Below is what sits inside that range, what moves a job up or down within it, and how we put the boards down.
What the per-square-foot range covers
When we quote a composite deck, the number is for a finished deck: the framework under the boards, the railings around the edge, the hardware that holds it together, and the composite boards themselves. Some people picture the price as boards only, then find the substructure and railings are a large share of the bill. We put all of it in the quote.
The spread from $13.50 to $30 is wide because decks are not alike. A low, simple platform sits near the bottom. A raised deck with long railing runs and a more involved frame sits toward the top. We can give you a typical range on the phone, and we confirm the exact number once we've seen the ground, the house wall and the layout you want.
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What pushes the price up or down
Railings go around the perimeter, so a long, narrow deck carries more railing for each square foot of boards than a compact one. A deck with railing on three sides costs more per square foot than one that needs it along one edge.
The framing underneath is the next big factor. Height off the ground, the number of posts and how much structure it takes to carry the boards all change the material and the hours. Then there is the connection to the house. A deck fastened to the wall needs that joint properly flashed, and the condition of the wall decides how simple or fiddly that is. A free-standing deck skips that connection but needs its own framing to stand on.
How composite boards go down
We cut composite boards with a miter saw or a jigsaw shortly before each one goes in, measuring against the deck as it actually sits rather than cutting a stack ahead of time.
Grooved boards get hidden-fastener clips. At each joist we slide a clip into the groove and drive its screw partway. The next board fits onto the clips, and once it's seated we finish driving the screws. Each board ends up held at every joist it crosses. We fasten with composite deck screws, made for the material.
Building for Marietta's moisture
Marietta has humid summers and steady rain through the year, on top of seasonal temperature swings, so a deck here is wet often, not just after a storm. Recurring moisture does its damage at the house connection, the posts and anywhere water can't drain, so those get our attention before any board goes down.
At the wall, joist tape covers the tops of the framing where water tends to sit, and flashing steers water away from the house. Posts are set and detailed so water doesn't hang around their bases, and the deck is built to shed water instead of holding it. None of this shows once the deck is finished, which is why we don't leave it to chance. Composite boards on a poorly detailed frame is a trade we won't make for you.
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