Deck Building Business Income — How Much Does It Make?

Monthly Revenue

$12K–$35K

realistic range

Startup Cost

$8K–$20K

to get started

Hourly Rate

$80–$130

per hour billed

Complexity

4/4

skill required

The Business

Deck building is a high-ticket construction trade with strong margins. A 400 sq ft deck averages $15,000-25,000 in materials and labor. Composite decking (Trex) commands a premium and reduces maintenance complaints. Permits are required; having a licensed contractor makes the process smoother. Decks have 90%+ homeowner satisfaction rates.

How to Start

Get a general contractor license in your state. Start with small decks (under 200 sq ft) to build your portfolio. Partner with a lumber yard for contractor pricing. Use Houzz and Instagram to showcase work — deck photos get enormous engagement from homeowners planning projects.

REAL EXAMPLE

Rob in Pittsburgh runs a 3-person deck building crew earning $28K/month from April through October, with planning and quote work filling winter months.

Equipment Needed

▸Circular saw
▸Drill
▸Nail gun
▸Post hole digger
▸Level
▸Safety gear

Licensing

Contractor license required

Monthly Search Volume

800

people/month search for this business

READY TO START?

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Revenue Calculator

Jobs per Week1

Revenue per Job$6,000

Weekly Hours45 hrs

Startup Cost$14,000

Weekly Revenue

$6K

Monthly Revenue

$25.8K

Annual Revenue

$309.6K

Monthly Profit

$19.9K

Break-Even

1 month

Hourly Rate

$133

Monthly costs: $5,875/mo (insurance, fuel, supplies)

CHRIS'S TAKE

“Deck building is high-ticket construction that homeowners actually enjoy spending money on. A $15K-25K deck job is the kind of project where customers want quality over price. The key is portfolio photography — one beautiful deck on Instagram generates 3-4 leads.”

PRO TIP

Trex and composite decking command higher margins than wood and eliminate warranty callbacks. The material costs more but customers perceive composite as premium and pay accordingly.

READY TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL?

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ACQUISITION ROUTE

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TOOLS TO RUN THIS BUSINESS

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