Wood deck cost in Austin, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $6,800 – $13,600
- Per sq ft
- $22.50 – $45
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #234
- 1 = most expensive
A wood deck in Austin, TX usually costs $6,800 to $13,600 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $22.50 to $45 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,150 less. Carpenters earn a median of $24.16 an hour in the Austin area, 17% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Austin, TX, standard level
$8,850 to $11,600
About $29 to $38 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,100 | $6,700 |
| Labor | $3,650 | $4,750 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $8,850 | $11,600 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Austin, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,950 | $5,900 | $7,900 | 58% |
| Labor | $2,800 | $4,200 | $5,600 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $6,800 | $10,200 | $13,600 | 100% |
What is behind the Austin number
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $24.16 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Austin is 0.85 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 41% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Austin is at 93.8 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 98.1: $50 to $150.
What local crews earn in Austin
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 Austin the blend is 0.85.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $24.16 an hour, 17% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.05 and $28.01 an hour. About 2,540 work in the metro. That is 19.6 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 $21.16 an hour, which is 7% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.34 and $23.12 an hour. BLS counts 11,140 of them working in the area, 86.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $520 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $150. That is a swing of roughly 1.5% to 5.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has 1,293,690 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 24th 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% | $23.05 | $24.16 | $28.01 | $29.12 | 0.83 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.34 | $21.16 | $23.12 | $22.66 | 0.93 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.85 | |||||
Pick a size, pick a tier: wood deck pricing in Austin
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Austin. 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
$6,800 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 $13,600
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $2,750 – $3,850 | $3,600 – $4,700 | $4,400 – $5,550 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,300 – $4,600 | $4,300 – $5,600 | $5,300 – $6,600 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $7,250 – $10,200 | $9,450 – $12,300 | $11,600 – $14,500 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $9,050 – $12,700 | $11,800 – $15,400 | $14,500 – $18,100 |
Is Austin cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Houston is the priciest of the group at $10,600. College Station is the cheapest at $9,850.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TXthis page | $6,800 – $13,600 | $10,200 | |
| Killeen, TX65 miles | $6,600 – $13,200 | $9,900 | −3% |
| College Station, TX75 miles | $6,550 – $13,100 | $9,850 | −4% |
| San Antonio, TX80 miles | $6,650 – $13,400 | $10,000 | −2% |
| Waco, TX95 miles | $6,550 – $13,200 | $9,900 | −3% |
| Houston, TX140 miles | $7,000 – $14,100 | $10,600 | +3% |
| Texas (statewide) | $6,850 – $13,800 | $10,300 | +1% |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Austin ranks #234 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Austin is 1% below the Texas figure.
Elsewhere in Texas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $7,100 – $14,300 | $10,700 | +5% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $7,000 – $14,100 | $10,600 | +3% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $6,650 – $13,400 | $10,000 | −2% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $6,350 – $12,700 | $9,500 | −7% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $6,250 – $12,600 | $9,450 | −8% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $6,650 – $13,300 | $10,000 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Austin against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO | 1,341,320 jobs | $8,250 – $16,500 | $12,400 | +21% |
| Portland, OR | 1,208,410 jobs | $8,450 – $16,900 | $12,700 | +24% |
| Baltimore, MD | 1,356,680 jobs | $7,700 – $15,500 | $11,600 | +14% |
| Las Vegas, NV | 1,136,960 jobs | $7,500 – $15,000 | $11,300 | +10% |
Related projects, priced for Austin
Jobs that often go together with wood deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Austin wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (−5%) and composite deck lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $10,700 – $21,400 | −11% |
| 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 | −10% |
Add-ons priced for Austin
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.89 for Austin, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.85) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,250 – $2,300 |
Why two Austin quotes can differ
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.
Railing
A wood or vinyl railing adds $20-$60 per linear foot.
Austin 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, Austin-Camp Mabry (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 Austin are October through May: 8 of 12. Outside them, June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Austin gets about 36 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and October (5.0 inches in May). Inside the workable window, February and April are the driest, at 1.9 and 2.4 inches. The station averages about 123 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 | 63 | 42 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 67 | 46 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 52 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 80 | 59 | 2.4 | Workable |
| May | 87 | 67 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Jun | 93 | 73 | 3.7 | Hot |
| Jul | 97 | 75 | 2.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 98 | 75 | 2.7 | Hot |
| Sep | 91 | 70 | 3.5 | Hot |
| Oct | 83 | 61 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 72 | 51 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 64 | 43 | 2.7 | 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 $8,850 to $11,600 for Austin, TX is attached.
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Multi-page report for Austin, TX: 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.
Wood deck in Austin: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Austin?
For 300 sq ft, expect $6,800 to $13,600 in the Austin 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 Austin?
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 Austin or Killeen?
Killeen is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $9,900, which is 3% less than Austin ($10,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Austin?
About 41% at the midpoint, or $4,200 out of $10,200. Materials are 58% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Austin?
$7,250 to $14,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in Austin?
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 Austin area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Austin expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of Texas?
Austin is 1% below the Texas statewide estimate ($10,300 at the midpoint). We cover 21 metros in Texas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Austin?
The BLS median is $24.16 an hour in the Austin area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.05 to $28.01.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Austin?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $6,800 to $9,550 and premium work $10,900 to $13,600. 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 Austin?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through May. February and April 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 Austin?
$1,250 to $2,300, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near Austin
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