Deck repairs are priced by the piece: a board, a baluster, a tread, a post. That makes them easy to estimate from a description, and it means you can add up most of a quote yourself before anyone visits. The prices below are the ones our estimators work from. They assume a ground-level or one-story deck in the suburbs; rooftop work and jobs inside the city cost more, and the two exceptions to per-piece pricing, ledgers and framing, are quoted after an inspection.
Key Takeaways
- Replacing a pressure-treated deck board costs about $115 installed on a ground-level deck and $155 on a rooftop. Cedar boards run $140 to $180.
- A baluster is about $18 installed. Rebuilding an 8-foot railing section runs $800 to $1,000, and a railing post $275 to $325.
- Stair treads are about $100 each and stringers $200 to $300 each. A five-step flight rebuilt from the stringers up runs about $1,000 to $1,200 before the handrail.
- Support posts cost $250 to $350 each. Ledger, joist and beam work is quoted after inspection and usually needs a permit in Chicago; boards, treads and pickets replaced in kind do not.
- Rooftop work adds 25% to 50% to labor. Jobs inside the city of Chicago run about 10% more. Repairs carry a two-year warranty.
Deck Board Replacement
A board price is the lumber plus the labor to pull the old board, check the joists under it, and fasten the new one. Labor is $80 per board on a ground-level or one-story deck and $120 on a rooftop, where every board comes up and down the stairs or the hoist.
| Board | Ground level or one story | Rooftop |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated, 16 ft | $115 | $155 |
| Pressure-treated, 10 ft | $100 | $140 |
| Pressure-treated, 20 ft | $125 | $165 |
| Cedar, 16 ft | $140 | $180 |
A typical repair call replaces five to ten boards, so $600 to $1,200 on a ground-level deck. New boards are bare wood next to weathered wood, which is why most board jobs are paired with a wash and stain of the whole floor; our deck staining cost guide has those prices. When more than about a third of the boards are soft, the question becomes whether to rebuild the floor instead, and our post on repairing or replacing an old deck walks through that decision.
Railing Repairs
Railings are priced by component. The number that surprises people is the baluster: $18 each installed, so a section with a dozen loose or broken pickets is a small job. The number that adds up is the post, because a railing post has to be through-bolted to the framing to pass a Chicago inspection, and that is where the labor goes.
| Railing component | Ground level or one story | Rooftop |
|---|---|---|
| Baluster or spindle | $18 | $18 |
| Top rail or handrail section | $110 | $150 |
| Routed handrail section | $180 | $180 |
| Upper or lower rail, labor | $120 plus lumber | $120 plus lumber |
| Railing post | $275 | $325 |
A full 8-foot section rebuilt with a new top rail, bottom rail, twenty balusters and one post comes to about $865 on a one-story deck, so plan on $800 to $1,000 per section. A railing that is being rebuilt has to meet the current rule: 42 inches high, with no opening that passes a 4-inch sphere, on any deck more than two feet off the ground. Our post on the Chicago porch and deck code covers the rest of what an inspector measures.
Stair Repairs
Stairs fail from the bottom: the stringers rot where they meet the ground or the landing, treads split and cup, and the stair railing loosens because it is bolted to a stringer that has gone soft. Treads and stringers are priced per piece and a flight is the sum.
| Stair component | Ground level or one story | Rooftop |
|---|---|---|
| Tread | $100 | $140 |
| Stringer, up to 7 steps | $200 | $200 |
| Stringer, 8 steps or more | $300 | $300 |
A five-step flight with three new stringers and five treads is about $1,100. An eight-step flight with three long stringers runs about $1,700. Add the stair handrail from the railing table, so a complete five-step flight with a new handrail on one side usually lands between $1,400 and $1,600. Stringers are structural, which matters for the permit section below.
Posts and Footings
| Post | Ground level or one story | Rooftop |
|---|---|---|
| Railing post | $275 | $325 |
| Support post, up to 8 ft | $250 | $300 |
| Support post, over 8 ft | $300 | $350 |
| Support post on a multi-level structure | Quoted on site | Quoted on site |
A support post price covers the post and the labor to jack the beam, swap the post and reconnect it with proper hardware. It does not include a new footing. Chicago requires footings 42 inches below grade, and a post that has sunk or is sitting on a paver needs a footing dug and poured, which we price after seeing the ground and the access.
