Cost by measure
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| National average, all deck repairs | $1,465 |
| Typical range Most homeowners land here | $570–$2,600 |
| Pressure-treated wood, per square foot | $15–$25 / sq ft |
| All repair types, per square foot | $10–$50 / sq ft |
| Board replacement only Varies sharply by decking material | $25–$125 / sq ft |
Cost by job
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Replace rotted deck boards 5–15 boards, typical | $600–$1,600 |
| Railing repair or replacement | $400–$1,500 |
| Structural post or joist repair The one you should not defer | $800–$2,800 |
| Stair rebuild | $500–$1,400 |
| Sand, clean and re-stain | $600–$1,500 |
| Full deck replacement Usually better value past ~40% rot | $4,500–$12,000 |
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. Pressure-treated pine is the cheapest to repair and the most common in Kentucky. Composite boards cost several times more per board and often cannot be color-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-story deck needs staging and adds labor without adding square footage.
Timing
Staining and sealing need dry weather and moderate temperatures to cure properly, so in Kentucky the finishing work is best done in spring and early fall. Structural repairs can be done year-round.
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–$2,500, 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 Kentucky?
Like-for-like board and railing replacement generally does not. Structural changes, footing work, or altering the deck footprint usually do. Louisville Metro and Lexington-Fayette each run their own permitting — we confirm before quoting, and the contracting entity pulls any permit required.
Compiled from published 2026 cost data (HomeGuide, Angi, Thumbtack, Lawn Love) and cross-checked against Kentucky quotes. Updated from our completed jobs quarterly.