Wood deck cost in Dallas, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $7,100 – $14,300
- Per sq ft
- $23.50 – $47
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #165
- 1 = most expensive
Dallas homeowners pay roughly $7,100 to $14,300 to build a wood deck at 300 sq ft, or $23.50 to $47 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Dallas is 6% lower. Carpenters earn a median of $23.44 an hour in the Dallas area, 20% below the US median of $29.12.
Estimate your wood deck cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Dallas, TX, standard level
$9,250 to $12,100
About $30.50 to $40 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 38% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,600 | $7,350 |
| Labor | $3,550 | $4,650 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $9,250 | $12,100 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Dallas, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,300 | $6,500 | $8,650 | 61% |
| Labor | $2,750 | $4,100 | $5,500 | 38% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $7,100 | $10,700 | $14,300 | 100% |
Why Dallas prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Dallas wages are 0.83 times the national level. Labor makes up about 38% of the midpoint estimate (44% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Dallas metro is 102.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 300 sq ft comes to $6,500, compared with $6,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (103.1) and land at $50 to $150.
Pick a size, pick a tier: wood deck pricing in Dallas
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Dallas 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
$7,100 to $10,000
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$9,250 to $12,100
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$11,400 to $14,300
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $2,900 – $4,050 | $3,750 – $4,900 | $4,650 – $5,800 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,450 – $4,850 | $4,500 – $5,900 | $5,550 – $6,950 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $7,600 – $10,600 | $9,850 – $12,900 | $12,200 – $15,200 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $9,450 – $13,300 | $12,300 – $16,100 | $15,200 – $19,000 |
When to schedule wood deck in Dallas
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Dallas Love Fld (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
October through May is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Dallas (8 of 12 months). June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Dallas gets about 38 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 2 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and October (4.8 inches in October). Inside the workable window, January and February are the driest, at 2.6 and 2.8 inches. The station averages about 108 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 | 58 | 38 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 62 | 42 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 70 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 77 | 57 | 3.1 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 66 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 93 | 74 | 3.8 | Hot |
| Jul | 97 | 78 | 1.7 | Hot |
| Aug | 97 | 77 | 2.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 90 | 70 | 3.1 | Hot |
| Oct | 80 | 59 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 68 | 48 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 59 | 40 | 3.2 | Workable |
Specs and site conditions that change a Dallas bid
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 Dallas is 0.83 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $23.44 an hour, which is 20% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $20.98 and $27.40 an hour. BLS counts 9,480 of them working in the area, 23.4 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 $21.14 an hour, 7% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.19 and $22.79 an hour. About 29,670 work in the metro. That is 73.3 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 ($27.40 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $540. At the 25th percentile ($20.98) it shrinks by about $330. The total moves by 5.0% or 3.1%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 4,049,800 jobs in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area. That makes it the 4th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 2.60% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $20.98 | $23.44 | $27.40 | $29.12 | 0.80 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.19 | $21.14 | $22.79 | $22.66 | 0.93 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.83 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Dallas
Because every project leans on different trades, Dallas's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, paver patio runs −2% and composite deck −9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $11,000 – $22,000 | −9% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,750 | −5% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,950 – $5,350 | −2% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $27,300 – $54,800 | −6% |
Extras that change the Dallas total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Dallas by the average of the local wage index (0.83) and goods index (1.03), a factor of 0.93. 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) | $1,300 – $2,400 |
Is Dallas cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Dallas. Tyler is the lowest at about $9,700 (midpoint, 300 sq ft), 105 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TXthis page | $7,100 – $14,300 | $10,700 | |
| Waco, TX90 miles | $6,550 – $13,200 | $9,900 | −8% |
| Tyler, TX105 miles | $6,450 – $12,900 | $9,700 | −9% |
| Killeen, TX125 miles | $6,600 – $13,200 | $9,900 | −7% |
| Longview, TX135 miles | $6,500 – $13,100 | $9,800 | −8% |
| College Station, TX145 miles | $6,550 – $13,100 | $9,850 | −8% |
| Texas (statewide) | $6,850 – $13,800 | $10,300 | −3% |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +6% |
Across 300 US metros, Dallas comes in at #165 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $14,900; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $9,050 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Dallas is 4% above the Texas figure.
Other Texas metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $7,000 – $14,100 | $10,600 | −1% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $6,800 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −4% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $6,650 – $13,400 | $10,000 | −6% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $6,350 – $12,700 | $9,500 | −11% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $6,250 – $12,600 | $9,450 | −12% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $6,650 – $13,300 | $10,000 | −7% |
Cities with a workforce like Dallas's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dallas against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | 4,513,280 jobs | $8,900 – $17,900 | $13,400 | +25% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $7,000 – $14,100 | $10,600 | −1% |
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $8,650 – $17,400 | $13,000 | +22% |
| Washington, DC | 3,136,190 jobs | $7,750 – $15,600 | $11,700 | +9% |
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 $9,250 to $12,100 for Dallas, TX is attached.
Detailed wood deck report for Dallas, TX, $9
Multi-page report for Dallas, 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 Dallas: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Dallas?
For 300 sq ft, expect $7,100 to $14,300 in the Dallas area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,250 to $12,100. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for wood deck in Dallas?
About $23.50 to $47 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 Dallas or Waco?
Waco is 90 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $9,900, which is 8% less than Dallas ($10,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dallas?
About 38% at the midpoint, or $4,100 out of $10,700. Materials are 61% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Dallas?
$7,600 to $15,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in Dallas?
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 Dallas area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dallas expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of Texas?
Dallas is 4% above 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 Dallas?
The BLS median is $23.44 an hour in the Dallas area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.98 to $27.40.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Dallas?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $7,100 to $10,000 and premium work $11,400 to $14,300. 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 Dallas?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through May. 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 Dallas?
$1,300 to $2,400, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near Dallas
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