Wood deck cost in Fort Smith, AR
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $6,350 – $12,700
- Per sq ft
- $21 – $42
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −16%
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #295
- 1 = most expensive
A wood deck in Fort Smith, AR usually costs $6,350 to $12,700 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $21 to $42 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,800 less. Carpenters earn a median of $20.39 an hour in the Fort Smith area, 30% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Fort Smith, AR, standard level
$8,250 to $10,800
About $27.50 to $35.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,100 | $6,700 |
| Labor | $3,100 | $4,000 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $100 |
| Total | $8,250 | $10,800 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Fort Smith, AR
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,950 | $5,900 | $7,850 | 62% |
| Labor | $2,350 | $3,550 | $4,750 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $85 | $130 | 1% |
| Total | $6,350 | $9,550 | $12,700 | 100% |
What is behind the Fort Smith number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Fort Smith wages are 0.72 times the national level. Labor makes up about 37% of the midpoint estimate (44% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Fort Smith is at 93.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $6,300 nationally becomes $5,900 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 85.9: $45 to $130.
Is Fort Smith cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Joplin is the priciest of the group at $10,200.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith, ARthis page | $6,350 – $12,700 | $9,550 | |
| Fayetteville, AR50 miles | $6,650 – $13,400 | $10,000 | +5% |
| Tulsa, OK110 miles | $6,650 – $13,300 | $9,950 | +5% |
| Joplin, MO115 miles | $6,800 – $13,700 | $10,200 | +7% |
| Little Rock, AR125 miles | $6,600 – $13,200 | $9,900 | +4% |
| Texarkana, TX135 miles | $6,350 – $12,700 | $9,550 | level |
| Arkansas (statewide) | $6,600 – $13,200 | $9,900 | +4% |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +19% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Fort Smith ranks #295 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Fort Smith is 4% below the Arkansas figure.
Elsewhere in Arkansas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock, AR | 358,210 jobs | $6,600 – $13,200 | $9,900 | +4% |
| Fayetteville, AR | 275,180 jobs | $6,650 – $13,400 | $10,000 | +5% |
| Jonesboro, AR | 60,620 jobs | $6,400 – $12,900 | $9,650 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Fort Smith against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens, GA | 95,800 jobs | $6,550 – $13,200 | $9,850 | +3% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $6,450 – $13,000 | $9,700 | +2% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $7,900 – $15,900 | $11,900 | +25% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $8,050 – $16,100 | $12,100 | +27% |
Why two Fort Smith quotes can differ
Railing
A wood or vinyl railing adds $20-$60 per linear foot.
Replacement versus new
Deck replacement costs $30-$55 per sq ft because of demolition and haul-away.
Permit
Deck permits average $50-$150. Many cities skip the permit for small, low, freestanding decks.
What local crews earn in Fort Smith
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 Fort Smith the blend is 0.72.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $20.39 an hour, 30% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $17.84 and $23.62 an hour. About 240 work in the metro. That is 25.1 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 $17.77 an hour, which is 22% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.31 and $21.83 an hour. BLS counts 670 of them working in the area, 70.1 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 $440 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $350. That is a swing of roughly 3.6% to 4.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Fort Smith has 95,560 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 210th 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% | $17.84 | $20.39 | $23.62 | $29.12 | 0.70 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $16.31 | $17.77 | $21.83 | $22.66 | 0.78 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.72 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Fort Smith
Jobs that often go together with wood deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Fort Smith wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (−13%) and composite deck lowest (−20%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $9,700 – $19,400 | −20% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,050 – $3,200 | −18% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,750 | −13% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $24,200 – $48,600 | −16% |
Fort Smith: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Fort Smith. 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
$6,350 to $8,900
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$8,250 to $10,800
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$10,200 to $12,700
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $2,550 – $3,600 | $3,350 – $4,400 | $4,100 – $5,150 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,050 – $4,300 | $4,000 – $5,250 | $4,950 – $6,150 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $6,750 – $9,500 | $8,800 – $11,500 | $10,800 – $13,600 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $8,450 – $11,800 | $11,000 – $14,400 | $13,500 – $16,900 |
Add-ons priced for Fort Smith
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.83 for Fort Smith, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.72) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,150 – $2,150 |
Fort Smith weather and the wood deck calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Ft Smith Rgnl Ap (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Fort Smith are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Fort Smith gets about 47 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 3 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (5.6 inches in May). Inside the workable window, January and February are the driest, at 2.9 and 2.7 inches. The station averages about 78 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 | 51 | 30 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Feb | 57 | 33 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Mar | 66 | 42 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 75 | 50 | 4.9 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 60 | 5.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 68 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 94 | 72 | 3.4 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 71 | 3.6 | Hot |
| Sep | 87 | 63 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 76 | 51 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 63 | 40 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 53 | 32 | 3.5 | Workable |
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 $8,250 to $10,800 for Fort Smith, AR is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
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Wood deck in Fort Smith: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Fort Smith?
For 300 sq ft, expect $6,350 to $12,700 in the Fort Smith area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,250 to $10,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for wood deck in Fort Smith?
About $21 to $42 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $130 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $25 to $50.
+Is wood deck cheaper in Fort Smith or Fayetteville?
Fayetteville is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $10,000, which is 5% more than Fort Smith ($9,550). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Fort Smith?
About 37% at the midpoint, or $3,550 out of $9,550. Materials are 62% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Fort Smith?
$6,750 to $13,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in Fort Smith?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $130 for fees in the Fort Smith area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Fort Smith expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of Arkansas?
Fort Smith is 4% below the Arkansas statewide estimate ($9,900 at the midpoint). We cover 4 metros in Arkansas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Fort Smith?
The BLS median is $20.39 an hour in the Fort Smith area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.84 to $23.62.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Fort Smith?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $6,350 to $8,900 and premium work $10,200 to $12,700. Basic means: pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle. Premium means: hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features.
+When is the best time to build a wood deck in Fort Smith?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. January and February 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 stairs" add in Fort Smith?
$1,150 to $2,150, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near Fort Smith
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 It Cost to Build a Deck? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Composite Decking Cost? (2026) (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