Decks
Deck Repair & Replacement
Every deck reaches the point where a few boards are soft, a rail wobbles or the stairs feel wrong. The honest question is whether the frame underneath is still good. If it is, a repair buys you years. If the posts or the ledger have gone, new boards on a bad frame is money thrown at a deck that is already finished, and we will say so.
In pictures
Decks · Deck Repair & Replacement
What this work looks like
We repair decks across Philadelphia, South Jersey and Delaware, and we replace them when that is the right call, usually on the same footprint so the permit and the layout are already settled. One of our most recent jobs started as a repair estimate and ended as a full rebuild, because the customer deserved to know what was under the boards.
Stock photography for illustration. Our own project photos are on the way.
Spec sheet
Decks · Deck Repair & Replacement
Time, permit, material, lifespan
The questions we get on every call, answered before the call.
| On site | 1 to 3 days for repairs, 3 to 7 for a full replacement |
|---|---|
| Permit | Repairs usually no. Replacement often follows the original permit. |
| Materials | Matched treated lumber, or a switch to composite while the boards are off |
| Lifespan | A resurfaced deck on a sound frame gets 10 years and up |
| Upkeep | Same as the material you choose |
| Best for | Decks 8 to 20 years old with soft spots but no sway |
What is included
- Frame inspection from underneath, with photos of what we find
- Honest fix-or-rebuild recommendation, in writing
- Rotten boards, stair treads and rail sections replaced and matched
- Loose posts and rail connections re-secured with through-bolts
- Corroded hangers and fasteners swapped for hot-dipped hardware
- Haul-away of everything we take off
Signs
Decks · Deck Repair & Replacement
How you know this is the chapter you need
- 01
Boards feel spongy underfoot
Rot starts where water sits: at the ends, around fasteners and under planters. Push a screwdriver in. If it goes in easily, the board is done.
- 02
The railing moves when you lean on it
Usually a post connection, not the post itself. Cheap to fix now, dangerous to ignore.
- 03
Rusted or missing hangers
Joist hangers and bolts hold the frame together. Orange streaks down a post mean the hardware is going.
- 04
The deck pulls away from the house
A gap at the ledger is the one to call about the same day. That connection carries half the deck.
Not sure what it needs?
Text a photo. We tell you what it needs.
How it goes
Decks · Deck Repair & Replacement
From the first visit to the walkthrough
- 01
We look under it first
Nobody can price a deck repair from the top. We check the posts, ledger and joists and tell you what is really there.
- 02
Repair or rebuild, on paper
You get the scope for the repair, and if the frame is questionable, the number for a rebuild next to it.
- 03
The work
Repairs are usually a day or two. Replacements follow the same steps as a new deck.
- 04
Walkthrough
We walk it with you before we leave. If something we did is not right, we come back and fix it.
Questions
Decks · Deck Repair & Replacement
Deck Repair & Replacement, answered
-
Repair or replace: how do you decide?
The frame decides. If the posts, beams, joists and ledger are solid, we repair or resurface. If the frame is soft, rusted or pulling away from the house, we recommend replacing, and we show you why with photos from underneath.
-
Can I switch to composite while the boards are off?
Often yes, if the joists are spaced right and in good shape. It is the cheapest moment to make the switch because the frame work is already done.
-
How long does a deck repair take?
A few boards and a rail section is a day. A full resurface is two or three days. A replacement follows the schedule for a new deck.
-
Will the new boards match the old ones?
Treated lumber weathers to grey, so new boards look different for a season and then blend. If matching matters, resurfacing the whole deck gets you an even finish.
See also
Decks · Deck Repair & Replacement
Chapters that usually go with this one
Order form
Free on-site estimate · No obligation
Tell us what you are picturing. We come and measure it.
Nothing is priced from a website. We come to the house, walk the yard with you, and you get a written scope with the material, the size and the dates. Most simple decks are a few days of work; most concrete is two to four.
- Measured on site, written down before anything starts
- If something we built is not right, we come back and fix it.
- The people who quote the job are the people who build it
Rather talk now?
