Boost your home's value

Payback: 73% to 82% for a mid-range project

Cost: $11,000 to $37,000 for a 16-foot-by-20-foot wood or composite deck

When it makes sense: You live anywhere but the most frigid states.

Best way to do it: Go for cedar. "You can't find a better-looking wood," says Eric Stalemark, a contractor and founder of Decks.com. "Cedar also smells beautiful, and it'll last you 15 to 20 years." And when it's time to sell, wood returns the most money of any material. If staining and sealing every two years isn't your thing, however, select a composite that looks like wood but doesn't require the elbow grease.

Caveat: So that your hardware won't wear out before your decking does, you'll need to spring for stainless-steel screws and bolts.

Cost-saving move: Have a contractor dig the footing and build the frame (the hardest part), and then finish the job yourself. "A do-it-yourselfer can easily put a floor on the deck and install a railing and some stairs," Stalemark says. You'll save 50% to 60% of the labor costs.

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