Deck Builder Cost Calculator
458 lf of decking
26 rows × 16′ = 416 lf net (+10% waste). Joists: 13 at your spacing (this is a count only; sizing is a code-table question). ≈672 screws.
Typical crew rate for this trade: $43-$71/hr (modeled from BLS median wage × published burden/markup band). How we model costs.
- Decking rows = deck width ÷ (board 5.5″ + 0.25″ gap): board gap is a product spec (Trex specifies 3/16″ side gaps; wood convention ~1/4″).
- 10% decking waste for cuts/culls is a trade convention, labeled; diagonal decking runs 15%+.
- Joist count (not size) at 16″ on-center is spacing arithmetic; joist size and span are structural questions, so use your code's span tables (IRC R507-class) instead of a web calculator.
- ≈3.5 screws/sq ft (2 per board-joist crossing), a fastener-maker convention, labeled.
Want quotes from local pros for this project? We’re gauging demand for a pro-matching service. No contractor network exists yet: this is a get-notified list, not a quote request.
Why This One Is Different
A deck builder's bid is rarely just "labor plus materials": underneath the bottom-line number sits a burdened wage, a markup to cover overhead, and a profit margin, each set independently by that specific company. This calculator surfaces that structure instead of hiding it: it takes the same joist-count and decking-footage math used elsewhere on this site, then builds a labor band from a published carpenter wage run through the burden and markup chain every legitimate contractor carries. The goal here is not predicting your invoice down to the dollar. It gives you the vocabulary and a rough range so you can tell whether a bid is in the neighborhood of reasonable before you sign anything.
Where the Numbers Come From
- Charged rate decomposes as burdened wage times a markup to hit target margin, not a flat multiplier. NAHB's survey data puts single-family builder gross margins at 20.7% and remodeler margins at 29.9%, a gap driven mostly by how many hours a smaller crew can bill against the same fixed overhead. Source: NAHB Cost of Doing Business studies via Eye On Housing
- The published BLS wage for carpenters ($59,310/yr median, roughly $28.51/hr derived, May 2024 OEWS vintage) is straight-time gross pay only, with no overtime, bonuses, or benefits, so it's the floor of a bid's labor line, never the number actually billed. Source: BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Carpenters
- Stacking burden (roughly 1.2-1.4× wage for payroll taxes, workers' comp, and benefits) against a markup for overhead and profit lands the charged rate near 1.5-2.5× the base wage, which alone explains a meaningful spread between two honest bids before either company pads anything. Source: construction-estimating cost-practice canon; NAHB margin data
- Decking and joist quantities are geometry: the same board count and screw count apply whether a builder charges $60/hr or $110/hr for the labor to install them, which is why this page reports quantities and labor cost as two separate lines. Source: engine convention, labeled
More Questions
How do I know if a deck builder's price is fair?
Compare the modeled labor band here (built from a published wage and a documented markup range) against the labor portion the bid implies once you subtract a reasonable material cost. A wildly outsized labor line is worth asking about directly.
Related Calculators
Formulas, waste factors, and cost models on this page follow the sourced conventions on our methodology page. Estimates only; verify with your supplier and local code.