Storm-Damaged Decking Assessed, Made Safe and Properly Repaired in Shirley

Storm damage is rarely just cosmetic. Wind gets under lifted board edges and tears fixings out; falling branches crack boards and, worse, strike the frame below; floodwater scours soil from post bases and leaves the structure standing on less support than it had. And the damage you can see is often only half of it — the part that matters is underneath.

First things first, before we arrive

Stay off the deck until it has been looked at, especially if boards have lifted or rails are damaged. Do not walk on or move large fallen branches with the deck taking the weight. If water has pooled around electrical features such as deck lighting, leave those switches off — do not touch wet electrics. If anything looks structurally displaced, cordon the area as best you can and keep children and pets away.

How we assess storm damage

We inspect the boards, rails, balustrades and steps first, then the parts that matter most: joists, bearers, connectors and post bases, including the ground around them if water has been through. We check for boards with cracked fixings, rails that no longer take weight, posts that have moved or been undermined, and debris wedged under the deck holding moisture against the frame. You get a clear picture of what is urgent, what can sensibly wait and what is merely cosmetic.

Making safe and repairing

Urgent items — loose boards in a walking route, rails that have failed on an elevated deck, posts that have shifted — are made safe first, and that work is quoted and approved before we start. Longer-term repairs follow: replacing broken boards and rail sections, refixing or replacing damaged joists, restoring post support where water has scoured the ground. Temporary cover or boarding can be an honest interim measure while the permanent repair is quoted, where that is the sensible way to keep things safe and dry.

Weather reality

Repair work itself needs suitable conditions, and after a storm that is not always immediately available. We schedule sensibly, and if high winds or heavy rain must delay the permanent work, we will tell you and arrange interim safety measures rather than leave things risky.

Honest limits

A repaired deck will still be a timber structure in the British weather, and we cannot guarantee it against the next storm or against future weathering. What we can do is restore the structure properly, use appropriate fixings and materials, and point out anything that makes the deck more vulnerable next time.

When to call

After any storm where the deck has taken a direct hit, been flooded, or had something heavy land on it — even if it looks fine. Hidden frame damage does not announce itself until something gives.

Prevention worth knowing

Storms find weak points, so the best storm preparation is removing them in fair weather. Boards refixed before winter, rails checked for flex, debris cleared from under the deck so water escapes, and trees overhanging the deck pruned back all reduce what the next storm can take. After any severe weather, a five-minute visual walk-around of your deck — looking for lifted boards, leaning posts and damaged rails — catches most problems while they are still small. Photograph anything that looks wrong and get it assessed rather than hoping it settles down.

How to book

Book through maintenance-men.com or by phone. The booking fee is paid when you book, labour is hourly at a rate that depends on how soon you need us, and the full cost is quoted and approved before work starts. Photos of the damage help us plan the visit; materials are quoted separately.