Deck Builder Calculator

Price a deck in two minutes. Enter the size, board and joist layout, your lumber prices and your crew. You'll get a quote price and price per square foot instantly.

1Deck size & layout

Length along house (ft)Width out from house (ft)Joist spacing (in)

Board width (in)Gap between boards (in)Board length (ft)

Extra boards %

2Materials

Example prices shown. Use your lumber yard's prices.

Deck board price ($)Joist price ($)

Railing (linear ft)Railing $ per ft

Stair steps$ per step

Beams, posts, footings, hardware ($)

3Labor & equipment

Crew sizeHours per personCost per hour ($)

Auger / saw rental ($)Travel, dump, other ($)

4Pricing

Overhead %Profit markup %Minimum job ($)

Going rate in your area ($/sq ft)

How to price a deck

Deck quotes go wrong when the framing, railing and stairs get treated like small extras.

1. Count boards by rows

Divide the deck width by board width plus gap to get rows, then figure how many boards each row needs. Add 5 to 10% for culls and cuts.

2. Railing and stairs are often the biggest line

On many decks, railing costs more than the decking. Price it by the linear foot and stairs by the step, so a client who adds a second set of stairs sees the cost.

3. Build to code

Spans, footings, ledger attachment and guard height must follow your local code and approved plans. The calculator is an estimating takeoff, not an engineered design.

Heads up

This calculator is an estimating aid. Results depend on the numbers you enter. Confirm coverage with the manufacturer and prices with your supplier before quoting a customer.

More free calculators: Tile · Paint · Drywall · Concrete · Epoxy