Deck building estimating software that wins more jobs

A deck price follows the build:

1. Demolition and layout: removing the old deck, calling 811 to locate utilities before digging, and laying out the footings.
2. Foundation: digging and pouring footings, and setting posts.
3. Framing: ledger and flashing, beams, joists, blocking and rim.
4. Decking and trim: boards, fasteners, fascia and skirting.
5. Stairs, railing and finish: stringers, treads, guards, stain or sealer, and lighting.

Common line items and how each is measured

These are the common lines on a deck estimate. Each is measured one of three ways:

• By the square foot: framing, decking, skirting and stain.
• By the linear foot: ledger, beam, rim, railing and stair treads.
• By the each: footings, posts and stair stringers.

The hours and prices are yours to set, and every line's hours are editable.

Railing can take longer than the decking

Example: Here's how a 12-by-16-foot attached deck (192 square feet) with composite boards adds up. It has three footings and posts, a 16-foot ledger and beam, 40 feet of exposed rim, and 36 feet of wood railing once the stair opening is left out.

The hours below are example figures; say your own records show your crew needs:

Work	Your hours
Footings, 3	6
Posts, 3	4
Ledger with flashing, 16 ft	5.5
Built-up beam, 16 ft	5.5
Joists, 192 sq ft	12
Composite decking, 192 sq ft	14
Rim and fascia, 40 ft	6
Wood railing, 36 ft	18
Total	71

That's before the stairs. Notice the railing: in this example it takes longer than the decking.

Keep your own times for each material

Some products go up faster than others:

• Aluminum railing panels usually go up faster than a site-built wood railing.
• Face-screwed pressure-treated boards usually go down faster than composite on hidden fasteners.

Keep your own times for each, and swap the line when the client changes their mind.

Your labor rate is more than the wage

A carpenter's wage covers the hour on the job. Your rate also has to pay for:

• workers' comp and liability insurance
• the truck, trailer, saws and post-hole equipment
• rain days and the wait for inspections
• the time spent designing and bidding decks that don't get built

How BuildWell sets each line's rate

Each line's rate comes together in three steps in BuildWell:

1. Wage: the metro median for the line's trade, from the BLS.
2. Overhead: your labor overhead, which starts at 100%, twice the wage.
3. Markup: a 20% labor markup by default.

Example: Say your crew costs you $30 an hour, blended. Put in your real figure. The 71 hours on that deck come to:

• Wages: 71 × $30 = $2,130
• With 100% overhead: $4,260
• With 20% markup: $5,112 for the labor

Stairs, materials, stain and permits come on top.

Price the hardware and details that fail

• Lumber and boards: price them at this week's cost near the job, plus your markup. BuildWell starts material markup at 20%, adjustable per estimate.
• Hardware: joist hangers, post bases, ledger fasteners, flashing and butyl tape are small items that add up and matter structurally. Use connectors and fasteners rated for treated lumber.
• The ledger: on an attached deck, the connection to the house carries a large share of the load. Flash it, fasten it the way your local code requires, and price the time to remove siding where it attaches.
• Decking specs: check the board's span rating against your joist spacing; diagonal layouts usually need joists closer together.
• Height and guards: most residential codes require a guard when the walking surface is more than 30 inches above grade. Price railing for every open side the code requires, not just the ones the client mentioned.

Build permits and inspection waits in

Most jurisdictions require a permit for an attached deck. Many require one for a freestanding deck above a set height or size.

Inspections commonly happen at three points:

• the footing holes, before the pour
• framing
• the end

Set your permit fee once, and BuildWell adds it to any estimate that includes permits. Build the inspection waits into your schedule, and tell the client about them when they sign.

Pay depends on the season and your margin

What deck builders earn depends on the season and the margin. Carpenter wages vary by metro area and experience, and many deck businesses do most of their work in a few months of good weather.

As an owner, you earn the difference between your price and your costs. Your labor rate and material markup matter more than a wage table.

Self-employment tax is 15.3%

As a sole proprietor or single-member LLC, you pay self-employment tax on your net earnings: 15.3% in total.

• Social Security, 12.4%: applies to net earnings up to the Social Security wage base, which is $184,500 for 2026.
• Medicare, 2.9%: applies to all of it.
• Deduction: you can deduct half of the self-employment tax on your income tax return.

Income tax, federal and state, is on top of that. Put some of each payment aside the day it lands.

Plan for bigger summer and fall payments

The IRS expects estimated payments during the year on Form 1040-ES, usually due in mid-April, mid-June, mid-September and mid-January.

A business that earns most of its money from spring through fall should plan for larger June, September and January payments.

Track these deductions as you go

Deck building businesses commonly deduct:

• saws, drivers, post-hole equipment and other tools
• the business-use share of the truck and lumber trailer
• fuel
• insurance and license fees
• disposal and dumpster costs
• phone and software

Save receipts and keep a mileage log from January on.

Send a 1099-NEC to subs you pay

If you pay an unincorporated subcontractor for services, you'll generally need to send them a Form 1099-NEC. For payments made in 2026 and later, that applies once you've paid them $2,000 or more in a year, up from $600 before 2026.

Collect a Form W-9 before the first payment. Whether a crew member is a subcontractor or an employee depends on how you control the work, so get advice before you decide.

Sales tax on materials depends on your state

States treat deck builders differently:

• Some have you pay sales tax when you buy lumber and materials.
• Others have you charge it to the client.

Check your state's revenue department. In BuildWell, sales tax applies to materials only, not labor, at the rate you set.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. A tax professional who works with contractors can tell you what applies to your state and business.