Template · available

Deck building estimator template

Customers enter their deck's length and width, choose pressure-treated wood, cedar or composite, and compare a standard and a premium build, with railings, stairs, height and the permit included. Second-story decks note the engineering.

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Try it as a customer would

Timberline Decks (sample business) Sample result: 12 × 16 ft pressure-treated deck 30 inches to 8 feet off the ground, 40 feet of railing and 4 steps Before tax

Standard build $9,100 USD

Deck built: footings, framing and decking · $5,760 Railings · $1,400 Stairs · $360 Building permit and inspections · $450 Taller posts and bracing for a raised deck · $1,128

Premium build $10,850 USD

Deck built: footings, framing and decking · $7,296 Railings · $1,400 Stairs · $360 Building permit and inspections · $450 Taller posts and bracing for a raised deck · $1,358

Fictional business and sample prices. Preliminary estimate based on the answers; final pricing follows an assessment.

Questions included

How high off the ground will the deck be? Low: under 30 inches Raised: 30 inches to 8 feet Second story: over 8 feet
How big will the deck be? Measured in sqft “I don't know” → uses a stated assumption
Which decking would you like? Pressure-treated wood · Cedar · Composite
How many feet of railing do you need? Measured in feet (meters also accepted) “I don't know” → uses a stated assumption
How many steps down to the ground? “I don't know” → uses a stated assumption
How many steps down to the ground? “I don't know” → uses a stated assumption
Is there an old deck to tear down and haul away? Yes · No

Prices you supply

Deck built: footings, framing and decking Your rate per sqft
Railings Your rate per foot
Stairs A price for each one
Tear down and haul away old deck Your rate per sqft
Building permit and inspections A fixed extra when it applies
Taller posts and bracing for a raised deck A percentage of named items (sample: 15%)
Taller posts, beams and bracing for a second-story deck A percentage of named items (sample: 35%)
Minimum job priceNo estimate shows less (sample: $3,000)
Assessment rule: Engineered drawingA deck more than 8 feet up usually needs an engineered drawing for the permit. That part is priced after a visit.

How the price is worked out

Each material has a rate per square foot for each build. In the sample, a 12 × 16 ft (192 sq ft) pressure-treated deck is $30 or $38 per sq ft ($5,760 or $7,296). Railings are $35 per foot (40 feet, $1,400), stairs are $90 per step (4 steps, $360) and the permit and inspections are $450. A deck 30 inches to 8 feet off the ground adds 15% of the deck, railings and stairs for taller posts and bracing ($1,128 or $1,358). Totals are rounded to the nearest $50. That gives $9,100 and $10,850 before tax.

A second-story deck adds 35% instead, and its engineered drawing is priced after a visit. Tearing down an old deck is $4 per sq ft. A raised deck with no railing is ruled out, because decks more than 30 inches up need railings by code. If the customer doesn't know the size, the railing or the steps, the estimate uses stated assumptions: 200 sq ft, 40 feet of railing, and 4 steps (16 for a second-story deck).

What you can change

Rates per square foot, and railing and stair prices, for each material.
The height percentages, removal rate and permit fee.
The assumptions used when the customer isn't sure.
Your minimum job price and rounding.

What still needs your visit

Footings, the connection to the house and your local permit rules. The estimate shows its assumptions and says the price is preliminary.

Putting it on your website

Build, test and publish your first estimator free, for as long as you like. Unlimited estimators are $35 a month in the US or $45 CAD in Canada (pricing). Add it to your website with a short embed code, or share a hosted link.

Use this template free

Used by: deck builders, renovators and landscapers.