What's it cost to rehab a deck?

[punkncat]

Our back deck is in need of a re-planking, probably look to have the handrails and stairs redone as well. The piling and framing are all (mostly) good.

We have been casting around about having it repaired and rebuilt. It appears that the price for having this existing deck fixed is more expensive than having a deck placed in the first place. It's a 12' x 20'

We are getting labor only quotes of ~$4+ a square foot. This does not include materials or cleanup, so materials and a dumpster alongside some personal labor, about $2K? That seem right?

[Chuck E Ducky]

I did a 26’x 15’ with 2x10 framing for approx $4500 myself. Keep in mind material cost is currently up 130%. Mine sits on an existing block foundation so ther would be added material costs with new footings and support framework. Numbers don’t seem that far off. But shop around get a bunch of quotes. Chose one you trust and use the other quotes as leverage for a better deal whit the guy you want to use. Cheap is not always better. Decks are super simple to build if you are handy with basic tools you could build your own and save a lot.

I had quotes for just under $10k to have someone replace my deck. I did it for less then half that myself and I know it’s done right. Home Depot and Lowe’s have a project desk you can find out current material cost so you know exactly what you are paying for labor. All you got to do is give them measurements and they will tell you how much material is based on current prices. Even spits out a cut list and tells you how much screws to buy. Speaking of screws don’t go cheap.

I used it for planing my project it’s a great tool and it’s free. Then I purchased my material from a local distributor I negotiated with for a better material cost. I would have gone with them anyway because they provided a better grade material for about the same cost. But I used the box stores to negotiate a better deal and they delivered the material for free and was able to set it right next to my project. Really helpful when moving and setting long 2x10 by yourself.

[Cdn_Cuda]

I redid my front porch and used composite deck boards. Installation is actually really easy as they have hidden spacers that keep the deck looking clean. Costly, but very little upkeep, never have to stain the deck again. They have all sorts of colours of board as well.

[cellophane]

Composite deck boards have heat buildup issues. Wood decking heat gain caps out about where composite begins, right around 45 degrees above ambient temperature (source: https://boston-decks-and-porches.com...your-deck-get/ found via Journal of Light Construction) They frequently have different construction requirements as well and can't have exposed ends, meaning you will need a lot of miter cuts.

The pricing you have sounds about right to me, but the price for labor can vary quite a bit depending on where you live. And keep in mind that they are doing twice as much work to rebuild it than building new since the old deck needs to be torn down first.

And like Chuck mentioned if you do it yourself- buy good screws. Personally I would get either Robertson or Torx screws. Very hard to strip the screws if you happen to over drive them, making repairs a whole lot easier down the road. I've bought from McFeely's in the past and been very happy with them. They also have color coded bits which is nice.

[Rainmaker]

I built a 10x20 deck a couple years ago that ran me about $800 in materials. It was a fun couple weekends worth of a project, and the kids love using the cordless drill to help screw it all down. Using the Torx style deck screws really made it easy for them to drive the screws.

[Painthappy]

I'll have to pull up the quote, but we did ours a couple years ago and it was with trex and a 12' by 30' deck, they took apart the old one, removed the waste, all new trex and railing with lighting and was ~ $8700

[punkncat]

Wow, I am super out of touch.

So the current deck(ing) is down with "Quick Drive" screws, just like another addition to the garage that was made to create a bathroom at draining level. Where it is a superb fastening system, particularly for floors, it is absolutely impossible to get it to come apart cleanly after being exposed to elements and dirt for a bunch of years. I ended up doing three days two people to physically cut the aforementioned flooring out. Unfortunately my ability to get down and do a deck is long passed. I am going to have to hire someone, and based on the above ideas may be better for me to look to complete removal, rebuild.

[chrislognshot]

here good idea might like or not. but buy all stuff need to redo the deck. then invent all your buddy's and there family over. you and guys can work on deck your family and there family can hang out. and when it all done hold huge cook out with beer and liquor. good way for all of you to hang out and have fun. but only do when virus under control

[punkncat]

here good idea might like or not. but buy all stuff need to redo the deck. then invent all your buddy's and there family over. you and guys can work on deck your family and there family can hang out. and when it all done hold huge cook out with beer and liquor. good way for all of you to hang out and have fun. but only do when virus under control

This is almost exactly the way that large portions of the remodel and rebuild of this home went when we purchased.

[Siress]

Composite deck boards have heat buildup issues. Wood decking heat gain caps out about where composite begins, right around 45 degrees above ambient temperature (source: https://boston-decks-and-porches.com...your-deck-get/ found via Journal of Light Construction) They frequently have different construction requirements as well and can't have exposed ends, meaning you will need a lot of miter cuts.

