Simple and useful
A clean covered landing with plain posts, a concrete floor, and a shingle roof.
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By Rob Mackle, Founder & Lead Cost Estimator · Updated October 3, 2026
Good / Better / Best / Custom
Choose the outdoor space that fits your home
A covered porch, a covered balcony, an open deck, and a patio are different projects. This guide shows what each choice looks like, what is included, and what new homes usually budget per square foot.
How to use this guide
Pick the space, then pick the level. Good covers a simple, good-looking version built with the house. Better is the choice most move-up buyers are happy with. Best adds the finishes people notice from the curb or the yard. Custom is a designed outdoor room, not just a nicer stain color.
Prices are national planning ranges for a new home in 2026. They include the floor, the structure named in that level, a basic railing where one is needed, and the work to install it. Your local price can be lower in much of the South and Texas, and higher in the Northeast, the Northwest, and coastal California.
A few things that change the price
- Screens, a fireplace, or an outdoor kitchen are added on top.
- Extra stairs are priced by the run, not by the square foot.
- A balcony with no posts underneath costs more than one held up by posts.
- Ask for the choice before the roof and foundation are drawn. It is cheaper to plan it in than to add it later.
Covered porches — shade at the front door
A covered porch has a real roof tied into the house. Good is a simple concrete floor and plain posts. Better feels like a finished entry. Best is the stone-and-wood porch people photograph. Custom is a deep outdoor room.
Good
Better
Finished entry
Columns, a wood or composite floor, a painted ceiling, and a ceiling fan.
Best
Stone and wood
Stone-base columns, a wood ceiling, pavers, and lights by the door.
Custom
Outdoor room
Heavy beams, a metal roof, screen tracks, and a fireplace rough-in.
Typical budget
$62per square foot · usually $52–$72
$92per square foot · usually $80–$110
$140per square foot · usually $120–$165
$200per square foot · usually $175–$260
Materials and work
Materials $34Work $28
Materials $50Work $42
Materials $78Work $62
Materials $115Work $85
What you get
- Concrete porch floor
- Plain posts and a shingle roof
- One porch light
- Wood or entry composite floor
- Wrapped columns and a painted ceiling
- Ceiling fan and a railing if the porch is raised
- Stone-base columns
- Tongue-and-groove wood ceiling
- Paver floor and entry lights
- Timber or steel frame
- Standing-seam metal roof
- Screen tracks and fireplace rough-in
A good fit if
You want cover at the door without extra finish.
You want the porch to feel like part of the house.
Curb appeal is part of why you chose the plan.
You want a place to sit, eat, and stay outside.
A covered patio is the same idea on a backyard slab, without a raised floor. Typical budgets are $48, $72, $110, and $165 per square foot for Good, Better, Best, and Custom. Screens usually add $12–$25 per square foot. The fireplace itself, if you want a finished one, is extra.
Covered balconies — an upstairs place outside
Good and Better sit on posts. Best adds a waterproof floor and a glass or cable railing. Custom has no posts below, or it sits over a finished room. That is a different structure, not a better paint color.
Good
Posted wood balcony
A small covered balcony on posts, with a wood floor and a wood railing.
Better
Quiet and finished
Composite floor, metal railing, a finished ceiling, and a fan.
Best
Tile and glass
A waterproof floor, tile or pavers, and a glass or cable railing.
Custom
Cantilever view
No posts below, a drained waterproof floor, and a glass railing.
Typical budget
$72per square foot · usually $60–$85
$106per square foot · usually $90–$125
$155per square foot · usually $135–$180
$220per square foot · usually $190–$270
Materials and work
Materials $40Work $32
Materials $58Work $48
Materials $87Work $68
Materials $128Work $92
What you get
- Posts down to footings
- Wood floor and wood railing
- Simple roof and a light by the door
- Composite floor
- Aluminum railing and a finished soffit
- Ceiling fan and flashing at the door
- Waterproof floor with a slope to drain
- Tile or paver surface
- Glass or cable railing and recessed lights
- Engineered cantilever, or a floor over a room
- Full waterproofing and drainage
- Designer ceiling and glass railing
A good fit if
You want a small upstairs landing.
