How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck in Brevard County?

Using our Florida planning ranges, a new deck in Brevard County costs about $25–$45 per square foot installed in pressure-treated wood, $40–$75 in capped composite and $50–$90 in PVC, with railings and stairs on top. In our illustrative example, a raised 14 x 18 ft composite deck on a canal lot, with aluminum railing and five steps, comes to roughly $13,000–$26,000. The only dated Melbourne-specific prices we found are from December 2021 and sit below those ranges. After the decking material, height, railings and stairs move the totals most in our examples, and near salt water the hardware line deserves a close read.

Deck cost per square foot in Brevard

Our ranges price the deck surface per square foot, with railings, stairs and removal as separate lines, the same way the calculator and the examples below work. They're statewide planning ranges, not a Brevard survey.

The per-square-foot rates cover footings, framing and decking for a deck raised 30 in. to 6 ft. Our calculator takes 5% off for a low deck under 30 in. and adds 25% for a second-story deck over 6 ft. The ranges leave out permit fees, drawings or engineering, HOA fees, lighting, a roof or pergola, and sales tax charged as a separate line.

Low-cost, standard and premium decks

• Low-cost: a rectangular, low pressure-treated platform behind a mainland slab home, with no railing, a couple of steps, plain board layout and the standard code-required hardware for treated wood.
• Standard: a raised deck with capped composite boards on a pressure-treated frame, a powder-coated aluminum railing system and a full stair to the yard.
• Premium: PVC or a premium composite line, picture-frame borders, hidden fasteners, Type 316 stainless hardware throughout on a beachside or lagoon-front lot, multiple levels or a second-story deck.

What published Melbourne deck prices show

We found one dated source of Melbourne-specific deck prices: a national cost-guide website's Melbourne page, dated December 2021.

• Pressure-treated pine: about $17–$20 per square foot installed.
• Composite: about $32–$34 per square foot installed.

These figures are almost five years old, and they're published estimates from a website, not quotes. We couldn't confirm what they include, such as railings, stairs or permits. The same site's Orlando page, also dated December 2021, lists the same $17–$20 pressure-treated figure, so treat it as a regional estimate rather than a Melbourne-only number.

Both figures sit below our current planning ranges. On a 12 x 16 ft (192 sq. ft.) deck, the 2021 rates come to about $3,300–$3,800 for pressure-treated pine (192 × $17 to 192 × $20) and $6,100–$6,500 for composite (192 × $32 to 192 × $34). Our ranges for the same deck surface are $4,800–$8,600 for pressure-treated (192 × $25 to 192 × $45) and $7,700–$14,500 for composite (192 × $40 to 192 × $75). We didn't find any 2025 or 2026 Brevard deck prices from a source we could rely on, so plan with the Florida ranges and the examples below, and judge bids by their written scope.

Railings, stairs and removal

Guards are generally required where a deck is more than 30 in. above the ground, so a raised canal-front or second-story deck almost always carries a railing line. Measure the open sides and subtract the stair openings. On the barrier island or the water, ask which coating specification the aluminum railing's finish meets: one architectural products maker lists AAMA 2605 as the tier for coastal regions. Our salt-air corrosion guide explains the grades.

Our stair rate lists stringers and treads, so ask whether stair handrails are included in each quote.

Example deck budgets for Brevard homes

These are illustrative estimates from our Florida planning ranges, worked out the same way as our deck cost calculator. They aren't quotes. Each assumes a rectangular deck attached to the house along one long side, a yard a crew can reach with materials, and standard hardware within the per-square-foot rate. Unless a row says otherwise, the deck is raised 30 in. to 6 ft. Railing lengths are the three open sides minus a 4 ft stair opening. None includes permit fees, drawings, engineering, HOA fees, stair handrails or a separate line for stainless hardware. Totals are rounded the way the calculator rounds them.

The beachside example is where hardware choices count most. The salt-air section below covers what to ask for.

