Wood deck cost in Palm Bay, FL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $6,800 – $13,700
- Per sq ft
- $22.50 – $45
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #231
- 1 = most expensive
Palm Bay homeowners pay roughly $6,800 to $13,700 to build a wood deck at 300 sq ft, or $22.50 to $45 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Palm Bay is 10% lower. Carpenters earn a median of $22.97 an hour in the Palm Bay area, 21% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Palm Bay, FL, standard level
$8,850 to $11,600
About $29.50 to $38.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,250 | $6,850 |
| Labor | $3,500 | $4,600 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $8,850 | $11,600 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Palm Bay, FL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $6,050 | $8,100 | 59% |
| Labor | $2,700 | $4,050 | $5,400 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $6,800 | $10,200 | $13,700 | 100% |
What is behind the Palm Bay number
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $22.97 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Palm Bay is 0.82 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 40% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Palm Bay metro is 96.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 300 sq ft comes to $6,050, compared with $6,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (100.0) and land at $50 to $150.
Add-ons priced for Palm Bay
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Palm Bay by the average of the local wage index (0.82) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.89. 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 stairs (flat) | $1,250 – $2,300 |
Wood deck: what moves the price in Palm Bay
Permit
Deck permits average $50-$150. Many cities skip the permit for small, low, freestanding decks.
Wood species
Pressure-treated pine is the cheapest at $25-$50 per sq ft installed. Ipe runs $50-$70 and bamboo $27-$52 (HomeGuide).
Height and stairs
A second-story deck needs more structure. New stairs run $1,400-$2,600 installed.
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 Palm Bay is 0.82 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $22.97 an hour, which is 21% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $19.09 and $27.83 an hour. BLS counts 680 of them working in the area, 27.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $21.50 an hour, 5% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.96 and $23.16 an hour. About 1,870 work in the metro. That is 76.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($27.83 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $660. At the 25th percentile ($19.09) it shrinks by about $530. The total moves by 6.5% or 5.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 245,170 jobs in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville area. That makes it the 104th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.16% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $19.09 | $22.97 | $27.83 | $29.12 | 0.79 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.96 | $21.50 | $23.16 | $22.66 | 0.95 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.82 | |||||
When to schedule wood deck in Palm Bay
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Palm Bay (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through May is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Palm Bay (9 of 12 months). June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Palm Bay gets about 56 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, August and September (8.0 inches in September). Inside the workable window, February and December are the driest, at 2.4 and 2.5 inches. The station averages about 102 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 | 73 | 49 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 75 | 52 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 79 | 55 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 83 | 60 | 2.8 | Workable |
| May | 87 | 65 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 90 | 71 | 7.6 | Hot |
| Jul | 91 | 73 | 6.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 7.1 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 72 | 8.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 85 | 67 | 5.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 79 | 59 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 75 | 52 | 2.5 | Workable |
Palm Bay against nearby metros and the rest of Florida
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Palm Bay. Lakeland is the lowest at about $10,000 (midpoint, 300 sq ft), 65 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Bay, FLthis page | $6,800 – $13,700 | $10,200 | |
| Orlando, FL40 miles | $6,850 – $13,700 | $10,300 | level |
| Sebastian, FL40 miles | $6,850 – $13,700 | $10,300 | level |
| Lakeland, FL65 miles | $6,650 – $13,300 | $10,000 | −2% |
| Deltona, FL70 miles | $6,750 – $13,500 | $10,100 | −1% |
| Port St. Lucie, FL75 miles | $6,800 – $13,700 | $10,200 | level |
| Florida (statewide) | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +2% |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +11% |
Across 300 US metros, Palm Bay comes in at #231 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $14,900; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $9,050 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Palm Bay is 2% below the Florida figure.
Other Florida metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $7,300 – $14,600 | $11,000 | +7% |
| Tampa, FL | 1,447,120 jobs | $6,950 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +2% |
| Orlando, FL | 1,411,730 jobs | $6,850 – $13,700 | $10,300 | level |
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $6,900 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +2% |
| North Port, FL | 339,940 jobs | $7,000 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +3% |
| Cape Coral, FL | 304,790 jobs | $6,850 – $13,700 | $10,300 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Palm Bay's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Palm Bay against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $7,400 – $14,800 | $11,100 | +9% |
| Trenton, NJ | 240,190 jobs | $8,100 – $16,300 | $12,200 | +19% |
| Scranton, PA | 255,620 jobs | $7,600 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +11% |
| Augusta, GA | 231,930 jobs | $7,200 – $14,400 | $10,800 | +6% |
What nearby projects cost in Palm Bay
Because every project leans on different trades, Palm Bay's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, paver patio runs −5% and composite deck −12%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $10,600 – $21,200 | −12% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,650 | −9% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,200 | −5% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $26,200 – $52,600 | −9% |
Cost by quality level and size in Palm Bay
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Palm Bay 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
$6,800 to $9,550
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$8,850 to $11,600
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$10,900 to $13,700
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $2,750 – $3,850 | $3,600 – $4,700 | $4,450 – $5,550 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,300 – $4,650 | $4,300 – $5,650 | $5,300 – $6,650 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $7,250 – $10,200 | $9,450 – $12,400 | $11,600 – $14,600 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $9,050 – $12,700 | $11,800 – $15,400 | $14,500 – $18,200 |
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Detailed wood deck report for Palm Bay, FL, $9
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Wood deck in Palm Bay: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Palm Bay?
For 300 sq ft, expect $6,800 to $13,700 in the Palm Bay area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,850 to $11,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for wood deck in Palm Bay?
About $22.50 to $45 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $150 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $25 to $50.
+Is wood deck cheaper in Palm Bay or Orlando?
Orlando is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $10,300, which is 0% more than Palm Bay ($10,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Palm Bay?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $4,050 out of $10,200. Materials are 59% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Palm Bay?
$7,250 to $14,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in Palm Bay?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $150 for fees in the Palm Bay area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Palm Bay expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of Florida?
Palm Bay is 2% below the Florida statewide estimate ($10,500 at the midpoint). We cover 19 metros in Florida; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Palm Bay?
The BLS median is $22.97 an hour in the Palm Bay area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.09 to $27.83.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Palm Bay?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $6,800 to $9,550 and premium work $10,900 to $13,700. 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 Palm Bay?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. February and December 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 Palm Bay?
$1,250 to $2,300, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near Palm Bay
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