The balcony is off the main bedroom.
The view is part of the house.
You do not want posts in the yard below.
A balcony over a living space needs a floor that sheds water. Plan that before the joists are ordered. Drawings for a cantilever are usually a separate design cost of about $800–$2,500.
Open decks and patios — the backyard floor
These do not have a roof. A deck is a raised floor on posts. A patio is a slab or pavers on the ground. Use the buttons to see each one. The first price is the deck. The second price is the patio.
Good
Simple wood, or plain concrete
A straightforward deck, or a clean concrete patio.
Better
Composite, or stamped concrete
Less upkeep on the deck. A finished look on the patio.
Best
Picture-frame deck, or pavers
A bordered deck with cable rail, or a large paver patio.
Custom
Mixed outdoor living
More than one level, built-in seating, and a stone edge.
Deck budget
$26per square foot · usually $20–$32
$40per square foot · usually $32–$48
$56per square foot · usually $48–$68
$78per square foot · usually $65–$95
Patio budget
$11per square foot · usually $8–$14
$18per square foot · usually $14–$24
$28per square foot · usually $22–$36
$46per square foot · usually $36–$60
Deck materials and work
Materials $14Work $12
Materials $22Work $18
Materials $32Work $24
Materials $46Work $32
Patio materials and work
Materials $6Work $5
Materials $10Work $8
Materials $16Work $12
Materials $28Work $18
Deck includes
- Pressure-treated boards
- Wood railing
- One short stair
- Entry composite boards
- Aluminum railing
- A wider stair
- Picture-frame border
- Cable railing
- Lights in the steps
- More than one level
- Built-in bench
- Premium boards
Patio includes
- 4-inch broom concrete
- A firm base
- Control joints
- Stamped or colored concrete
- A thickened edge
- Control joints
- Concrete pavers
- Edge restraint
- Joint sand
- Natural stone
- Room for a seat wall
- Ready for a grill area
A fire pit, a pergola, a seat wall, and an outdoor kitchen are added separately. Walkways use the patio price. The same 200 square feet can be about $2,200 in plain concrete or about $8,000 in a Better composite deck.
Estimate your outdoor budget
Choose the space, the level, and the size. This is a planning number for a new home, not a contractor quote.
Planning budget
$0
Which one should you choose?
Want shade at the door?
Choose a covered porch. Better is the sweet spot for most new homes: a real floor, columns, and a fan. Move to Best if the porch is the first thing people see.
Want a view from upstairs?
Choose a covered balcony. If posts in the yard are fine, stay at Good or Better. If the balcony hangs over a room or has no posts, budget Custom.
Want the most space for the money?
Choose an open patio. A deck is the right choice when the door is above the yard. It costs more because of the frame, the railing, and the stairs.
Typical cost per square foot
| Space | Good | Better | Best | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covered porch | $62 | $92 | $140 | $200 |
| Covered patio | $48 | $72 | $110 | $165 |
| Covered balcony | $72 | $106 | $155 | $220 |
| Open deck | $26 | $40 | $56 | $78 |
| Open patio or walkway | $11 | $18 | $28 | $46 |
National new-home planning figures for 2026. Materials and installation of the items listed in each level. Local prices, steep lots, and extra features can move the number.
Free instant estimate · ~30 seconds
Quick Estimator
No sign-upFinish / material level
2,000 sq ft
440 sq ft
120 sq ft
Estimated construction range
$498,000 – $596,000
“Better” finish · national avg — enter zip / postal code to localize
Living · 2,000 sf$490,000
Garage · 440 sf (45% rate)$48,500
Covered porch · 120 sf (30% rate)$9,000
Garage + porch add $57,000 (12%) most quick estimates leave out.
Where the money goes
A free, grouped preview. Your full report breaks each of these into line items with labor + materials.
Foundation (all types & garage slab)$55,000
Framing rough shell$98,500
Dry-out shell$66,000
Mechanicals (electrical / plumbing / HVAC)$82,000
Finish shell$120,500
Cabinets & vanities$44,000
Everything else$82,000
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