Wood deck cost in Virginia Beach, VA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $6,900 – $13,800
- Per sq ft
- $23 – $45.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #198
- 1 = most expensive
A wood deck in Virginia Beach, VA usually costs $6,900 to $13,800 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $23 to $45.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $980 less. Carpenters earn a median of $24.76 an hour in the Virginia Beach area, 15% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Virginia Beach, VA, standard level
$9,000 to $11,800
About $29.50 to $39 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,300 | $6,900 |
| Labor | $3,600 | $4,750 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $9,000 | $11,800 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Virginia Beach, VA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $6,100 | $8,150 | 59% |
| Labor | $2,800 | $4,200 | $5,550 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $6,900 | $10,400 | $13,800 | 100% |
What is behind the Virginia Beach number
Labor is 40% 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 Virginia Beach the blended ratio comes out at 0.84.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Virginia Beach is at 96.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $6,300 nationally becomes $6,100 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 97.9: $50 to $150.
Optional extras in Virginia Beach
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.91 for Virginia Beach, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.84) and goods price index (0.97). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,250 – $2,350 |
Virginia Beach: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Virginia Beach. 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
$6,900 to $9,700
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$9,000 to $11,800
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$11,100 to $13,800
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $2,800 – $3,900 | $3,650 – $4,750 | $4,500 – $5,650 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,350 – $4,700 | $4,350 – $5,700 | $5,350 – $6,700 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $7,350 – $10,300 | $9,550 – $12,500 | $11,800 – $14,800 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $9,200 – $12,900 | $11,900 – $15,600 | $14,700 – $18,400 |
What local crews earn in Virginia Beach
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 Virginia Beach the blend is 0.84.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $24.76 an hour, 15% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.13 and $29.02 an hour. About 4,020 work in the metro. That is 52.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $18.51 an hour, which is 18% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.29 and $21.90 an hour. BLS counts 5,660 of them working in the area, 74.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $580 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $360. That is a swing of roughly 3.4% to 5.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has 763,060 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 40th 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% | $22.13 | $24.76 | $29.02 | $29.12 | 0.85 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.29 | $18.51 | $21.90 | $22.66 | 0.82 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.84 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Virginia Beach
Jobs that often go together with wood deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Virginia Beach wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, detached garage comes out highest (−9%) and paver patio lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $10,800 – $21,600 | −11% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,600 | −9% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,850 | −11% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $26,500 – $53,100 | −9% |
Virginia Beach 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, Oceana Nas (5 miles from the city center). 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 Virginia Beach: 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.
Virginia Beach gets about 47 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 3 inches of snow. The wettest months are July, August and September (5.8 inches in July). The station averages about 32 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 | 50 | 32 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Feb | 53 | 33 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 59 | 39 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 69 | 48 | 3.4 | Workable |
| May | 76 | 56 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 66 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 70 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 85 | 69 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 80 | 64 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 71 | 53 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 61 | 42 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 54 | 35 | 3.3 | Workable |
Is Virginia Beach cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Lexington Park is the priciest of the group at $11,400. Greenville is the cheapest at $10,100.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VAthis page | $6,900 – $13,800 | $10,400 | |
| Richmond, VA70 miles | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +1% |
| Greenville, NC100 miles | $6,750 – $13,500 | $10,100 | −2% |
| Lexington Park, MD100 miles | $7,600 – $15,300 | $11,400 | +10% |
| Raleigh, NC135 miles | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +1% |
| Charlottesville, VA145 miles | $7,200 – $14,400 | $10,800 | +4% |
| Virginia (statewide) | $7,300 – $14,700 | $11,000 | +6% |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Virginia Beach ranks #198 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Virginia Beach is 6% below the Virginia figure.
Elsewhere in Virginia
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +1% |
| Roanoke, VA | 153,980 jobs | $6,700 – $13,400 | $10,100 | −3% |
| Charlottesville, VA | 114,780 jobs | $7,200 – $14,400 | $10,800 | +4% |
| Lynchburg, VA | 97,190 jobs | $6,750 – $13,500 | $10,100 | −2% |
| Blacksburg, VA | 74,070 jobs | $6,750 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −2% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $6,900 – $13,800 | $10,400 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Virginia Beach against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $6,900 – $13,900 | $10,400 | level |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +1% |
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $7,600 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +10% |
| Providence, RI | 714,120 jobs | $7,650 – $15,400 | $11,500 | +11% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Virginia Beach bid
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.
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 $9,000 to $11,800 for Virginia Beach, VA is attached.
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Wood deck in Virginia Beach: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Virginia Beach?
For 300 sq ft, expect $6,900 to $13,800 in the Virginia Beach area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,000 to $11,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for wood deck in Virginia Beach?
About $23 to $45.50 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 Virginia Beach or Richmond?
Richmond is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $10,500, which is 1% more than Virginia Beach ($10,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Virginia Beach?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $4,200 out of $10,400. Materials are 59% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Virginia Beach?
$7,350 to $14,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in Virginia Beach?
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 Virginia Beach area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Virginia Beach expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of Virginia?
Virginia Beach is 6% below the Virginia statewide estimate ($11,000 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Virginia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Virginia Beach?
The BLS median is $24.76 an hour in the Virginia Beach area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.13 to $29.02.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Virginia Beach?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $6,900 to $9,700 and premium work $11,100 to $13,800. 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 Virginia Beach?
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 Virginia Beach?
$1,250 to $2,350, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near Virginia Beach
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