Wood deck cost in Houston, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $7,000 – $14,100
- Per sq ft
- $23 – $46.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #170
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a wood deck in the Houston area: $7,000 to $14,100 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 7% lower than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $23.88 an hour in the Houston area, 18% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Houston, TX, standard level
$9,150 to $12,000
About $30 to $39.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 39% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,500 | $7,200 |
| Labor | $3,550 | $4,650 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $9,150 | $12,000 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Houston, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,250 | $6,350 | $8,450 | 60% |
| Labor | $2,750 | $4,100 | $5,500 | 39% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $7,000 | $10,600 | $14,100 | 100% |
Where the Houston price comes from
Labor is 39% of the midpoint bill here, against 44% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (80%), construction laborers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Houston the blended ratio comes out at 0.83.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Houston is at 100.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $6,300 nationally becomes $6,350 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 98.6: $50 to $150.
Is Houston cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Beaumont is the priciest of the group at $10,700. College Station is the cheapest at $9,850.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, TXthis page | $7,000 – $14,100 | $10,600 | |
| Beaumont, TX70 miles | $7,150 – $14,300 | $10,700 | +2% |
| College Station, TX95 miles | $6,550 – $13,100 | $9,850 | −7% |
| Lake Charles, LA130 miles | $6,600 – $13,300 | $9,950 | −6% |
| Austin, TX140 miles | $6,800 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −3% |
| Waco, TX170 miles | $6,550 – $13,200 | $9,900 | −6% |
| Texas (statewide) | $6,850 – $13,800 | $10,300 | −2% |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Houston ranks #170 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Houston is 2% above the Texas figure.
Elsewhere in Texas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $7,100 – $14,300 | $10,700 | +1% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $6,800 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −3% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $6,650 – $13,400 | $10,000 | −5% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $6,350 – $12,700 | $9,500 | −10% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $6,250 – $12,600 | $9,450 | −11% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $6,650 – $13,300 | $10,000 | −5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Houston against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $7,100 – $14,300 | $10,700 | +1% |
| Washington, DC | 3,136,190 jobs | $7,750 – $15,600 | $11,700 | +11% |
| Chicago, IL | 4,513,280 jobs | $8,900 – $17,900 | $13,400 | +27% |
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $7,600 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +8% |
Optional extras in Houston
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.92 for Houston, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.83) and goods price index (1.01). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,300 – $2,400 |
Related projects, priced for Houston
Jobs that often go together with wood deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Houston wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (−6%) and composite deck lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $10,900 – $21,800 | −10% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,650 | −8% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,800 – $5,100 | −6% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $26,800 – $53,700 | −7% |
Cost by quality level and size in Houston
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Houston. 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
$7,000 to $9,850
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$9,150 to $12,000
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$11,300 to $14,100
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $2,850 – $4,000 | $3,700 – $4,850 | $4,550 – $5,700 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,400 – $4,750 | $4,450 – $5,800 | $5,450 – $6,850 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $7,500 – $10,500 | $9,750 – $12,800 | $12,000 – $15,000 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $9,350 – $13,100 | $12,200 – $15,900 | $15,000 – $18,700 |
The best months for wood deck in Houston
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Houston Hobby Ap (10 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 Houston are September through May: 9 of 12. Outside them, June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Houston gets about 56 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, September and October (6.1 inches in June). Inside the workable window, February and March are the driest, at 2.9 and 3.3 inches. The station averages about 101 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 | 64 | 46 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 68 | 50 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 56 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 62 | 4.1 | Workable |
| May | 86 | 69 | 5.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 75 | 6.1 | Hot |
| Jul | 93 | 77 | 4.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 77 | 5.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 73 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 82 | 64 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 73 | 54 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 66 | 48 | 4.3 | Workable |
Wood deck: what moves the price in Houston
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.
Wood species
Pressure-treated pine is the cheapest at $25-$50 per sq ft installed. Ipe runs $50-$70 and bamboo $27-$52 (HomeGuide).
Who does the work: Houston 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 Houston the blend is 0.83.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $23.88 an hour, 18% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.40 and $28.94 an hour. About 9,600 work in the metro. That is 29.2 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 $19.88 an hour, which is 12% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.82 and $22.88 an hour. BLS counts 34,080 of them working in the area, 103.6 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 $690 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $200. That is a swing of roughly 1.9% to 6.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has 3,289,720 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 5th 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% | $22.40 | $23.88 | $28.94 | $29.12 | 0.82 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.82 | $19.88 | $22.88 | $22.66 | 0.88 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.83 | |||||
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Wood deck in Houston: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Houston?
For 300 sq ft, expect $7,000 to $14,100 in the Houston area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,150 to $12,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for wood deck in Houston?
About $23 to $46.50 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 Houston or Beaumont?
Beaumont is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $10,700, which is 2% more than Houston ($10,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Houston?
About 39% at the midpoint, or $4,100 out of $10,600. Materials are 60% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Houston?
$7,500 to $15,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in Houston?
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 Houston area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Houston expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of Texas?
Houston is 2% 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 Houston?
The BLS median is $23.88 an hour in the Houston area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.40 to $28.94.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Houston?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $7,000 to $9,850 and premium work $11,300 to $14,100. 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 Houston?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. February and March 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 Houston?
$1,300 to $2,400, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near Houston
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