By Quinn Martin, MCSquared Roofing
A deck is the most-used room of the house — it just doesn’t have walls or a roof. It’s where NC families spend eight months of the year: spring evenings, summer cookouts, fall football Saturdays. So we build decks the same way we build roofs: real pricing up front, online ordering, no salespeople. Here’s exactly what a deck costs to build in the Triad and Triangle in 2026 — per square foot, installed.
Get your instant online estimate — no salesperson, ever.
Get My Instant Estimate →or book a call: Talk to Quinn directly · 336-988-ROOF
Our published deck pricing (per square foot, installed)
Every price below includes framing, fasteners, labor, and standard railing. Your final number moves with material choice and site conditions — not with our mood.
| Deck type | Price per square foot |
|---|---|
| Pressure-treated pine, ground level | $35 – $45 |
| Pressure-treated pine, raised with rails & stairs | $45 – $55 |
| Composite (Trex/Fiberon-class), full build | $60 – $75 |
Stairs: standard stair set (up to 5 treads) $450–$650 per set; extra treads $100–$150 each; composite stair sets $650–$950. Extras quoted in your estimate: composite rails, metal balusters, pergolas, skirting, built-in benches, multi-level designs, and old-deck removal ($8–$15 per square foot).
A typical 16×20 ft raised pressure-treated deck (320 sq ft) lands around $14,000–$17,600. The same footprint in composite runs $19,000–$24,000. We’ll show you both numbers in your online estimate before you decide anything.
Pressure-treated wood or composite? The honest answer for NC
North Carolina humidity is the deciding factor, so here’s the no-sales-pitch version. Pressure-treated pine costs less upfront and is the most common deck in the state. It’s strong, and with a good water-repellent stain every 1–2 years it holds up fine. If you’ll maintain it, it’s the value pick. Composite costs 30–50% more to build but never needs staining, won’t splinter, won’t rot, and shrugs off the humidity that ages wood faster here than in drier states. If you plan to stay in the home 10+ years and don’t want to think about your deck again, composite is usually worth the difference.
We build both, and we make the same money either way — so you get whichever answer fits your house, not our margins.
What’s included in every MCSquared deck
Pressure-treated framing on proper footings — set below the frost line, sized to code. Correct flashing where the deck meets your house (the #1 cause of deck failure and hidden rot). Code-compliant rails, balusters, and stairs. Permit handling with your city or county. And a workmanship warranty — if our build fails, we come back.
How ordering a deck works
1. Get your online estimate. Enter your rough dimensions and material preference. Real numbers come back — starting from the per-square-foot table above.
2. Approve and schedule. No show-up-to-close visit. If you want to talk design, book a call with Quinn directly.
3. We build it. Footings, framing, decking, rails — then we clean up like we were never there.
Get your instant online estimate — no salesperson, ever.
Get My Instant Estimate →or book a call: Talk to Quinn directly · 336-988-ROOF
Deck construction FAQ
How much does a deck cost in North Carolina?
In 2026, a pressure-treated deck in the Triad and Triangle runs $35–$55 per square foot installed and composite runs $60–$75. A typical 16×20 raised wood deck is roughly $14,000–$17,600.
How much do deck stairs cost?
A standard stair set (up to 5 treads, pressure-treated) runs $450–$650 installed. Extra treads beyond 5 per set are $100–$150 each, and composite stair sets run $650–$950.
How long does it take to build a deck?
Most residential decks are a 1–2 week project from permit to final nail, with 2–4 days of active on-site construction.
Is composite worth it in NC’s humidity?
If you plan to stay 10+ years and don’t want to stain the deck every 1–2 years, yes. Composite handles NC humidity better than any wood.
Do you handle deck permits?
Yes, on every project — included in your estimate.
Can you replace just the boards on my old deck?
Sometimes. If the framing is sound we can re-deck it; if posts or the ledger are failing, a rebuild is usually the smarter money. An estimate tells you which side of that line you’re on.
See the work for yourself — browse real deck projects in our deck gallery.
Building this fall? See our fall fence & deck page for seasonal scheduling and instant quotes.