Need a contractor for this project?Request a deck estimate

Try your own numbers

The calculator uses the same Florida ranges. Enter your dimensions, decking, height, railing length and number of steps.

Salt-air hardware: what to check in a quote

Wood doesn't corrode, but the screws, joist hangers, post bases and hurricane ties holding a deck together do. On the barrier island in Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic and Melbourne Beach, and on lagoon and canal lots, this is the part of a quote to read most closely. Our ranges have no separate line for a stainless upgrade, and we didn't find a reliable published price for one, so two quotes for the same deck can differ here without saying so.

• Distance from the ocean. FEMA's coastal building materials fact sheet says metal corrosion is most pronounced within 3,000 ft of the ocean, a little over half a mile. Its connector fact sheet warns that the galvanizing on readily available hardware may not be adequate on the coast.
• What FEMA points to. FEMA's coastal corrosion bulletin says stainless steel and thick hot-dip galvanized (G185 or heavier) connectors and fasteners improve corrosion protection. It also says sheltered spots that rain doesn't rinse collect more salt, which describes the hangers and post bases under a deck.
• The 2026 code. The Florida Building Commission's summary of the 2026 (9th edition) Florida Building Code describes a new section, 1711, with corrosion-resistance requirements for fasteners and metal connectors within 3,000 ft of a saltwater coastline. A Florida roofing trade association says that edition takes effect December 31, 2026. We haven't confirmed how the section applies to deck framing or whether the Indian River Lagoon counts as a saltwater coastline, so ask your building department which edition your permit falls under.
• Product rules. One major composite decking manufacturer tells installers to use its recommended stainless steel screws near salt water and says problems from non-recommended fasteners aren't covered by its limited warranty. The American Wood Council says aluminum shouldn't be in direct contact with wood treated with copper-based preservatives such as ACQ or copper azole, which matters where aluminum railing posts mount to treated framing.

Ask each builder to state in writing the fastener material and grade, the connector coating weight or stainless grade, whether the deck screws meet the board maker's requirements, and how aluminum railing posts are separated from the treated wood. If stainless isn't included, ask for it as its own line. Our composite vs. wood decking guide covers the code rules for fasteners in treated wood and manufacturers' stainless recommendations in detail.

Upkeep our ranges leave out

The installed ranges don't include upkeep, which is where the materials differ most over the years.

• The frame is wood either way. Traditional composite isn't a structural product, so the posts, beams and joists under a composite or PVC deck are usually pressure-treated wood. UF/IFAS Extension notes that wood in contact with the ground is the most likely to be attacked by decay fungi and subterranean termites. Ask whether posts and framing near the soil are treated for ground contact, and include the deck in your termite inspections.
• Sealing. A home-repair franchise's Florida guide and a Tampa cost guide say pressure-treated wood needs regular sealing or staining in Florida's humidity. That recurring cost isn't in our ranges. Composite and PVC skip the sealing but still need washing.
• Heat. Consumer home-improvement sites say composite absorbs and holds heat in direct sun and that lighter colors help; we didn't find test data. On a south- or west-facing deck, price shade alongside it, such as a pergola or a screened patio.

The composite vs. wood decking guide compares heat, mold, fading and termite resistance in more depth.

Raised decks on canal and riverfront lots

On a canal or riverfront lot, a deck may have to rise to meet a raised back door or to look out over the water. In our ranges, height moves the budget three ways: above 30 in., guards are generally required along the open sides; above 6 ft, the calculator adds 25% to the decking cost; and each step adds $150–$400, so a 12-step stair comes to $1,800–$4,800 before handrails. Measure from the ground to the door threshold before you call builders, because that one number sets the height band and the step count.

Check your flood zone on Brevard County's Floodplain Administration map before you design, or ask your city if you live inside city limits. A flood hazard area rules out Florida's $7,500 permit exemption, and if the deck is part of a bigger renovation, ask your building department how the work counts toward the 50% substantial improvement rule. This guide doesn't cover docks, boardwalks over the water or seawall work; ask your building department about those separately.

