900 to $18,200
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$17,100 to $21,400
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,300 – $6,050 | $5,600 – $7,350 | $6,900 – $8,650 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,150 – $7,250 | $6,700 – $8,800 | $8,300 – $10,400 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $11,400 – $16,000 | $14,800 – $19,400 | $18,300 – $22,900 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $14,200 – $20,000 | $18,500 – $24,300 | $22,800 – $28,500 |
Is Morgantown cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Pittsburgh is the priciest of the group at $18,400.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown, WVthis page | $10,700 – $21,400 | $16,100 | |
| Wheeling, WV65 miles | $10,800 – $21,700 | $16,300 | +1% |
| Pittsburgh, PA65 miles | $12,200 – $24,500 | $18,400 | +14% |
| Winchester, VA75 miles | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | level |
| Harrisonburg, VA85 miles | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | level |
| Hagerstown, MD95 miles | $11,400 – $22,800 | $17,100 | +6% |
| West Virginia (statewide) | $10,600 – $21,300 | $15,900 | −1% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | +13% |
Across 300 US metros, Morgantown comes in at #216 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $25,200; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $13,500 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Morgantown is 1% above the West Virginia figure.
Other West Virginia metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington, WV | 140,740 jobs | $11,000 – $22,000 | $16,500 | +3% |
| Charleston, WV | 103,450 jobs | $10,800 – $21,600 | $16,200 | +1% |
| Wheeling, WV | 58,130 jobs | $10,800 – $21,700 | $16,300 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Morgantown's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Morgantown against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $10,700 – $21,500 | $16,100 | level |
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $11,800 – $23,600 | $17,700 | +10% |
| Burlington, NC | 67,830 jobs | $10,700 – $21,400 | $16,000 | level |
| Missoula, MT | 67,070 jobs | $11,600 – $23,300 | $17,500 | +9% |
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 $13,900 to $18,200 for Morgantown, WV is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Morgantown, WV: 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 Morgantown: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Morgantown?
For 300 sq ft, expect $10,700 to $21,400 in the Morgantown area. A standard-spec job lands at $13,900 to $18,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Morgantown?
About $35.50 to $71 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 Morgantown or Wheeling?
Wheeling is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $16,300, which is 1% more than Morgantown ($16,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Morgantown?
About 56% at the midpoint, or $9,050 out of $16,100. Materials are 43% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Morgantown?
$11,400 to $22,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Morgantown?
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 Morgantown area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Morgantown expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of West Virginia?
Morgantown is 1% above the West Virginia statewide estimate ($15,900 at the midpoint). We cover 4 metros in West Virginia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Morgantown?
The BLS median is $23.64 an hour in the Morgantown area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.73 to $28.06.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Morgantown?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $10,700 to $15,000 and premium work $17,100 to $21,400. 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 Morgantown?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. October 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 Morgantown?
$1,600 to $4,850 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Morgantown
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