Footings below the frost line
Boise designs for a 24-inch frost depth and sees about 108 freezing nights a year. Footings that stop short heave; we dig and inspect to depth.
Deck footing depth in Boise
Boise · Meridian · Eagle · Nampa
Custom decks built for Boise and the Treasure Valley
Composite and wood decks, covered decks, replacements and repairs — framed for Idaho frost and snow, finished for high-desert sun, and permitted the way your city actually requires.
Built to Treasure Valley spec
The numbers a Boise deck has to meet
Most deck content online quotes national rules. Here, the City of Boise and Nampa require a permit once a deck is more than 12 inches above grade, footings go to 24 inches, and framing is designed for snow. We build to these — and show our sources.
- Permit needed above
- 12 in
- Frost depth
- 24 in
- Ground snow load
- 20 psf
- Design wind
- 90 mph
- Nights ≤ 32°F / yr
- 108
- Annual precip
- 11.51 in
Sources: City of Boise — Residential Construction brochure; City of Boise — current codes & design criteria; NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Boise Air Terminal (USW00024131)
What we build
Deck services
Custom Deck BuildingA custom deck starts with how you will use it — a grill corner, a hot tub, afternoon shade, a view toward the Foothills — and works backward to framing, footings and permit drawings.
Composite DecksComposite trades the stain bucket for a higher board price and more heat underfoot in full sun.
Wood DecksWood still earns its place when the budget is tight, when you want real grain underfoot, or when an older house calls for it.
Deck ReplacementMany Treasure Valley decks from the 1990s and 2000s have reached the point where new boards won't save them: a ledger nailed through the siding, posts sitting on blocks, railings that wobble.
Deck RepairA repair is worth doing when the damage is local and the rest of the frame tests solid.
Deck ResurfacingResurfacing makes sense when the boards have checked, splintered or faded but the frame underneath is solid and correctly attached.
Covered Decks & PergolasShade is why most Treasure Valley homeowners add a cover: the July normal high at the Boise airport is 92.7°F.
Deck Railings & StairsA railing is a guard first and a design choice second.
Deck cost calculator
See a price range before anyone visits
Pick a size, a material and how high the deck sits. You'll get a Treasure Valley range in seconds — no phone number required to see it.
Open the calculator| Material | Per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Pressure-treated pine | $25–$40 |
| Western red cedar | $30–$48 |
| Capped composite (e.g. Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon) | $40–$62 |
| PVC / cellular (e.g. AZEK) | $55–$78 |
Ranges reflect published 2026 Treasure Valley and national installed-cost data, not a Valley Decks quote. Your price depends on size, height, access, footings, railing, stairs and permit scope — we confirm it in writing after an on-site measure. Sources and method: deck cost in Boise.
Why local matters
What a Treasure Valley deck has to survive
Boards chosen for high-desert sun
Dry air and hot Julys check and gray untreated wood fast. We spec capped composite or a finish schedule that matches your exposure — and tell you which runs hot underfoot.
Best decking for full sun
Foothills lots, slope and wildfire
Above Hill Road, Boise's wildfire overlay calls for ignition-resistant construction. We plan skirting, clearances and listed boards before the first post goes in.
Wildfire-resistant decking in the FoothillsHow it works
From estimate to first barbecue
Estimate request
Size, material, height, timing — rough numbers are fine.
Site measure & design
We measure, check the house attachment and slope, and sketch options.
Permit & HOA
Drawings for the city when the deck needs a permit, and a submittal package for your HOA.
Build
Footings, framing, inspections, decking, railing and stairs — in that order, no shortcuts.
Walkthrough
A final walk of the deck with care instructions for Treasure Valley seasons.
Plan with real numbers
Guides for Treasure Valley homeowners
- Deck cost in Boise, ID (2026)
Price ranges by material, size and height.
- Boise deck permit rules
Why 12 inches — not 30 — is the number that matters.
- Trex vs TimberTech for Boise decks
Capping, heat, warranties and what holds up here.
Common deck questions in the Treasure Valley
- Which Treasure Valley cities require a permit for a deck?
- All of them set rules, but the thresholds differ. Boise and Nampa require a permit for a deck more than 12 inches above grade. Meridian requires one for decks over 200 square feet, attached to the house, more than one story, or serving an exit door. Eagle requires permits for decks attached to a structure, and Caldwell says decks need separate permits and inspections. The Boise deck permit guide is the most detailed starting point.
- Who pulls the deck permit — me or the contractor?
- Either can, depending on the arrangement. Boise lets homeowners pull permits for work on their own primary residence. The written estimate should state plainly who is pulling the permit and who schedules the inspections, so nobody assumes the other person did. City-specific steps are in the Meridian, Nampa, Eagle and Caldwell permit guides.
- When does deck building season start and end in the Boise area?
- Footing work runs most comfortably from spring through fall. NOAA's 1991–2020 normals for the Boise airport put the median last spring freeze on April 24 and the median first fall freeze on October 21. Framing, decking, railing and repair work stretch well past those dates on dry days, so the season for finishing a deck is longer than the season for starting one.
- When should I start planning a deck I want finished by summer?
- Late winter. Design, permit review and any HOA approval usually take longer than the construction itself, and they can all happen while the ground is still frozen. Starting the design in January or February leaves room for a revision or two and lets footings go in soon after the spring thaw. Our guide to the best time to build a deck in Boise lays out a month-by-month plan.
- What changes when a deck is built between November and March?
- Mostly the footings and the finish. December and January average 25.2 and 25.5 nights at or below freezing at the Boise airport, so digging is slower and fresh concrete has to be protected while it cures. Composite boards get end gaps set for the cold. Wood stains need warm, dry days, so a wood deck built in winter usually gets its first finish in spring.
- How do I choose between composite, PVC and wood decking?
- Start with how much upkeep you'll accept and how much sun the deck gets. Wood costs least up front and needs a stain cycle; capped composite needs washing, not staining; PVC is the lightest and most moisture-resistant at the highest board price. In full sun, color matters as much as material. The composite vs. wood and composite vs. PVC guides compare them in detail.
Next step
Ready to price your deck?
Tell us the size, the material you're leaning toward and when you'd like it built. We'll follow up to schedule an on-site measure.