GUIDE · CONSTRUCTION
How to Calculate Deck vs Patio Cost — Step by Step
A 400 sq ft wood deck costs $14,000 and a concrete patio $7,200 — but the real answer takes six steps, not one: measure, price both, count the rebuilds, subtract resale, and find the break-even. Net over 25 years, the deck is $22,000 and the patio $4,200. Here is how each number is built, so you can rerun them with your own yard.
How to calculate deck vs patio cost, step by step
Decks and patios do the same job — a flat place outside to sit, grill, and gather — but they do not cost the same to own. A wood deck runs about $35 per square foot installed; a concrete patio runs about $18. On a 400-square-foot backyard, that is $14,000 against $7,200 before a single chair is bought. But the upfront price is the least important number in this comparison. The deck lasts about 15 years and the patio about 30, so over a 25-year horizon you build the deck twice and the patio once. After resale value, the 25-year net cost is $22,000 for the deck and $4,200 for the patio — $880 a year against $168. This guide walks through the six steps that produce those numbers, so you can rerun them with your own area and your own local prices, and find the exact patio price at which the deck becomes the cheaper choice.
Step 1: Measure the area
Measure the length and width of the space you want to cover, in feet, and multiply them: a 20-by-20-foot backyard is 400 sq ft. Include any steps or landing in the measurement — they are built and paid for too — and round up to the nearest 10 sq ft, because installers charge for the material they cut, not the material that ends up in place. Every number after this step is a multiplication of this one, so measure twice: a 10% error here is a $1,400 error on a deck quote.
Step 2: Price the deck
Multiply the area by the installed deck price per square foot. The national average for a pressure-treated wood deck is about $35/sq ft, materials and labor together, so 400 sq ft × $35 = $14,000. The range is wide: a simple ground-level deck in a cheap labor market can come in near $25/sq ft, while hardwood or composite decking, railings, and permits can push past $50. Get two or three local quotes and use the middle one — the lowest quote usually leaves something out, and the highest usually includes it twice.
Step 3: Price the patio
Do the same multiplication for the patio. A poured concrete patio averages about $18/sq ft installed, so 400 sq ft × $18 = $7,200 — barely half the deck. Basic concrete can run as low as $8–$12/sq ft; pavers and stamped concrete climb toward $25. Watch for the hidden line item: if your yard slopes, grading and a small retaining edge can add $1,000–$3,000 before the first yard of concrete arrives. On flat ground there is no such charge, which is part of why the patio wins so often.
Step 4: Count the rebuilds
This is the step most comparisons skip, and it is the whole story. Divide your 25-year horizon by each structure's lifespan and round up: the deck lasts 15 years, so ceil(25 ÷ 15) = 2 installations; the patio lasts 30, so ceil(25 ÷ 30) = 1. Multiply: the deck's 25-year gross cost is $14,000 × 2 = $28,000, while the patio's is $7,200 × 1 = $7,200. The patio's upfront advantage was $6,800; after the rebuild it is $20,800. Any comparison that prices only the first build is not a comparison — it is a quote.
Step 5: Subtract the resale value
A deck or patio you build is worth something when you sell the house, so subtract it. Appraisers and agents typically credit a wood deck with about $6,000 of resale value and a concrete patio with about $3,000 on a mid-range home. Net cost is gross minus resale: the deck is $28,000 − $6,000 = $22,000, the patio $7,200 − $3,000 = $4,200. The patio wins net by $17,800, or $880 a year against $168. Note the deck's resale edge — real, at $3,000 — closes less than a sixth of the gross gap. And if you credit neither structure with any resale value at all, the patio still wins net, $28,000 to $7,200.
Step 6: Find the break-even patio price
The last step turns the comparison into a shopping rule. Ask: how expensive would the patio have to get before the deck wins? Set the patio's 25-year net cost equal to the deck's $22,000 and solve for the patio price: ($22,000 + $3,000 resale) ÷ (400 sq ft × 1 installation) = $62.50/sq ft. Below $62.50 the patio wins; above it, the deck wins. Since even premium pavers rarely pass $25–$30, the patio has an enormous margin of safety at the defaults. Run your own quotes through this formula — or use the deck vs patio cost calculator, which computes the break-even for your numbers automatically.
When the deck still wins
Cost is not the whole decision, and there are yards where the deck is the right build despite losing on price. A sloped or elevated yard is the classic case: a patio there needs grading and retaining walls that can cost more than the deck itself. A second-story outdoor space has no patio option at all. A back door well above grade, or a view that only exists from deck height, tips the same way. The honest way to decide is to price the grading first: if the patio needs $10,000 of earthwork, add it to the patio side before comparing. On flat ground at grade, though, the numbers above are the numbers — and the patio wins them by $17,800.
The worked example, in one table
| Wood deck | Concrete patio | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront (400 sq ft) | $14,000 | $7,200 |
| 25-year gross | $28,000 | $7,200 |
| 25-year net (after resale) | $22,000 | $4,200 |
| Net per year | $880/yr | $168/yr |
Run your own area and prices through the deck vs patio cost calculator — it shows the upfront, gross, and net costs, the per-year figures, and your break-even patio price in one place.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate deck vs patio cost?
In six steps: measure the area; multiply by the deck price per square foot ($35 average) and the patio price ($18); count how many times each is built in 25 years (deck twice, patio once); subtract resale value ($6,000 vs $3,000); and compare the net costs — $22,000 vs $4,200 at the 400 sq ft defaults. The calculator does all six at once.
How much cheaper is a patio than a deck?
At the 400 sq ft defaults the patio is $6,800 cheaper upfront ($7,200 vs $14,000) and $17,800 cheaper net over 25 years ($4,200 vs $22,000). The gap grows over time because the deck is rebuilt at year 15 and the patio is not.
How long do decks and patios last?
A wood deck lasts about 15 years before a full rebuild; a concrete patio lasts about 30 years. Composite decking lasts longer than wood but costs more per square foot, and neither changes the basic math: over 25 years you build the deck twice and the patio once.
Does a deck add more value to a home than a patio?
Yes, but not enough to close the gap. A deck is typically credited with about $6,000 of resale value against a patio's $3,000 — a $3,000 edge against a $20,800 gross-cost gap. Even with zero resale value for both, the patio still wins net by $20,800.
What patio price makes the deck cheaper?
$62.50 per square foot. At that price the patio's 25-year net cost equals the deck's $22,000; above it, the deck wins. Premium pavers rarely pass $25–$30, so the patio has a wide margin of safety at typical prices.
When should I choose a deck over a patio?
When the ground is not on your side: a sloped or elevated yard, a second-story space, a back door well above grade, or a view that only exists from deck height. Price the patio's grading and retaining work first — on flat ground, the patio wins on cost by $17,800.