Huh... I saw a deck that had been redone a year or two ago, and the decking material was definitely not wood and definitely had exposed ends. What was most fascinating to me is that it wouldn't heat up in the sun, so no frying pan effect! Based on your link, I suspect this is due to the rate of heat absorption. We get very little sun light here. It's plenty enough to turn natural wood decking into a frying pan, but may not be enough to heat soak these new polymeric/composite decking materials.

[cellophane]

Huh... I saw a deck that had been redone a year or two ago, and the decking material was definitely not wood and definitely had exposed ends. What was most fascinating to me is that it wouldn't heat up in the sun, so no frying pan effect! Based on your link, I suspect this is due to the rate of heat absorption. We get very little sun light here. It's plenty enough to turn natural wood decking into a frying pan, but may not be enough to heat soak these new polymeric/composite decking materials.

Different products have different requirements. We don't do much decking at work so I'm not 100% up on the requirements. The last time I looked up composite boards for something I remember having exposed ends was a no-go, but it could have been a different material. I know with siding the guidelines vary quite a bit. Fiber Cement siding needs a 1/8" gap (i think?) between boards and all of the ends are supposed to be sealed (painted) to minimize water absorption. Fly Ash based siding can be in ground contact (i.e. it can get wet with no negative effects) and has a ridiculously small coefficient of expansion and the gaps aren't needed.

I'd be interested to know what material was used on the deck you saw.

[flyweightnate]

The other thing about (plastic- based) composite is that it's very flexible, especially when it heats up. Your joist spacing sometimes needs to be tighter.

Back when Trex was newer, around 2006, I was a gopher for a contractor business, driving my mom's minivan around. My boss, who was very Irish, was at the lumberyard watching some DIYer try to load his truck with 12' composite boards that had been out in the sun all day and were downright floppy. We surmised that the individual in question had to prove to his wife that the cost of the truck was worth it, by carrying home a load of lumber sans delivery fee.

The boards were everywhere. They sagged off the tailgate so far they would scrape on the road. He put them over the cab, but now they were blocking the windshield. They would slide off the sides and flop to the ground. The lumberyard tried to sell the driver a ladder or 6x4 to lash them to, but he wasn't having it.

At this point my boss is sitting on the ground next to his suburban, laughing so hard he can't speak. He's just gesticulating at the poor driver, pointing to the mishandled load as the slapstick proceeds. And I've been wary of Trex ever since.

[Chuck E Ducky]

My father-in-law put a composite deck around the pool and it will cook your feet before you can make it to the pool with all the safety latches and gates you need for code. I learned the hard way before I got myself some waterproof sandals.

[Mr. Hick]

Best of luck! Being that you're roughly 1200 miles or more south of my location I can't really recommend anything. Weather is too different, Code is too different, price of materials is too different. I built/rebuilt at least 30 decks of all varying shapes and sizes with different levels of fit and finish in the 5 years I swung a hammer for a living. The best way to do it is to use a chainsaw and Mini-excavator. If you plan on keeping the frame, plan on it taking for ever. I highly recommend you buy a large package of 12" long metal blade for a Recip saw and figure out the best way to break screws instead of taking them out. Even if you manage to unscrew 80% percent of the fasteners you'll still have about 100 screws to cut/break. Ask around if any of your friends have a "deck wrecker" style tool. It's a life saver.

[punkncat]

Best of luck! Being that you're roughly 1200 miles or more south of my location I can't really recommend anything. Weather is too different, Code is too different, price of materials is too different. I built/rebuilt at least 30 decks of all varying shapes and sizes with different levels of fit and finish in the 5 years I swung a hammer for a living. The best way to do it is to use a chainsaw and Mini-excavator. If you plan on keeping the frame, plan on it taking for ever. I highly recommend you buy a large package of 12" long metal blade for a Recip saw and figure out the best way to break screws instead of taking them out. Even if you manage to unscrew 80% percent of the fasteners you'll still have about 100 screws to cut/break. Ask around if any of your friends have a "deck wrecker" style tool. It's a life saver.

Yup, quite familiar. Same tool is useful for certain aspects of roofing and siding removal as well.
I can completely see and understand what you mean. As mentioned above the flooring addition done by the same previous homeowner was WAY difficult to remove. I am fairly sure the same Quickdrive screw system was used.

Almost regardless of what happens, the pilings themselves and the outer frame to the deck "joists" would be an extremely difficult remove. In light of the screws all being broken or cut I am not sure what manner of issue that is going to leave for new deck boards. Seems like I may need to consider "crowbar" them all off then angle grind the screws. Way too much labor and fun.