KnowTheBid

How much a new deck costs in 2026, and whether your quote is fair

On permits to build or replace a deck, the median declared value runs from $6,920 in Baltimore to $19,150 in Seattle. Those are values from 603 permits in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Baltimore and Seattle, adjusted to today's dollars. Enter your ZIP and quote to see where yours falls.

Matt Kovalik

Reviewed by Matt Kovalik, licensed Minnesota journeyworker electrician. License AJ703617 (verify). Updated October 2026. Based on 603 permits in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Baltimore and Seattle.

Deck checker

Fair.

Your quote sits in the middle half of what these permits show.

What 264 permits in Baltimore show.

Middle half: $3,240 to $16,310.

Across regions, the median permit value runs from $6,920 in Baltimore to $19,150 in Seattle.

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Median permit value by region
  • Northeast$11,740Buffalo and Pittsburgh
  • Midwest$8,920Cleveland
  • South$6,920Baltimore
  • West$19,150Seattle

What to know about wiring a deck

Building a deck may be plain carpentry, but plans for lighting, heaters, a television, an outdoor kitchen or a hot tub turn it into an electrical job too: trenching, conduit, new circuits and sometimes panel work. Power on a new deck also brings ground fault protection, weather-resistant devices and in-use covers.

Plan the wiring before the decking goes down. Threading conduit through finished framing, surface-mounting boxes or lifting boards later costs more than roughing it in at the start. Keep outlets at a usable height, disconnects reachable, transformers out of damp corners and low-voltage wire secured under the framing.

A hot tub changes the plan fastest: it needs a conduit route, a dedicated circuit, clearance for the disconnect and a check of panel capacity that a deck quote may not cover. Even if the extras never arrive, pathways planned now make later upgrades easier.

Questions to ask before you sign

Questions for this job.

  1. Are you removing the existing deck, and is hauling it away in the price?Demolition and disposal take crew time. A quote for the new deck alone can leave the old one in your yard.
  2. How will the deck attach to the house, and how will you flash that connection?Where the deck meets the house, water can get behind the siding. That connection deserves its own line in the bid.
  3. How many footings, how deep, and who requests utility locates before digging?Footings set to your local requirements keep the deck from moving. Locates protect buried lines before anyone digs.
  4. What material is the framing, what material is the decking, and are the fasteners rated for both?The boards get the attention, but the framing underneath carries the load and has to last as long.
  5. Are the stairs, railings, and any landing included, and will they meet your local requirements?Railings and stairs have their own rules and are easy to leave out of a deck price.
  6. Who draws the plans and pulls the permit, and what gets inspected before the decking goes on?Footings and framing are hidden once the deck is finished. The early inspection is the chance to catch a problem.
  7. Is staining or sealing included, and when should it be done on the new wood?New lumber may need time before it takes a finish. The bid should say whether that step is yours or theirs.

What moves the price

  • $6,920

    Lowest regional median

    The lowest median permit value of any region for a deck build or replacement.

  • $19,150

    Highest regional median

    The highest median permit value of any region. Size, height, materials and stairs can move any single quote.

  • $16,310

    Top of the middle half in Baltimore

    A quarter of Baltimore deck permits sit above this. A quote above it is worth checking against the scope.

Fair range by metro

MetroRegionMiddle half of permit valuesPermitsUpdated
BuffaloNortheast$3,550 to $20,78043October 2026
PittsburghNortheast$3,260 to $37,560 early read, limited sample, n=2929October 2026
ClevelandMidwest$3,000 to $15,830 early read, limited sample, n=2424October 2026
BaltimoreSouth$3,240 to $16,310264October 2026
SeattleWest$10,340 to $31,840243October 2026

Declared permit values, issued October 2023 to October 2026, adjusted to 2026 dollars with CPI-U. Cities join a zone only if they pass the calibration check.

There is no survey check for decks: the Census American Housing Survey counts decks together with porches and patios, so it has no deck figure to compare with permit values.

Questions people ask

How much does a new deck cost?

On permits to build or replace a deck, the median declared value runs from $6,920 in Baltimore to $19,150 in Seattle. Deck size, height above the ground, stairs, railings and the decking material can all move a quote. Enter your ZIP in the checker for the middle half of permit values near you, then compare the scope line by line.

Which deck permits are in this range?

Permits to build, rebuild or replace a deck on a house, including replacing the deck boards. We leave out rooftop decks, pool decks, porches and decks built as part of an addition or remodel, plus demolition-only permits and repairs. That keeps the range about one job: a deck attached to or beside an existing house.

Does a deck need a permit?

In most places a deck attached to the house, or one raised above the ground, needs a permit where your code requires it, and the inspector checks the footings, the ledger connection and the railings. Ask whether the permit and inspections are in your quote and who schedules them. The permit is also the record we use for these ranges.

What should a deck quote include?

The size and height, the framing and footing plan, the decking and railing materials, stairs, the ledger connection and flashing, permits and inspections, and haul-away of an old deck. If you may want lighting, a hot tub or outlets later, ask now about running conduit before the boards go down. Get each item in writing.

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