Estimate example · Decking

Decking Estimate Example: Composite Deck

A 7-page decking estimate: specifications, framing plan, building regulations points, decking choices with prices, itemised costs, build schedule and payments.

Free plan available. No credit card required. See more document examples

At a glance

This example in numbers

About this example

This example is the estimate a decking contractor in Minnesota gives homeowners for a new 16 by 14 foot (about 4.9 by 4.3 m) composite deck behind their house: footings below the frost line, pressure-treated framing with joists at 12-inch centres, capped composite boards with a picture-frame border, black aluminium balustrade and steps down to the lawn, with drawings, the permit and removal of an old patio.

Decking buyers compare materials as much as contractors, so this estimate puts both in front of them. A specification table and a framing plan explain how the deck is built and why composite needs closer joist spacing, and a checklist shows the structural and safety code points the design meets. Three decking choices, cedar, composite and PVC, are priced side by side for the same deck. The cost is itemised in five sections, followed by an eight-day build programme, payments tied to the city inspections and a short page on what can still change before the contract.

Who it is for

Decking contractors, fencing and garden landscaping firms, and handymen who estimate decks, verandas and pergolas for homeowners.

Inside and how to use it

What this example contains, and how to make it yours

What's inside

  • A cover with the finished deck and an estimate summary
  • A specification table, from footings to balustrade
  • A framing plan and the code points the design meets
  • Cedar, composite and PVC priced side by side, and material notes
  • Itemised costs in five sections and a build programme
  • Payments tied to inspections, notes on the estimate and a reservation

How to adapt it

  • Set footing depth to your area's frost line
  • Price two or three decking materials on the same frame
  • Tie payments to the inspections your local authority requires
  • Say how you handle rot behind the ledger board before you find it

Ready to make your own?

Build a document like this one, free, in minutes.