Handyman
Deck Repair Cost Calculator
Prices deck repair, where checking the structure matters more than replacing boards.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus materials and the call-out. Deck repair is usually presented as replacing soft or split boards, which is straightforward work. The part that matters is what the boards are fixed to. A deck's structural elements, the ledger connection to the house, the joists, the beams, the posts and the footings, are what hold people up, and a deck with a sound surface and a failing structure is more dangerous than one with obviously rotten boards.
What moves the number
- Whether the structure has been inspected as well as the surface.
- Ledger connection condition, which is the critical safety element.
- Extent of rot found once boards are lifted.
- Guard and stair condition, which are the fall-related elements.
Where this one goes wrong
Check the ledger. A deck attached to a house hangs from that connection, and nailed ledgers, ledgers fixed only into sheathing and ledgers with no flashing are the documented cause of deck collapses, which happen when a deck is loaded with people. It is checkable from underneath, and if it is wrong the deck should not be used until it is corrected, whatever the customer called about. Probe the posts at grade and the joist ends at the ledger too, since those are where rot concentrates and it is hidden. Replacing boards on a deck whose structure has failed is the worst possible outcome: it looks repaired and it is not safe.
Before you quote
- Inspect the ledger connection and flashing before quoting board work.
- Probe posts at grade and joist ends for concealed rot.
- Check guards and stairs, which are the fall-related elements.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
My deck boards are soft. Is that the only problem?
Not necessarily, and the structure matters more. The ledger connection to the house, the joists, posts and footings are what carry people, and rot concentrates where it cannot be seen. A deck with new boards over a failed structure looks repaired and is more dangerous than one that looked bad.
What is the most important thing to check on an old deck?
The ledger connection to the house. Decks fail there, and nailed ledgers or ledgers fixed only into sheathing without flashing are the documented cause of collapses under load. It is inspectable from underneath, and a deck with a bad ledger should not be used until it is fixed.
Can a rotten deck be repaired or does it need replacing?
It depends on where the rot is. Surface boards are replaceable. Rot in the joists, posts or ledger is structural, and if it is widespread, rebuilding is often cheaper and safer than piecemeal repair. Probing before quoting is what tells you which situation you are in.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 3 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $85.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $60.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 3 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $85 |
| Parts and materials | $60 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $410 |
| Labour | $255 |
| Before tax | $410 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $410: $255 of labour, $60 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $43 | $284 |
| $64 | $347 |
| $85 example above | $410 |
| $128 | $539 |
| $170 | $665 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 3 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $85.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $60.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.