What a new deck costs in Maryland in 2026 — and what it gives back

Deck pricing in Maryland is refreshingly simple once someone gives you the per-square-foot numbers, so here they are. In 2026, a licensed contractor builds a pressure-treated deck for roughly $30–$50 per square foot and a composite deck for roughly $50–$85 per square foot — framing, concrete footings, code rails, and stairs included. In whole-project terms, that's typically $9,000–$15,000 pressure-treated, $14,000–$24,000 composite, and $22,000–$38,000 for a covered porch or a premium composite build with upgraded rails and lighting.

Planning ranges, not quotes: size, height off grade, stairs, and what's under your topsoil all move the number, and a real price gets confirmed on-site in writing. Here's what's inside those ranges, what Montgomery County will require of the project, and what the resale data says you get back.

Wood vs composite: the honest comparison

The framing underneath is pressure-treated lumber either way — composite is a decking and rail decision, not a structure decision. That's also why the smart middle path exists: PT frame now, and if budget is tight, PT decking that can be re-skinned in composite years later without rebuilding the structure.

On pure math: PT wins the day you pay for it, composite wins the 15-year picture. Every staining cycle costs real money (or a weekend), and skipped cycles shorten the deck's life. Price both against your actual layout before deciding — we quote them side by side for exactly that reason.

Permits in Montgomery County (and why you want one)

Montgomery County requires a building permit for attached decks and most freestanding ones. The process is predictable when a contractor runs it: a site plan showing setbacks, a framing plan, the permit itself, then footing and framing inspections during construction — the inspector looks at the holes before concrete and the structure before decking. Review takes a few weeks; the build itself is usually 1–2 weeks on site once the permit is in hand. Howard, Frederick, and Prince George's counties run similar processes.

What moves the number

• Height off grade. A walk-out deck 3 feet up is simple; a deck off a second-story kitchen adds longer posts, bracing, and a full stair run — often $2,000–$5,000 of difference.
• Stairs and rails. Code rails and a stair run are a meaningful fraction of any small deck's price. Upgraded rail systems (aluminum, cable, drink rails) add $40–$90 per linear foot over standard.
• Footings and soil. Rocky ground, roots, or poor bearing soil mean bigger or deeper footings. Site conditions are the most common source of honest price movement between estimate and contract.
• Shape. Rectangles are cheap. Wrap-arounds, angles, and multi-level builds add framing and waste.
• A roof over it. A covered porch is really a small roofing project on posts — structure, shingles, and a tie-in to your existing roof, which is exactly the seam where water finds bad work.

What the resale data says

Regional cost-vs-value surveys consistently put wood deck additions at a recoup of roughly half to three-quarters of cost at resale — among the better outdoor projects — with composite slightly lower on percentage simply because the upfront number is bigger. The under-counted return is square footage: at $30–$85 per square foot, a deck is the cheapest livable space you can add to a Maryland home by an order of magnitude versus conditioned interior space, and DMV listings with usable outdoor space photograph and show better.

The two details that decide whether your deck lasts

First, the ledger — the board that bolts the deck to your house. Nearly every deck collapse you've read about, and a large share of mysterious band-joist rot, traces to a ledger that was nailed instead of through-bolted, or left unflashed so water sat against the house framing for years. Second, the porch roof tie-in, if you're covering it: where new roof meets old is where leaks are born. Both are waterproofing problems more than carpentry problems, which is why a roofing-born general contractor is genuinely the right trade for them — the ledger gets metal flashing like a roof wall, and the tie-in gets woven into your existing shingles the way we've argued additions should be built: one company owning the seam.

Paying for it, and getting a real number

Most homeowners pay cash or use $0-down financing on approved credit with 12–180 month terms — pre-qualification is a soft pull that doesn't touch your score, and you see the monthly number alongside the project price. From there it's one site visit: measure the layout, check the grade and soil, price PT and composite side by side, and put it in writing with the permit included. Start at the decks & porches service page or book the visit directly.

Frequently asked questions