Decks, Fences & Outdoor costs
Decks, patios, fences, driveways, pools and the structures that go on them.
Everything outside the house is priced by area or by the foot, and the ground underneath decides more of it than the surface does. A patio, a driveway or a deck footing is only as good as its base — compacted aggregate, proper depth for the frost line, and drainage that takes water away. Base preparation is invisible in a finished photograph and is where a cheap quote is usually cheap.
Material choice is a long-run decision more than a first-cost one. Pressure-treated lumber is the cheapest deck and needs staining every two or three years; composite costs more to build and almost nothing to keep. Concrete, pavers and gravel differ the same way: the one that costs least to lay is rarely the one that costs least over ten years.
Permits and setbacks apply out here too. A deck above a certain height, a retaining wall above four feet, a pool, and anything near a property line or an easement are inspected work, and structural walls above that height generally need an engineer's design. Anything involving digging starts with a free 811 locate.
Vinyl fence cost$35 to $65per linear ftA vinyl privacy fence costs $35 to $65 per linear foot installed, typically $48. Over twenty years 150 feet runs $5,250 to $9,750 against $7,500 to $16,500 for wood built twice, if the posts are made for the wind.
Chain link fence cost$15 to $30per linear ftChain link fence costs $15 to $30 per linear foot installed, typically $22. Gauge, height, post sizes, vinyl coating and slats decide where a quote lands, and for dogs and back lot lines it is often the right fence.
Second-story deck cost$70 to $150per sq ftA second-story deck costs $70 to $150 per square foot, typically $100, about twice a ground-level deck. The posts, footings, lateral load connection, stair and engineering are where the extra goes.
Deck cost by state$30 to $65per sq ftA pressure-treated deck costs $38 a square foot in Arkansas and $53 in Illinois. On a 300 square foot deck that is $11,400 against $15,900 for identical work.
Deck repair cost$500 to $3,000per projectRepairing a deck costs $500 to $3,000, typically $1,400. The question is not the boards. It is the ledger where the deck meets the house, which is where nearly every deck failure begins.
Deck staining cost$1.50 to $4.50per sq ftStaining a deck costs $1.50 to $4.00 a square foot, putting a 300 square foot deck at $450 to $1,200. The cost is not the stain; it is the preparation, and skipping it is why finishes fail in a year.
Deck railing cost$30 to $150per linear ftDeck railing costs $30 to $150 a linear foot installed. It is frequently a third of the cost of a small deck, because a small deck has almost as much perimeter as a large one.
Concrete patio cost$8 to $26per sq ftA concrete patio costs $8 to $26 a square foot installed. It is the cheapest hard surface per square foot and the one where the base under it decides whether it lasts twenty years or cracks in three.
Asphalt driveway cost$7 to $13per sq ftAn asphalt driveway costs $7 to $13 a square foot installed. Concrete costs a little more and lasts longer; asphalt is cheaper up front and needs sealing. The choice depends more on climate than preference.
Gravel driveway cost$2 to $6per sq ftA gravel driveway costs $2 to $6 a square foot installed. It is a third the price of asphalt and it is not maintenance free: regrading every year or two and topping up every three to five.