How Much Does a Deck Cost in Seattle? (2026)
Deck Building in Seattle typically costs $40–$75 per sq ft of deck (Composite deck, installed), according to 5 Seattle-area contractor price pages (listed in the cost guide), September 17, 2026.
Quick facts
- New deck, any material, installed: $40–$110 per sq ft on Seattle-area price pages.
- A 12 by 16 foot deck runs near $10,500 at roughly $55 per sq ft.
- A hillside lot adds $8–$20 per sq ft over a flat-lot build.
- Cable rail: $80–$150 per linear foot. Glass panels: $150–$300.
- A short 2–3 step run of stairs: $1,200–$3,500.
Deck Building prices in Seattle
| Job | Price range | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Composite deck, installed | $40–$75 per sq ft of deck | Source: 5 Seattle-area contractor price pages, price data from September 17, 2026 |
| Cedar deck, installed | $34–$45 per sq ft of deck | Source: 3 Seattle-area contractor price pages, price data from September 17, 2026 |
| New deck, any material, installed | $40–$110 per sq ft of deck | Source: 4 Seattle-area contractor price pages, price data from September 17, 2026 |
| Removing an old deck | $3–$8 per sq ft of deck | Source: 3 Seattle-area contractor price pages, price data from September 17, 2026 |
Sources: 5 Seattle-area contractor price pages (listed in the cost guide) (September 17, 2026); 3 Seattle-area contractor price pages (listed in the cost guide) (September 17, 2026); 4 Seattle-area contractor price pages (listed in the cost guide) (September 17, 2026).
Prices are typical ranges, not quotes. Your price depends on the size, condition and access of the job.
Estimate your project cost
Enter the size and pick the job to see a low–high range from the published prices per sq ft of deck.
- Composite deck: $40–$75 per sq ft
- Cedar deck: $34–$45 per sq ft
- New deck, any material: $40–$110 per sq ft
- Removing an old deck: $3–$8 per sq ft
How to estimate: multiply the size in sq ft of deck by the low and the high price for your job.
Estimated range: Based on $40–$75 per sq ft
These are typical price ranges published for the Seattle area, not a quote. Your actual price depends on the materials you choose, your site and your individual circumstances. Only the pro who sees the job can give you a price.
Reviewed by: Patrik Lorentzson, Editor, Seattle Quality Decks · Last reviewed
General information only, not advice for your project. Seattle Quality Decks does not advise on, design or manage projects; the contractor you choose does.
General information, not a quote. The table ranges are built from Seattle-area contractors that publish their own prices, with every source listed below. Your number moves with the material, the height and slope of the lot, railings and stairs, and whether an old deck has to come out first.
What moves the price of a Seattle deck the most?
Material first: composite runs $40–$75 per square foot installed against $34–$45 for cedar. Then slope, footings, railings and removal, in rough order of impact:
- Material. Composite typically runs $40–$75 per square foot installed and cedar $34–$45, per the table above. See composite decks and cedar and pressure-treated decks.
- Height and slope. Hillside requirements add $8–$20 per sq ft over a flat-lot build of the same size and material.
- Footings and engineering. Engineered footings for slope, soil type and load run $2,000–$6,000, and a cantilevered hillside deck with engineered beams and a geotechnical letter can add $4,000 – $12,000.
- Railings and stairs. Cable rail runs $80–$150 per linear foot, and stairs $1,200–$3,500 for a short 2–3 step run.
- Removal of an old deck. $3–$8 per square foot in the table above; more on deck repair and replacement.
Why do Seattle deck prices run higher than national figures?
Labor. A Seattle deck's cost splits roughly 30% materials and 70% labor, and journeyman carpenter wages in the Seattle metro area run $38–$52 per hour. A Kent builder puts the Greater Seattle average closer to $65 to $110 per square foot. That is why online material prices, which only cover the boards, look so far below a real quote.
What does a whole deck cost, not per square foot?
Most Seattle composite projects of about 400 sq ft cluster around $24,000 – $30,000, and a 12 by 16 foot deck runs near $10,500. A few Seattle-area examples, each published by a local contractor:
- A 12 by 16 foot deck runs near $10,500 at roughly $55 per square foot
- A 300 square foot Trex deck with aluminum railings usually lands in the $14,000 to $22,000 range
- A typical 400 sq ft composite deck runs $16,400 – $43,500, with most Seattle projects clustering around $24,000 – $30,000
On the Eastside, a typical 400 sq ft deck runs roughly $18,000–$44,000; Eastside towns such as Bellevue have their own permit steps.
How much is the permit?
Seattle does not publish a flat deck fee. Permit costs depend on the size and complexity of the project and how long review takes, and a project that qualifies for a subject-to-field-inspection permit only pays 40% of the plan review fee. As a contractor's estimate, one local builder budgets $500 – $2,000 for city permits and plan review on a deck. Suburbs price it their own way: Bothell works from project valuation, and Lynnwood exempts some small detached decks. The deck permit guide explains which decks need one.
How do you get a quote you can trust?
Give the company exact measurements, the height of the deck above the ground, the material you want and the railing length. Ask for removal, permit and stairs as separate lines, then check the company's registration with the hiring checklist. When you are ready, request a quote from our vetted local deck pro.
Sources
- Star Construction: Deck builders Seattle (pricing), September 17, 2026
- Orca Roofing & Construction: Composite decking in Puget Sound, September 17, 2026
- Orca Roofing & Construction: Seattle deck cost guide (2026), September 17, 2026
- Contour Fence: Deck installation cost Seattle (2026), September 17, 2026
- Pelletier Construction: Custom decks (Eastside pricing), September 17, 2026
- GP General Corp: Composite deck cost, Snohomish County, September 17, 2026
- Master Decks: How much does it cost to build a deck?, September 17, 2026
- Tool and Trade: Deck cost in the Everett area, September 17, 2026
- Kolmo: Seattle deck cost 2026, September 17, 2026
- Seattle SDCI: How much will your permit cost?, September 17, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Are these prices quotes?
No. They are published ranges from the contractors listed under Sources, collected on September 17, 2026. A company that sees your site gives you the real number; how we price explains the method and price updates logs every change. Size-based examples are on the Seattle deck questions page.
Is pressure-treated wood cheaper than cedar?
As a decking material, yes: pressure-treated decking runs $2–$4/sq ft for the boards alone. Installed prices depend far more on labor than on the boards.
Planning a deck?
Send one request and we pass it to our vetted local deck pro in Seattle for a written quote.