Decking Replacement That Starts With a Frame-First Survey

Replacing deck boards over a tired frame is the most common and most expensive mistake in decking. New boards screwed to soft joists fail within a couple of seasons, and you pay twice. That is why our replacement work begins with a survey of everything — boards, joists, bearers, posts and the ground they stand on — rather than a price per square metre shouted from the bottom of the garden.

What the survey looks for

We probe the boards and lift samples to inspect the joists beneath, paying attention to the contact points where water sits. We press-test posts at ground level, check fixings for corrosion, and look at drainage and airflow under the deck, because those decide whether new timber will last. Where the frame is genuinely sound and well-built, we will say so and design the replacement around keeping it — that is real money saved. Where it is not, you will hear it straight.

What gets quoted

The quote covers the agreed scope as a full project price: any frame repairs or renewals needed before boards go down, the new boards themselves in a species or profile that suits the deck's use, correct fixings, and board spacing and falls that improve on what was there. If the old deck had a fundamental problem — bad falls, no under-deck drainage, posts in unsuitable ground — the replacement is the moment to fix it, and we will say so. Materials are itemised separately; you approve the whole price before work starts.

How the work runs

Old boards and any failed frame timber are removed and cleared as agreed. Frame repairs are completed first, then boards are laid with proper spacing for expansion and fixed with appropriate exterior screws. Working days are agreed in the plan — the visit estimate covers a defined working day on the agreed scope, and longer replacements are staged so the garden is left safe and usable between sessions.

Weather and timing

Deck replacement is outdoor work: laying boards and any treatment need dry conditions, and frost or rain pauses rather than compromises the job. We schedule around the forecast and tell you plainly when weather must move a stage.

Honest limits

A replaced deck is still timber outdoors. We cannot guarantee against weathering, timber movement or future rot — good materials and good construction minimise these, but nothing abolishes them. We also do not promise planning compliance; if a raised replacement deck may need permission, that check is yours to make with the local authority.

Aftercare

New boards respond well to a simple rhythm: seasonal cleaning, keeping gaps clear, and oiling or treating as the timber demands. We leave you with advice specific to the materials we have fitted.

Upgrades worth considering

Replacement is the natural moment to improve on what the old deck got wrong, and we will raise these during the survey rather than after: better falls so water escapes, improved under-deck airflow or drainage, wider board spacing done properly, and fixings upgraded to appropriate corrosion-resistant screws throughout. If the deck's use has changed since it was built — more people, heavier furniture, plans for a hot tub — tell us at survey stage so the new structure is designed for the loads it will actually carry, not the ones it used to.

How to book

Start with a survey via maintenance-men.com or by phone. The booking fee is paid when you book; survey labour is hourly at a rate that depends on how soon you need the visit, and the full replacement project is quoted after the survey and approved before work begins.