Ledger, Joists and Beams
These are the repairs we do not price per piece, because the work is mostly access. A rotted ledger means removing the boards along the house, cutting out the old ledger, flashing the wall and re-bolting a new one; a sistered joist means the same boards come up. The cost depends on how many boards have to come up and go back, whether they survive removal, and what the framing looks like once it is open. We inspect first and quote the whole job in writing. Our post on deck dry rot explains what to look for before you call, and the structural deck repairs page covers what the work involves.
What Moves a Repair Price
- Rooftop and elevated decks. Labor runs 25% to 50% higher because every board, tread and post is carried up and the old material carried down.
- Inside the city. Jobs inside the Chicago city limits run about 10% more for parking, access and permit handling.
- Material. Cedar boards cost about $25 more than pressure-treated. Ipe and other hardwoods are special-order and take hidden fasteners, so they are quoted per job.
- Matching the finish. A repair leaves bare boards next to weathered ones. Most homeowners have the floor washed and stained in the same visit so the repair disappears.
- Access. A yard with no gate, a deck over a walk-out with no ground access, or a second-story deck with stairs inside the house all add time.
Three Worked Examples
| Job | Pieces | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Ten soft boards and one wobbly railing section, one-story deck, suburbs | 10 boards at $115, one 8 ft section at $865 | About $2,000 |
| Six boards and twelve balusters on a rooftop deck in the city | 6 boards at $155, 12 balusters at $18, plus 10% | About $1,260 |
| Five-step stair rebuilt with new stringers, treads and one handrail | 3 stringers, 5 treads, one handrail section and two posts | About $1,750 |
When a Deck Repair Needs a Permit
In the city of Chicago, the line is structural versus not. Replacing deck boards, stair treads and railing pickets in kind needs no permit, provided there is no open violation on the property. Power washing, staining and painting never do. Replacing stringers, beams, posts, joists or footings needs a full building permit, with drawings by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer, and a porch inspection when the work is done. If you are repairing non-structural items to correct a violation notice, the city's Express Permit Program applies. A small residential porch less than six feet off the ground with no more than 50 square feet of landing is exempt.
The suburbs each have their own building department, and the pattern is similar: like-for-like surface repairs are maintenance, and anything that changes the structure, the footprint or the height is permit work. We handle the permit drawings and inspection scheduling on permitted rebuilds, and we will tell you at the estimate which side of the line your repair falls on. The full set of rules, and what a violation notice asks of you, is in our Chicago porch and deck code guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to replace deck boards?
About $115 per pressure-treated board on a ground-level deck and $155 on a rooftop, including the lumber. Cedar boards run $140 to $180. A typical five-to-ten board repair is $600 to $1,200.
How much does it cost to fix a deck railing?
Balusters are $18 each. A top rail section is $110 to $180 depending on the profile, a post is $275 to $325, and a full 8-foot section rebuilt runs $800 to $1,000.
How much does a deck stair repair cost?
Treads are about $100 each and stringers $200 to $300 each. A five-step flight rebuilt from the stringers up is about $1,100, or $1,400 to $1,600 with a new handrail.
Do I need a permit to repair my deck in Chicago?
Not for boards, treads or pickets replaced in kind, and not for cleaning or staining. Stringers, posts, beams, joists, ledgers and footings need a permit with stamped drawings.
Is there a minimum for a repair visit?
Small repairs are usually bundled with a wash or a refinish on the same visit, which is the economical way to do them. We will tell you at the estimate whether a stand-alone visit makes sense.
Are repairs guaranteed?
Yes. Repairs carry a two-year warranty on workmanship. Terms are on our warranty page.
Send us a few photos and a rough count of what is loose, soft or missing, and we will set up the visit and email a written estimate within a few days of it. Request a free estimate, or see the deck repairs and cleaning page for what the service covers.
