Outdoor Remodeling · San Diego
How Much of Your Deck, Patio or Backyard Remodel Cost Do You Get Back in San Diego?
New 2025 cost-vs-value data for the Pacific region shows a wood deck recouping more of its job cost at resale than a composite deck or a backyard patio does. Here is what the numbers actually say before you commit a budget to an outdoor remodel.
Key takeaways
- In the Pacific region, a wood deck recoups 102.5% of its job cost at resale, versus 74.1% for a composite deck and 45.8% for a backyard patio, per the 2025 Cost vs. Value Report.
- Pacific-region composite decks recoup far less than the 89% national average for the same project — a gap most national decking articles never mention.
- A backyard patio has the highest average job cost of the three outdoor categories tracked ($54,965) but returns the lowest recouped share.
- “Outdoor kitchen” is not its own tracked category in this data — the closest measured project is a backyard patio.
- These are third-party regional averages, not Eco Home Builders quotes, and they should inform a budget conversation, not replace one.
In this guide
What “cost recouped” actually means
“Cost recouped” is the resale value a project is estimated to add, divided by what it costs to build, shown as a percentage. A project at 100% is estimated to add back exactly what it cost. Above 100% means the estimated resale gain is larger than the job cost; below 100% means a homeowner is estimated to recover only part of the job cost if they sold right after finishing.
These figures come from the 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, an annual study that compares average project costs against the resale value they’re estimated to add, broken out by U.S. region. Eco Home Builders does not produce this data and does not control it — we’re citing it so San Diego homeowners can budget an outdoor remodel with real numbers instead of guesswork.
Pacific-region outdoor project data
San Diego falls within the report’s Pacific region, which is the most locally relevant figure available since the study isn’t broken out by individual city. Three outdoor project types are tracked for this region: a wood deck addition, a composite deck addition, and a backyard patio.
| Project | Job cost | Share recouped at resale |
|---|---|---|
| Deck addition, wood | $18,405 | 102.5% |
| Deck addition, composite | $26,891 | 74.1% |
| Backyard patio | $54,965 | 45.8% |
A backyard patio carries the highest average job cost of the three ($54,965) and the lowest recouped share (45.8%), which doesn’t mean it’s a poor project — a patio usually adds more usable square footage than a deck — but it does mean resale value shouldn’t be the main reason to build one. For a wider look at how indoor remodels compare, see our guide to kitchen and bathroom remodel ROI in San Diego.
Wood deck vs. composite deck
Composite decking is often marketed on low maintenance, and that’s a real advantage — but it isn’t the better resale play in this region’s data. A composite deck’s $26,891 average job cost is about $8,486 higher than a wood deck’s $18,405, while the resale value the two add is much closer together: $18,874 for wood versus $19,922 for composite. That smaller gap in resale value, against a much larger gap in job cost, is what pushes the wood deck’s recouped share to 102.5% and the composite deck’s down to 74.1%.
- Upfront budget: wood costs less to install, which is most of why it recoups a larger share.
- Resale value added: the two materials add nearly the same resale value, so composite’s higher cost isn’t matched by a proportionally higher return.
- Maintenance: this data doesn’t track long-term maintenance spending, so it can’t tell you whether composite’s upkeep savings close the gap over a decade of ownership.
How San Diego’s region compares to the national average
The Pacific region doesn’t always track the national average, and the gap matters if you’re budgeting off a national headline instead of the regional figure.
| Project | Pacific region | National average |
|---|---|---|
| Deck addition, wood | 102.5% | 95% |
| Deck addition, composite | 74.1% | 89% |
| Backyard patio | 45.8% | 46% |
A wood deck outperforms the national average in the Pacific region, and a backyard patio lands almost exactly on it. A composite deck is the outlier: it recoups 74.1% here against 89% nationally, a 14.9-point gap. If you’ve seen composite decking pitched as the higher-resale choice, that pitch is built on the national number, not the regional one that applies to San Diego.
These are third-party regional averages for broad project categories, not city-specific figures and not an Eco Home Builders quote. “Backyard patio” in this data is a hardscape patio project — it does not include a built-in outdoor kitchen, a pergola, or a pool, none of which are tracked as their own category in this report. Your actual resale outcome also depends on your neighborhood, your home’s price point, and how the finished project fits the rest of the property.
