Frequently Asked Questions

Angi's 2026 guide puts most deck projects at $30 to $60 per square foot, with a national average around $8,321 and a typical range of $4,339 to $12,653. Composite, raised decks, covers and complex railings push the price up. We give you a written price after measuring the site.

A 20x20 deck is 400 square feet. Angi lists 20x20 decks at about $16,000 to $24,000, and installed composite at $25 to $54 per square foot, which puts a composite deck that size at roughly $10,000 to $21,600 for the decking alone before railings, stairs or a cover. The exact Trex line, height and railing choice change the total.

Most deck builders price by the job rather than the hour. Angi lists professional deck labor at about $15 to $35 per square foot and framing labor at $9 to $12 per square foot. We quote a fixed price for the scope in writing.

There is no single best brand. In Tempe's heat, the details matter more than the logo: lighter colors, capped boards with a long fade and stain warranty, and shade over the deck. Trex, for example, offers a 25-year residential fade and stain warranty on its Transcend, Enhance and Select lines, as its warranty document reads. We show you samples and talk through how each will behave in your yard.

It can. In one sun test many composite boards reached 140°F or more. Light colors, afternoon shade from a cover or pergola, and a layout that keeps the deck on the shady side of the house all help. We plan for that before you pick a board.

Often, yes. Tempe requires a building permit for building additions, temporary or permanent, and its patio cover handout spells out the plans needed for covers. Whether a deck itself needs a permit depends on details such as its height, size and whether it attaches to the house, so we confirm with the city what applies to your design.

If your community has architectural guidelines, usually yes. Arizona law says approval may not be unreasonably withheld, but you still need it before building. We provide the drawings, dimensions and material samples the committee typically asks for.

For many homeowners, yes, because it skips the staining that wood needs every few years in strong sun. The catch is surface heat. With a light color and shade, composite works well; a dark board in full afternoon sun can be too hot to walk on.

Lighter colors absorb less heat than dark grays and browns. Shade has an even larger effect. We show samples in your yard so you can compare them in real conditions.

Major brands back their capped boards with long residential warranties; Trex's fade and stain warranty runs 25 years on its main lines. Real life depends on installation, sun exposure and care.

At Angi's installed composite range of $25 to $54 per square foot, 400 square feet comes to about $10,000 to $21,600 before railings, stairs or a cover. Height, the Trex line and railings change the price, and our written quote gives the exact number.

Yes, if you keep it sealed. Wood often stays cooler underfoot than composite, but dry heat and UV gray and check unprotected boards fast. Plan on refinishing every few years.

Pressure-treated pine. Fixr lists it at about $15 to $25 per square foot installed, compared with $19 to $29 for cedar and $27 to $38 for redwood.

That depends on the wood, how well it is built and how consistently it is finished. Low rainfall helps with rot, but UV and heat are hard on the surface, so maintenance makes the difference.

Treated lumber has to dry before it will absorb stain. In Tempe's dry air that can happen faster than in humid climates. A simple water-drop test shows when the wood is ready: if water soaks in, the wood can take stain.

Angi's 2026 average is about $2,246, and Fixr's typical range is $500 to $3,000. Board swaps cost far less than framing or railing work. We price each repair separately after inspecting.

If the frame is solid, repair or resurfacing is usually the better value. Widespread rot, termite damage, swaying, or a failing ledger usually point to replacement.

Sometimes. The frame has to be sound and spaced closely enough for the composite board you choose. We measure the joist spacing and check the condition before recommending it.

Wood expands and shrinks with heat and moisture. Tempe's large daily temperature swings work fasteners loose over time, especially nails. Replacing them with deck screws usually solves it.

Yes. The City of Tempe's patio cover handout says a building permit is required and lists the site plan, foundation plan and framing details to submit. We prepare those drawings.

A solid cover gives full shade and rain protection; a pergola gives filtered shade and better airflow. For a west-facing deck, a solid cover or a louvered roof usually keeps it more usable in summer.

Lawn Love's 2026 figures put a professionally installed pergola at $2,100 to $6,000, averaging about $4,000. Louvered roofs and custom wood builds cost more.

It can, if the footings, post bases and beam connections are designed for uplift and the posts are properly anchored. That is a design question we answer before anything is built.

Powder-coated aluminum and composite hold up well and need no staining. Lighter colors stay cooler to the touch. Cable and glass are good for views but cost more.

Fixr lists installed railing at about $30 to $50 per linear foot for wood, $45 to $85 for metal, $80 to $165 for composite, $115 to $175 for cable and $140 to $210 for glass.

Usually the posts were attached with too few fasteners or notched too thin. Reinforcing the posts with blocking and bolts or proper post hardware typically fixes it.

Residential codes require guards once a deck is raised past a set height above the ground, and handrails on stairs past a certain number of risers. Many Tempe decks are low, but steps may still need a handrail. We confirm what applies to your design.

Angi's 2026 average is about $850, with a typical range of $550 to $1,250, or $2 to $4 per square foot. Heavy prep, old peeling coatings and lots of railing raise the price.

Plan on every two to three years for a deck in full sun, sometimes sooner. A deck under a cover or in afternoon shade can go longer.

A pigmented, penetrating stain usually serves better than a clear sealer, because the pigment blocks UV. Clear sealers repel water but let the wood gray.

Yes, with care. We work early in the day and in shade so the deck surface stays within the stain maker's temperature limits, and we watch the forecast during monsoon season.