On oceanfront lots on the barrier island, check whether the deck would sit seaward of the state's coastal construction control line. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection says alteration, excavation or construction seaward of the line, with certain exceptions, requires its approval. That's a separate question from your local building permit. See CCCL permits in Florida.

Permits for a deck in Brevard

Permit fees, drawings and engineering aren't in our ranges, and who you pay depends on where the home is. Brevard County's Planning and Development department issues building permits only for unincorporated areas, such as Viera, Suntree and Merritt Island. Melbourne, Palm Bay, West Melbourne, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach and other cities and towns run their own permitting; in Indialantic, ask town hall who reviews permits for your address. See building permits in Brevard County to find yours.

• Unincorporated Brevard. We didn't find a county page that names decks. The county's residential addition permit covers exterior additions and accessory structures such as carports, garages, screen enclosures and sheds. Ask Planning and Development which permit type and drawings your deck needs.
• City of Melbourne. The Building Section FAQ says new construction needs a permit, though it doesn't name decks. Fences, accessory structures, driveways and flatwork go through city ordinance permits, which are separate from building permits and aren't affected by the $7,500 exemption, so ask which kind your deck needs. Melbourne's FAQ warns that starting work without a required permit can lead to higher costs, delays and even removal of the work.
• City of Palm Bay. Palm Bay lists residential deck plan review requirements on its residential requirements-per-permit-type page, so download the current sheet before you pay for drawings. The city says work started without a permit can be charged up to four times the permit fees.

Since July 1, 2026, Florida law has let single-family owners ask in writing to skip the building permit for some work under $7,500. It doesn't cover structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work, or property in a flood hazard area. A deck stands on footings and framing, so ask whether your building department treats it as structural before you count on the exemption. See the $7,500 permit exemption.

When the direct contract is over $5,000, as most of the examples above are, Florida requires a recorded Notice of Commencement, or proof it has been filed for recording, at the building department before the first inspection. If you're in an HOA, apply for architectural approval early. Since July 1, 2026, an HOA can't require a building permit before it reviews your application, so you can apply to both at once. See HOA approval in Florida.

Our guide to permits for decks, patios and pergolas in Brevard County covers each office in more detail, and the statewide deck permit guide covers inspections and drawings.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Budgeting from a 2021 price. The Melbourne figures are a dated sense check, not a 2026 price.
• Pricing the deck but not the height. Measure from the ground to the door threshold first. It decides the railing, the number of steps and, above 6 ft, the deck rate.
• Accepting "galvanized" without a spec. Near salt water, ask for the coating weight or stainless grade of every fastener and connector, and whether a stainless upgrade is in the price.
• Comparing bids with different scopes. One quote may include railing on three sides, stair handrails, stainless hardware, removal and the permit, and another may not. Our guide to why contractor quotes differ explains what to line up.
• Counting on the $7,500 exemption. It excludes structural work and flood hazard areas, and it needs a written request.
• Starting before approvals. Melbourne and Palm Bay both charge extra for work started without a permit. Get the permit answer, and HOA approval if you need it, before materials arrive.

Next steps

1. Measure the deck area, the open sides that need railing and the height from the ground to the door threshold. Take photos of the yard and the access route.
2. Find out who issues permits for your address, check your flood zone, and on an oceanfront lot, check the coastal construction control line.
3. If you're in an HOA, apply for architectural approval.
4. Choose a decking material and a railing system, then ask for itemized written quotes. Beyond the usual line items, make sure each names the framing lumber's treatment, the fastener and connector material and grade, the railing finish, stair handrails, removal, and whether the permit and drawings are included.
5. Check each contractor on MyFloridaLicense.com and on Brevard County's Licensed Contractor Search, which lists only contractors with a current license, liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage or an exemption. Our guide to hiring a contractor in Melbourne walks through the rest.

For statewide context, see our Florida deck cost guide. If a deck isn't the right fit for a flat lot, compare a paver patio in Melbourne.