The dollar cost that resale value doesn’t cover
Percentages can hide what a project actually costs out of pocket. Here is the same data as a dollar figure: job cost minus the resale value the project is estimated to add back.
| Project | Job cost | Net amount not recouped at resale |
|---|---|---|
| Deck addition, wood | $18,405 | None — fully recouped, plus $469 |
| Deck addition, composite | $26,891 | $6,969 |
| Backyard patio | $54,965 | $29,786 |
A $29,786 unrecouped amount on a backyard patio is the figure worth sitting with before you set scope. It isn’t a reason to skip the project — it’s a reason to treat the patio as something you’re building to use, not to flip.
Choosing a project for resale value vs. everyday use
Resale data is one input to a budget decision, not the whole decision. A backyard patio that your household uses every week for months out of the year can be worth building at a 45.8% recouped share if the alternative is a space that sits unused. Use the figures in this guide to set a realistic, evidence-based budget range, then work through layout and scope with your design-build team based on how you actually plan to live in the space.
If you’re weighing a deck or patio against a permit requirement, San Diego requires a building permit for most of these projects — see our guides to deck and patio cover permit rules and outdoor kitchen permit requirements for the specific thresholds. For the cost side of backyard projects generally, see our backyard remodel cost guide, and for a wider view of what pays back across the whole home, see which home improvements pay you back the most in San Diego.
Does a deck or patio actually increase my home’s resale value in San Diego?
Based on 2025 Pacific-region cost-vs-value data, a wood deck is estimated to return slightly more in resale value than it costs to build (102.5% of job cost), while a backyard patio returns less than half of its job cost (45.8%). A composite deck falls in between at 74.1%. These are regional averages, not a guarantee for any individual property.
Why does a wood deck recoup more than a composite deck in this data?
The report shows an $18,405 job cost for a wood deck against a $26,891 job cost for a composite deck in the Pacific region, while the resale value each adds is much closer together ($18,874 versus $19,922). The lower upfront job cost is what pushes the wood deck’s recouped share higher — not a larger resale gain.
Is San Diego’s data different from the national average?
The report isn’t broken out by individual city, so there’s no San Diego-only figure. The Pacific region, which includes San Diego, shows a composite deck recouping 74.1% of its job cost — well below the 89% national average — while a wood deck’s 102.5% outperforms the 95% national figure.
Do outdoor kitchens pay back the same way as decks and patios?
Outdoor kitchens aren’t tracked as their own category in the Cost vs. Value Report, so there isn’t a verified recouped percentage for one. The closest tracked category is a backyard patio, which recouped 45.8% of its job cost in the Pacific region.
Should I choose a project based on resale value or how I’ll use the space?
Resale data is one input, not the whole decision. A backyard patio used every week can be worth building even at a 45.8% recouped share. Use these figures to set a realistic budget, then work with your contractor on a layout that fits how your household actually uses the space.
Do I need a permit for a deck, patio cover, or outdoor kitchen in San Diego?
In most cases, yes. The specific thresholds and requirements differ by project type — see our dedicated guides to San Diego’s deck and patio cover permit rules and outdoor kitchen permit requirements for the details that apply to your project.
How is “cost recouped” calculated?
It’s the resale value a project is estimated to add, divided by its average job cost, shown as a percentage. A project at 100% is estimated to add back exactly what it cost; above 100% means the estimated resale gain exceeds the job cost, and below 100% means homeowners are estimated to recover only part of the job cost at resale.
Budget your outdoor remodel with real numbers
Eco Home Builders handles design, engineering, permitting and construction for outdoor remodels across San Diego and Orange County. Schedule a consultation to turn these regional benchmarks into a scope and budget for your own backyard.
Sources
- Cost vs. Value Report 2025, Pacific region — jlconline.com/cost-vs-value/2025/pacific, accessed October 2026.
- Cost vs. Value Report 2025, national data — jlconline.com/cost-vs-value/2025, accessed October 2026.
- City of San Diego Development Services, Permits — sandiego.gov/development-services/permits, accessed October 2026.
Cost and resale-value figures in this article are third-party regional benchmarks from the Cost vs. Value Report, not an Eco Home Builders quote or estimate. Your actual project cost and resale outcome will depend on scope, materials, site conditions and market conditions at the time of sale.
