Cost by measure
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Typical deck repair, Canada | $750–$2,500 |
| Minor repairs, Vancouver Boards, re-fastening, sealing | $300–$800 |
| Full rebuild, standard deck, Vancouver | $12,000–$30,000 |
What actually drives the price
Surface or structure. Replacing boards on a sound frame is predictable work at a predictable price. Once posts, joists or the ledger board are involved you are into structural repair, the cost roughly doubles, and it stops being optional — a failed ledger is how decks come off houses.
Material. Cedar and pressure-treated lumber are both common on the coast, and in a climate this wet, rot at posts, joists and fasteners is the usual failure rather than surface wear. Composite boards cost several times more per board and often cannot be colour-matched to a deck that has weathered for a decade, which sometimes forces a larger replacement than the damage alone would.
Access and height. A ground-level deck is straightforward. A second-storey deck needs staging and adds labour without adding square footage.
Timing
Vancouver's reliable dry window is roughly July to September. Structural repairs can happen year-round, but staining and sealing need several dry days to cure, so finishing work is best booked for summer.
How we quote deck repair
Photos first: the full deck, the underside if you can reach it safely, and close-ups of anything soft or splitting. That is usually enough for a firm written price. Where it is not — typically suspected structural rot — we say so and price an inspection rather than guessing high and hoping. Our deck repair packages typically run $1,200–$3,000, fixed before work starts.
Common questions
Repair or replace?
The rough rule is the 40% test. If more than about 40% of the structure — joists, posts, ledger board — is compromised, repair costs converge on replacement and you are spending good money to extend a bad deck by a few years.
Surface boards are different. You can replace every board on a sound frame and still be well ahead of a rebuild.
How do I know if it is structural?
Push a screwdriver into the posts at ground level and into the joists near the house. If it sinks in easily, that is rot in the structure and it is a safety issue rather than a cosmetic one. The ledger board — where the deck attaches to the house — is the single most important connection and the most common failure point.
Does a deck repair need a permit in Metro Vancouver?
Like-for-like board and railing repair generally does not. Structural work, new footings, or changing the size or height of a deck usually does, and each Metro Vancouver municipality runs its own permitting. We confirm before quoting.
Compiled from published 2026 Canadian cost data (HomeStars and Metro Vancouver contractor pricing guides), in CAD. Updated from our completed jobs quarterly.