Some 12 years ago we expanded our now 22-year-old original deck with great excitement. We have enjoyed it, but of course, even with minimal maintenance, wood will decay. Back then, the expansion cost $9K.

I am having contractors come out for assessment and quote. The first contractor stated that they only use aluminum uprights and plastic wood. They deemed the frame to be in need of replacement. Their initial quote was $56K. This seems a bit high.

As some on the forum are skilled in assessing a situation, perhaps building a deck, or dealing with contractors, I wondered if you could offer guidance on this renovation.

If the deck framing is not usable, of course, costs are much higher than resurfacing. But, I do have some data we could review...

Upper deck 14 wide x 11 deep = 154 square feet
Lower deck 19 wide x 14 deep = 266 square feet

If the first contractor cost is based on these areas, they charge 133 $ / square foot, which is quite high, compared to the cost to build an actual house.

Board count for surfaces (including steps and seats)
60 boards must be at least 8 feet long
25 boards must be at least 12 feet long
40 boards must be at least 16 feet long

My pricing on surface boards alone in July 23 totaled $1533.

How would you all assess quotes? How would you all determine a fair price? No matter how much I could pay for the deck, financially, I'm wondering how to ensure I am paying a fair price.

The best way is to get multiple numbers from different contractors pricing the same scope. Ask if they will break down their number by materials and labor. You can somewhat check their cost of materials if you want to spend the time. Their labor rates should be comparable.

Obviously aluminum and composite is very expensive and you can’t compare it to someone quoting you pressure treated lumber.

I can't say how much hiring a contractor would cost, but I can provide insights into my project during the summer of 2020.

I needed to replace about four or five joists on the deck, all of the decking and all the rails. 430 square feet. The beams were fine, but I did need to put some effort into leveling.

The cost using Trex Select, railings from Lowes, a drink railing made from the same Trex, new stairs, and Azek trim was about $20 per square foot ($8,500 for materials).

Updated to add - Yeah, $50k seems absurd.

I'm pretty sure I captured all of the costs, but I certainly may have missed a few things.

Speaking about costs, this was the summer of COVID when finding Trex deck boards and good quality 2x10 joists was a battle. The 20' and 16' boards were $51 and $41 each, respectively. Quite a few had to be sent back as they were scratched up.

It took us all summer (no more than 10-12 hours per week). I started the demo in June and finished up in September when I had a landscaper come in and do that part of the project. (I was DONE.)

In many ways, I wish I had just done Trex when I built the first deck the summer after we built the house 18 years ago or so. But we are happy with the final result. (My cuts for the Azek trim are off and that bothers me a bit.)

Get multiple bids. The more, the better.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: steve495,

$56,000?! I'd assess that as obscene.

I had a nearly complete back deck rebuild done last summer. Size is a bit over 400ft^2 including a set of stairs Demo, mostly new joists (as the original were 2' and I needed 16"), and a mid grade Trex ran me $10K.

I just did a quick estimate for replacing your deck with wood 2x6. That includes delivery, hardware, disposal, supplies, and labor. Its cost is $7500 and I am in the Northeast.
With synthetic decking it jumps to $16,000.
Both are estimates without a railing and steps.

Regardless, that quote is extremely high. I wonder if thats the I dont want it price.

My 18'x20' complete deck replacement, Pillars, joists and all was about $24K two years ago.
That's with digging & concrete for the pillars, pressure treated pillars and joists, 20' composite decking boards with invisible fasteners, metal railings, two sets of stairs and a landing for one stairway that's 10 feet high on one end of the deck.

$56,000 for a deck?

They are smoking crack

Thank you all for your expertise and guidance. We look forward to assessing the quotes over the next few weeks and your benchmarking values help greatly.

My contractor just finished my deck a couple weeks ago, 320 sqft, 3 ft off the ground, all new foundation, top grade exterior grade treated wood, very clear and knot free, as trex was too expensive. Vinyl railing, two sets of stairs. I will stain it in the spring after it dries. Oh and very nice sides with good ventilation. Included tear out and haul away, turnkey pristine job. Very nicely done, total cost 14,300.