Wood deck cost in Los Angeles, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $8,650 – $17,400
- Per sq ft
- $28.50 – $57.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +15%
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #12
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a wood deck in the Los Angeles area: $8,650 to $17,400 for 300 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 15% higher than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $36.41 an hour in the Los Angeles area, 25% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Los Angeles, CA, standard level
$11,300 to $14,800
About $37.50 to $48.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,800 | $7,600 |
| Labor | $5,350 | $7,000 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $140 |
| Total | $11,300 | $14,800 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Los Angeles, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,700 | $8,950 | 52% |
| Labor | $4,100 | $6,200 | $8,250 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $110 | $170 | 1% |
| Total | $8,650 | $13,000 | $17,400 | 100% |
Why Los Angeles 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 $36.41 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Los Angeles is 1.25 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 48% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Los Angeles is at 106.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $6,300 nationally becomes $6,700 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 113.6: $55 to $170.
The best months for wood deck in Los Angeles
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Culver City (in the city). 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 Los Angeles: 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.
Los Angeles gets about 14 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (3.5 inches in February). The station averages about 7 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 | 67 | 48 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Feb | 67 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 68 | 51 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 53 | 0.6 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 57 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 75 | 60 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 78 | 63 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 79 | 64 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 78 | 62 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 76 | 58 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 71 | 52 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 66 | 47 | 2.5 | Workable |
Wood deck: what moves the price in Los Angeles
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.
Who does the work: Los Angeles trade wages
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 Los Angeles the blend is 1.25.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $36.41 an hour, 25% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $28.59 and $48.37 an hour. About 30,600 work in the metro. That is 48.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $28.28 an hour, which is 25% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.75 and $37.31 an hour. BLS counts 21,730 of them working in the area, 34.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than 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 $1,050. That is a swing of roughly 8.2% to 12.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has 6,271,560 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 2nd 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% | $28.59 | $36.41 | $48.37 | $29.12 | 1.25 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.75 | $28.28 | $37.31 | $22.66 | 1.25 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.25 | |||||
Pick a size, pick a tier: wood deck pricing in Los Angeles
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Los Angeles. 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
$8,650 to $12,100
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$11,300 to $14,800
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$13,900 to $17,400
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $3,500 – $4,900 | $4,550 – $6,000 | $5,650 – $7,050 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $4,200 – $5,900 | $5,450 – $7,150 | $6,750 – $8,450 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $9,250 – $12,900 | $12,000 – $15,700 | $14,800 – $18,500 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $11,500 – $16,200 | $15,000 – $19,600 | $18,500 – $23,100 |
Is Los Angeles cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Los Angeles is the priciest of the group. Bakersfield is the cheapest at $12,200.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CAthis page | $8,650 – $17,400 | $13,000 | |
| Oxnard, CA55 miles | $8,550 – $17,100 | $12,800 | −2% |
| Bakersfield, CA90 miles | $8,150 – $16,300 | $12,200 | −6% |
| Santa Maria, CA110 miles | $8,550 – $17,100 | $12,800 | −1% |
| San Diego, CA110 miles | $8,600 – $17,200 | $12,900 | −1% |
| Riverside, CA120 miles | $8,250 – $16,500 | $12,400 | −5% |
| California (statewide) | $8,650 – $17,400 | $13,000 | level |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | −13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Los Angeles ranks #12 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Los Angeles is 0% below the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $9,500 – $19,100 | $14,300 | +10% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $8,250 – $16,500 | $12,400 | −5% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $8,600 – $17,200 | $12,900 | −1% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $8,950 – $17,900 | $13,400 | +3% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $8,550 – $17,200 | $12,900 | −1% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $8,000 – $16,100 | $12,000 | −8% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Los Angeles against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 9,492,000 jobs | $8,800 – $17,600 | $13,200 | +1% |
| Chicago, IL | 4,513,280 jobs | $8,900 – $17,900 | $13,400 | +3% |
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $7,100 – $14,300 | $10,700 | −18% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $7,000 – $14,100 | $10,600 | −19% |
Planning more than one job in Los Angeles?
Jobs that often go together with wood deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Los Angeles wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, composite deck comes out highest (+18%) and paver patio lowest (+12%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $14,200 – $28,400 | +18% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,400 – $4,650 | +15% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,350 – $6,150 | +12% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $33,000 – $66,200 | +14% |
Add-ons priced for Los Angeles
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.16 for Los Angeles, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.25) and goods price index (1.07). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,600 – $3,000 |
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 $11,300 to $14,800 for Los Angeles, CA is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
The report lays out the wood deck numbers for Los Angeles, CA line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Wood deck in Los Angeles: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Los Angeles?
For 300 sq ft, expect $8,650 to $17,400 in the Los Angeles area. A standard-spec job lands at $11,300 to $14,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for wood deck in Los Angeles?
About $28.50 to $57.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $55 to $170 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $25 to $50.
+Is wood deck cheaper in Los Angeles or Oxnard?
Oxnard is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $12,800, which is 2% less than Los Angeles ($13,000). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Los Angeles?
About 48% at the midpoint, or $6,200 out of $13,000. Materials are 52% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Los Angeles?
$9,250 to $18,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in Los Angeles?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $55 to $170 for fees in the Los Angeles area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Los Angeles expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of California?
Los Angeles is 0% below the California statewide estimate ($13,000 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Los Angeles?
The BLS median is $36.41 an hour in the Los Angeles area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.59 to $48.37.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Los Angeles?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $8,650 to $12,100 and premium work $13,900 to $17,400. Basic means: pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle. Premium means: hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features.
+Is there a bad season to build a wood deck in Los Angeles?
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 stairs" add in Los Angeles?
$1,600 to $3,000, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near Los Angeles
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