Is it Cheaper to Repair or Replace a Deck in Kansas City? (Homeowners Guide)

During spring or summer in Kansas City, you want to enjoy the weather on your deck again after a long time. Spending some time on the deck, homeowners are often faced with the sad experience of seeing that their deck needs some repairs and possible replacements.

Choosing between deck repairs and replacing a deck can be a tough decision. Not only do you want to find out which one is more reasonable, but you also want to know which is cheaper. Well, there are a few factors that determine which is cheaper.

In this article, we discuss which is cheaper between repairing and replacing a deck in Kansas City. For more information, please visit our website.

Signs that it’s time to repair or replace your deck

The following are some of the signs you will see when your deck is due for deck repair or a replacement: 

  • Rotted wood: One of the signs you will notice when the wood beneath your deck has rotted are soft spots. To confirm rot, you can poke through the soft spot by using a screwdriver and see what happens. In the end, you might have to replace some boards.
  • Loose floorboards: Weather changes can cause floorboards to crack and that shouldn’t bother you much as it is a usual occurrence. However, replacing your board may be necessary if you see signs that the floorboard is loose. A loose floorboard can be caused by rotted wood around the screws. You may also need to replace bowed boards as they pose the risk of someone tripping or falling.
  • Damaged posts and wobbly railings: Railings do the work of ensuring that you don’t accidentally fall off the deck’s edge. Railings also aid the safe climbing of stairs. If you notice that your railings are wobbling, it’s time to contact a contractor to get it fixed to prevent serious injuries.
  • Bug infestation: There are many signs you will notice when your deck has been infested with insects. Some of them include you seeing wood shavings on the ground, actually seeing the insects, wood rot, spongy deck boards, sunken wood, hollow wood sounds, etc. Early detection of these insects can save your wooden deck from significant damage. Contact a pest control expert in Kansas City as soon as you notice insect damage of any kind.

The cost of deck building or replacement

You can expect to spend between $9,000 and $35,000 to build a deck. This will depend on whether we are talking about a base deck or a high-end deck. The general cost determinants are the choice of material, the size of the deck in square footage, finishes, and whether you want certain upgrades.

A base deck: The average cost is about $9,000. This is based on the assumption that you are going for a 10-by-10 treated wood with small wood stairs and wood railings.

An average deck: If you are building an 18-by-12 composite deck with a set of stairs, aluminum railings, and fascia wrapping, you should be spending about $21,000.

High-end deck: If you are considering a high-end composite deck of 16-by-20 with wood fascia wrapping, stair wrapping, top-notch aluminum railings, bar railings, small wood landing, and decking materials with a lifetime warranty, you can expect to spend $35,000 or more.

What determines the cost of deck building and replacement?

The size: Large decks will require more materials, labor, and time. So, the more the square footage of the deck, the higher the cost of building or replacement.

The choice of materials: There are many different kinds of materials that can be used to build your deck including wood, high-end wood, and composite materials. While each of them has its advantages and downsides, they all come at varying price ranges.

Finishes: You will be having your deck for years and it is important that you give it a finishing that you’ll love the most. Some options that you can either go for are sealing the deck, staining it, or painting it. Each of these has a huge difference in how the deck looks and also the cost.

Upgrades: Although extra features such as better materials, railing lights, and stair lights can add to the pleasure that your deck will give you, they can also increase the cost of building and replacement.

The Cost to Repair a Deck

The cost of deck repair starts from $2,500 to sometimes over $15,000. The cost largely depends on the total square footage that is to be repaired, the severity of the damage, the choice of material, finishes, and any other extra features.

Base repair- This may involve the replacement of damaged stairs. You should expect to pay between $2,500 and $3,000 for a typical base deck repair.

Average repair: This kind of repair may involve fixing joints, posts, or loose railings, and also new stairs and railings. The average cost of this should range from $5,000 to $6,000.

High-end repair: Such repairs could include the replacement of all the damaged railings and deck boards with either a composite decking material or wood. It would cost you between $10,000 and $15,000 to do a high-end deck repair.

Cost factors of deck repair

Size: The wider the square footage of the area to be repaired, the more the materials, labor, and time that will be required, thereby increasing the cost of repair.

The severity of the damage: The longer a repair is delayed, the more severe the damage is likely to become. Sometimes, a professional inspection may be necessary to determine the severity of the problem. This is a major cost determinant.

Choice of material: The repair process of composite materials is different from that of wood. For example, it costs more to repair high-end woods than normal woods.

Finishes: The repaired areas of your deck can either be sealed, stained, or painted to match the rest of the deck. This also affects the cost of repair.

Upgrades: If you choose to get some upgrades with the deck repairs, you can be sure that the cost is also affected.

To know more about the cost of replacing or repairing a deck, you may want to check out the Home Guide’s cost guide.

Conclusion

Deciding which is cheaper between replacing a deck or deck repair in Kansas City will depend on a variety of factors. The best way to get an exact figure is to engage a reputable contractor to give you a comprehensive estimate and plan for executing the project.