Premium Deck Builders | Newman Homes
Almost every deck builder in Maine quotes a lump sum without a rate. Comparing three bids becomes nearly impossible.
- 25+ years in construction, building as Newman Homes since 2017
- Over 200 projects completed in Central Maine
- Affordable work, two-year written warranty
What Newman Homes charges to build a deck in Central Maine, starting at $80 a square foot for pressure-treated and running to $120 for complicated layouts.
The frame is what decides how long a deck lasts, so it gets the attention and most of the budget. Footings go below frost depth, joist tops get taped, and the ledger is flashed properly or the deck gets built freestanding instead.
The counterintuitive part is scale. Small decks cost more per square foot, not less, because footings are close to a fixed cost. An 8x12 with stairs lands near $9,800 and a 12x16 costs about a thousand more for exactly twice the deck. If you are torn between small and slightly bigger, bigger is the better buy.
How We Build a Deck
The specification below is the difference between a deck that lasts and one rebuilt in 15 years.
Materials we recommend. TimberTech and AZEK first, Deckorators mineral-based as an emerging option, and TimberTech's own specifications are worth reading on span and fastening. Trex on request. For railing, Westbury aluminum, with TimberTech Radiance Rail as the composite alternative.
Three things we do not do. Floating deck blocks, a ledger without flashing, and building new decking on an old frame.
After two decades, a wood deck is done. Usually, the owner has already replaced a few dangerous boards.
The frame failed first.
Deck framing and ledger connections must meet the residential code. Guard requirements are there too.
And the ledger section is the one I’d read myself.
- Footings to 4 feet, always. Full frost depth. Helical piles on most jobs, because they go in clean and they do not need the hole to stay open.
- Joists 16 inches on center, and 12 under PVC. PVC decking spans differently and it telegraphs a floppy frame.
- Joist tape on every joist. The fastener holes are where a frame rots first, and tape is the cheapest insurance on the whole build.
- Hidden clips, face-screwed and plugged on PVC. PVC moves with temperature and it needs fasteners that account for it.
- Flashing at the ledger, without exception. A ledger without flashing is the single most common serious defect we find on an existing deck.
- Trim so no end grain shows. End grain drinks water, and it is the detail that tells you who built it.
What homeowners say
Read more reviews- ★★★★★
Did a great job on my front steps and my stairs inside.
Dan T. - ★★★★★
They were quick and efficient. Left no mess behind. Brandon the owner also was easy to work with.
Ben G. - ★★★★★
Great company to work with. Very communicative and quick with the work.
Michael M.
What a Deck Costs
| Scope | Figure |
|---|---|
| All pressure-treated, new build | $80 per square foot |
| Larger or more complicated layouts, shapes, and tie-ins | $100 to $120 |
| Project floor, all pressure-treated | $10,000 |
| Project floor, composite decking with composite railing | $15,000 |
Jobs farther out may cost up to 10% more. The same applies to camp roads, ledge sites and urban staging. We assign the increase by area, not job by job. Your town's page identifies its tier and explains why. These qualifying ranges come from hundreds of quotes. Your deck will fall somewhere within them, usually toward one side.
Related Services
What a Deck Builder Should Put in Writing
Maine has no state licensing standard for deck builders or general contractors. Anyone can sell you a deck here.
The contract has to carry the weight:
- Footing depth and type, in writing. Four feet, and whether they are piles or poured.
- Joist spacing, and whether it changes under the decking material you chose.
- Whether joist tape is included. It usually is not, on a cheap bid.
- The ledger detail, including flashing, or confirmation that the deck is free-standing.
- A fixed price under Maine's home construction contract law, with the first payment held to one third.
- A 2-year workmanship warranty, written, backed by an A+ BBB profile.
How the Work Runs
We walk the site.
Where the deck goes, what the grade does, how high it sits, and whether there are usable footings already.
A written price with the rate showing.
Square footage, stairs, railing, and any tie-in work, each on its own line.
Permit.
Filed by us. Your town's code officer decides what gets approved.
Piles and frame.
Footings to depth, frame squared, joist tape on before a board goes down.
Decking, railing, trim, and cleanup.
Then a walkthrough with you against the written scope.
Small Decks Cost More Per Foot
This catches many homeowners off guard. Understand it before shrinking the design to cut costs.
Footings cost nearly the same regardless of deck size. An 8x12 pressure-treated deck with stairs and six footings runs about $9,800.
A 12x16 costs roughly $1,000 more. You get exactly twice the deck.
Larger decks cost less per square foot. Smaller ones rarely save as much as people expect.
Height follows the same pattern. Once a deck rises more than about 2 feet, staging adds roughly one crew day.
That extra day costs the same whether the build takes 3 days or 12, so it hits a small deck much harder.
Waterville and some southern Maine towns set the deck permit fee as a percentage of total project price. On a large deck that is a real line item, and we build it into the estimate rather than surprising you with it.
Our deck cost guide explains stairs and shapes. It also covers materials in detail.
Our all-pressure-treated decks start at $80 per square foot, turnkey, with railing included. The details below explain what changes that rate.
Newman Homes has operated from Augusta since 2017 under Brandon Roberge, who brings 25+ years of building experience. Based on a count updated monthly, 94% of our completed jobs hold to both the original schedule and price.
Common Questions
Sometimes. It depends on depth, condition, and spacing, and we will tell you honestly rather than guess, because the frame is what everything else sits on.
For most people, yes, on maintenance alone. The project floor is higher and the 20-year cost usually is not.
They go to full depth cleanly, they do not need a hole to stay open in wet ground, and they can be installed in conditions where a poured footing has to wait.
Most run three days to two weeks depending on size, height, and stair count.
Get a Deck Price
Call (207) 480-7700. Someone answers around the clock, usually Brandon.
Or email info@newmanhomesme.com. You can also request a free estimate.