Composite deck cost in Wausau, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $10,900 – $21,900
- Per sq ft
- $36 – $72.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #188
- 1 = most expensive
A composite deck in Wausau, WI usually costs $10,900 to $21,900 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $36 to $72.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,700 less. Carpenters earn a median of $24.03 an hour in the Wausau area, 17% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Wausau, WI, standard level
$14,200 to $18,600
About $47 to $61.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,850 | $7,650 |
| Labor | $8,250 | $10,800 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $14,200 | $18,600 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Wausau, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,750 | $9,000 | 41% |
| Labor | $6,350 | $9,550 | $12,700 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $95 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $10,900 | $16,400 | $21,900 | 100% |
Why Wausau prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $24.03 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Wausau is 0.88 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 58% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Wausau is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $7,200 nationally becomes $6,750 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.7: $45 to $140.
What local crews earn in Wausau
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 Wausau the blend is 0.88.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $24.03 an hour, 17% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.14 and $29.66 an hour. About 370 work in the metro. That is 53.2 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 $25.30 an hour, which is 12% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.07 and $30.00 an hour. BLS counts 510 of them working in the area, 73.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,650 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $260. That is a swing of roughly 1.6% to 10.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Wausau has 69,530 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 261st 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% | $23.14 | $24.03 | $29.66 | $29.12 | 0.83 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.07 | $25.30 | $30.00 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Why two Wausau quotes can differ
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: composite deck pricing in Wausau
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Wausau. 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 $15,300
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$14,200 to $18,600
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$17,500 to $21,900
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,400 – $6,150 | $5,700 – $7,500 | $7,050 – $8,850 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,250 – $7,400 | $6,850 – $9,000 | $8,450 – $10,600 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $11,600 – $16,300 | $15,100 – $19,800 | $18,600 – $23,300 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $14,500 – $20,400 | $18,900 – $24,700 | $23,300 – $29,100 |
Is Wausau cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Wausau. Eau Claire comes closest at about $17,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WIthis page | $10,900 – $21,900 | $16,400 | |
| Eau Claire, WI75 miles | $11,900 – $23,900 | $17,900 | +10% |
| Oshkosh, WI80 miles | $14,100 – $28,300 | $21,200 | +30% |
| Appleton, WI80 miles | $12,300 – $24,600 | $18,500 | +13% |
| Green Bay, WI90 miles | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | +10% |
| La Crosse, WI105 miles | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | +10% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $12,200 – $24,400 | $18,300 | +11% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | +10% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Wausau ranks #188 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Wausau is 10% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $12,400 – $24,800 | $18,600 | +14% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $12,300 – $24,700 | $18,500 | +13% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | +10% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $12,300 – $24,600 | $18,500 | +13% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $14,100 – $28,300 | $21,200 | +30% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $11,900 – $23,900 | $17,900 | +10% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wausau against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $13,400 – $26,900 | $20,200 | +23% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $10,500 – $21,100 | $15,800 | −3% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $12,200 – $24,500 | $18,300 | +12% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $11,800 – $23,700 | $17,700 | +8% |
Wausau 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, Wausau Dwtn Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Wausau are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February, March, November 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.
Wausau gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 64 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and August (4.7 inches in June). Inside the workable window, April and October are the driest, at 3.1 and 3.1 inches. The station averages about 5 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 | 23 | 7 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 27 | 10 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 40 | 21 | 1.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 32 | 3.1 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 45 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 55 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 59 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 57 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 70 | 49 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 56 | 37 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 40 | 25 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 28 | 14 | 1.5 | Cold |
Extras that change the Wausau total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.91 for Wausau, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.88) and goods price index (0.94). 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 |
Related projects, priced for Wausau
Jobs that often go together with composite deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Wausau wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+6%) and wood deck lowest (−9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,900 – $13,800 | −9% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,150 | +3% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,200 – $5,750 | +6% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,350 – $4,250 | +2% |
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 $14,200 to $18,600 for Wausau, WI is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
Multi-page report for Wausau, WI: 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 Wausau: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Wausau?
For 300 sq ft, expect $10,900 to $21,900 in the Wausau area. A standard-spec job lands at $14,200 to $18,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Wausau?
About $36 to $72.50 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 Wausau or Eau Claire?
Eau Claire is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $17,900, which is 10% more than Wausau ($16,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wausau?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $9,550 out of $16,400. Materials are 41% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Wausau?
$11,600 to $23,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Wausau?
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 Wausau area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wausau expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Wausau is 10% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($18,300 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Wausau?
The BLS median is $24.03 an hour in the Wausau area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.14 to $29.66.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Wausau?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $10,900 to $15,300 and premium work $17,500 to $21,900. 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 Wausau?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. April and October 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 Wausau?
$1,650 to $4,900 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Wausau
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