A deck is one of the few backyard projects that changes how you use the house every single day, so it makes sense that deck cost is one of the most searched questions in Oakland County every spring. Across Walled Lake, Commerce, Milford, and the rest of the Lakes Area, most custom decks we build land between $35 and $70 per square foot. A 300-square-foot deck, then, usually runs somewhere between $10,500 and $21,000. Here is what decides where you fall in that range.
The biggest cost decision: composite or cedar
Decking material is the single largest swing in the price. Western red cedar is the least expensive way to build a good deck and looks beautiful when it is new, but it needs cleaning and refinishing every couple of years. Composite and PVC lines like Trex, TimberTech, and Azek cost noticeably more per square foot up front, but they are nearly maintenance-free and carry surface warranties of 25 years or longer. Over twenty years of ownership, composite usually costs less once you count the stain, the labor, and the weekends.
Other things that move the number
- —Height. A ground-level platform is simple. A second-story walkout deck in Novi or Northville needs taller posts, more bracing, stairs, and a full rail system.
- —Railing. Wood rail is the least expensive. Aluminum, cable, and composite rail systems add real cost but also most of the finished look.
- —Stairs and levels. Every set of stairs and every change in level adds framing, footings, and time.
- —Lighting. Integrated step and under-rail lighting is one of the best upgrades per dollar, and it is far easier to run during the build than after.
- —Footings. Every footing in Michigan has to go below the 42-inch frost line. That is non-negotiable and it is part of every honest quote.
Permits and inspections in Oakland County
Attached decks and most freestanding decks in Oakland County require a building permit and a footing inspection, and they are built to the Michigan Residential Code. Permit fees vary by community. Commerce Township, Novi, and West Bloomfield each have their own paperwork, and some subdivisions add HOA approval on top. We pull the permit and coordinate the inspections, so that cost is built into the written scope rather than showing up as a surprise.
Sample deck budgets in the Lakes Area
A simple 200-square-foot cedar deck with wood rail off a ranch in Wixom or South Lyon often comes in around $8,000 to $11,000. A 350-square-foot composite deck with aluminum rail and a set of stairs typically lands between $16,000 and $24,000. A multi-level lakefront deck in Commerce or White Lake with lighting, built-in benches, and premium rail can run past $40,000. The site matters as much as the size, which is why we walk it before we price it.
Why the cheapest deck quote costs the most
The failures we get called to fix are almost never the decking. They are footings set too shallow, ledger boards lagged into the house with no flashing, and posts sitting on surface blocks. All of those save money on day one and all of them show up as a leaning, racking deck a few winters later. When you compare quotes, ask about footing depth, ledger attachment, and flashing. If the answer is vague, the price is too.
Thinking about a deck in Walled Lake or anywhere in Oakland County? We will walk the lot, talk through cedar versus composite, and give you a fixed written price with the footings and permit included.