How Much Does a Deck Cost in Portland? Wood vs Composite
The most recent published Portland figures for a new deck, what they include, and what makes a real quote higher or lower.
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How much does a deck cost in Portland?
According to the Remodeling 2024 Cost vs. Value Report (www.costvsvalue.com), a new 16 by 20 foot deck addition cost $17,200 in Portland built in wood, and $23,166 built with composite boards. These are 2024 figures, the most recent the report has published for Portland, for one standard project. They are a benchmark, not a quote.
© 2024 Zonda Media, a Delaware Corporation. Complete data from the Remodeling 2024 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.
What that project includes
Both figures price the same deck, so the comparison is fair. The report defines its wood deck addition as a 16 by 20 foot deck using pressure-treated joists supported by 4x4-inch posts anchored to concrete piers, with pressure-treated deck boards laid in a simple linear pattern, a built-in bench and planter, stairs with three steps to grade and a pressure-treated wood railing. The composite version has the same frame, size, bench, planter and stairs, with composite deck boards and a matching composite railing.
So the figures describe a simple, single-level, rectangular deck close to the ground. A deck that is higher, larger, covered or on a slope will cost more; a smaller deck with plainer railings may cost less. The lists below explain why.
How to compare written quotes
A deck quote is easiest to judge when it is specific. Before you accept one, check that it states:
- the deck’s size and height, and the number of steps;
- the framing lumber, the decking and the railing products by name;
- the footings: how many, how deep and what they are made of;
- who applies for the permit, and whether the permit fee is included;
- whether removal of an old deck, and any repair to the house wall behind it, is included;
- the contractor’s Construction Contractors Board license number, which you can check on the CCB’s license search.
If a quote is far from the 2024 figures above, that list is where to look for the difference, and it is reasonable to ask the contractor to explain it.
For the jobs themselves, see deck repair and replacement, composite deck builders and covered decks and deck roofs. Whether your deck needs a permit at all is set out in our deck permit rules.
What goes into a deck's price
Footings and framing
Concrete footings, posts, beams, joists and, on an attached deck, the ledger and its flashing. This is the part you never see once the deck is finished, and the part that decides how long it lasts.
Decking boards
Pressure-treated wood, cedar, composite or PVC. The board choice changes the price of the surface and, for composite and PVC, can change the joist spacing the frame needs.
Guards, stairs and handrails
A deck more than 30 inches above the ground needs guards at least 36 inches high, and stairs need handrails once they have four or more risers. Every extra step and every foot of railing adds material and labor.
Permit and plans
Decks more than 30 inches above grade need a building permit. In Portland the permit fee is calculated from the project's valuation, not charged at a flat rate, and some cities also require planning review or an engineer's design.
Removing an old deck
Replacing a deck adds demolition and disposal, and sometimes repairs to the house wall once the old ledger comes off.
What moves a Portland deck price up or down
Height
Above 30 inches a deck needs a permit and guards. In Lake Oswego decks over 10 feet need an engineered design, and Happy Valley requires engineering for decks 10 feet or taller.
Size and shape
More area means more footings, framing and boards. Curves, angles, multiple levels and built-in benches or planters all add labor.
Material
In the 2024 Cost vs. Value figures the same deck cost more in composite than in wood. Cedar, hardwood and PVC change the price again.
Slope and access
A steep lot means taller posts and longer stairs. A back yard that materials have to be carried into by hand adds time.
A roof over the deck
A cover adds its own posts, beams and roofing, and needs a permit once it is over 200 square feet or within 3 feet of a lot line.
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Get a free quote from a local deck contractor for whatever deck work you need.
Deck cost questions
How much would a 20x20 deck cost in Portland?
There is no published Portland figure for that size. The nearest is the standard project in the Remodeling 2024 Cost vs. Value Report, a 16 by 20 foot deck, which cost $17,200 in wood and $23,166 in composite in Portland. A 20 by 20 foot deck is a quarter larger in area, but we do not scale the report's figures to other sizes; a quote for your own deck is the only reliable number.
Do decks increase property value?
According to the Remodeling 2024 Cost vs. Value Report, a wood deck addition in Portland recouped 88.8 percent of its cost at resale and a composite deck addition 81.2 percent. In other words, a new deck added value when the house sold, but less than the deck cost to build.
How much does a deck permit cost in Portland?
Portland has no flat fee for a deck. Under the City's fee schedule effective July 10, 2026, structural permit fees are calculated from the project's valuation, using the ICC Building Valuation Data Table, with a plan review fee on top. The permit office can tell you the figure for your deck.
Why are these 2024 figures?
The 2024 edition of the Cost vs. Value Report is the most recent one that includes Portland. The 2025 edition does not list Portland, so we have not substituted regional or national figures for it.
Get a Free Quote
Get a free quote from a local deck contractor for whatever deck work you need.