Most decking repairs are small jobs on a deck that is otherwise in reasonable shape. Our indicative range for decking repairs and board replacement is £150–£1,200. A handful of boards or fixings sits at the bottom; opening up a section, sourcing an awkward board or repairing a joist pushes towards the top.
Because repair jobs are short, the price is driven less by materials and more by what the fault turns out to be. A board that has split on the surface is a quick swap. A board that has softened because the joist under it is rotting is a different problem, and the cost follows the cause rather than the symptom.
Repair costs by the size of the fix
Indicative decking repair costs (labour and materials, as a guide)
| Repair | Guide cost | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| A few boards or fixings | £150–£500 | Swapping split or soft boards and re-fixing loose ones where the joists beneath are sound |
| A section opened up | £500–£850 | Lifting a run of boards, repairing or strengthening a local joist, or rebuilding a loose step |
| Several faults or awkward parts | £850–£1,200+ | Repairs in more than one area, a discontinued board profile to source, or a rail or stair to make safe |
Some firms have a minimum charge for a visit, so a single board can cost more than you might expect for the materials alone. Grouping several small jobs into one visit is often better value.
Ask the contractor what made the board fail before agreeing a price to replace it. If water around a fixing has rotted the joist below, a new board on top will fail in the same place.
Common repairs and what affects each
Loose or squeaking boards
Usually a fixing problem: screws or nails that have worked loose or corroded. Re-fixing is quick, but if the timber around the old fixing has gone soft, the board may need moving along or replacing.
Split or rotten boards
Replacing a board means lifting it without damaging its neighbours, cutting a new one to length, treating the cut ends where needed and fixing it to match. Expect the new board to look lighter than its weathered neighbours. An exact match is unlikely, especially if the original profile is no longer made.
A soft or sagging joist
Where a joist has a local weak spot, a contractor may fix new timber alongside it, sometimes called sistering. That only works where the new piece can bear on sound supports and be properly connected. Bolting new timber to rotten timber is not a repair. If decay runs along several joists, the repair budget is the wrong one; see our decking replacement cost guide.
Steps
Steps take more wear and more water than the rest of a deck. A loose tread might just need re-fixing, but a step that moves as a whole often needs its stringers or support rebuilt, which is labour-heavy for its size.
Handrails and balustrades
A loose rail is a safety issue first and a repair second. Keep people away from it and describe it to the contractor rather than tightening it yourself, because a loose fixing can be a sign that the post or the timber it is fixed to has decayed. On a raised deck, a rail or post repair may need more than a quick visit.
When repairs stop making sense
Repairs are good value when the fault is local and the rest of the deck is firm. They stop making sense when soft spots keep appearing, several joists are affected or the main posts move. At that point, money spent patching would be better put towards a rebuild. Our list of signs your decking needs replacing helps you judge which side of that line you are on.
If the deck is sound but slippery or tired-looking, you may need cleaning rather than repair; the decking restoration cost guide covers that. When you know what you need, ask for quotes and mention any earlier repairs.
Frequently asked questions
What does swapping a single decking board cost?
Often towards the bottom of our £150–£1,200 range, but a minimum visit charge can make a single board relatively expensive. Grouping several small repairs into one visit usually gives better value.
Will the new boards match the old ones?
Rarely exactly. New timber is usually lighter than weathered boards, and some profiles are discontinued. Ask about the closest match and whether replacing a full run would look better.
Can a contractor price a repair from photos?
Photos help explain the problem, but they cannot show the condition of hidden joists. Expect a site visit, or a quote that includes an allowance for investigation once boards are lifted.
Does a repaired patch mean the rest of the deck is sound?
No. A repair covers the agreed area. Ask the contractor what they inspected and whether anything else needs looking at.
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